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New Blues News – 8/3/2020

Brother Jeff Chapman & Big Rich – The Session (Blue Lotus): Blues duo Jeff Chapman (vocals, guitar) and Rich McDonough (guitar) offer seven original blues songs, one of which has lyrics by Wayne E. Caniff. Solidly in the acoustic blues style and the performance is engaging and easy on the ears! This appears to be their first release. Definitely recommended for fans of acoustic blues! Click here for a sample of their performance.

Crooked Eye Tommy – Hot Coffee And Pain (Blue Heart): Paddy and Tommy Marsh, brothers, guitarists, singers are the heart of this disc and they also have some fine help in the persons of Samuel Corea (bass), Charlie McClure (drums), Craig Williamson sax for six songs, Jimmy Calire on B3 and a guest appearance by Teresa James on “Baby Where You Been?” Tommy composed three of the songs and the remainder cover several writers from Son House’s “Death Letter Blues” to Sonny Landretth’s “Congo Square”. Their version of “Death Letter Blues”is truly is their own take. This group would be a welcome gig for dancers as well. These appears to be their second release. Click here to listen to the title song.

Eddie 9V – Left My Soul In Memphis (Hubbub!): “Eddie 9V‘s (pronounced 9-Volt) debut combines a lo-fi aesthetic with the blues in an organic way. It makes sense; in many ways, the blues pioneered the lo-fi sound, what with ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax roaming the United States and Europe from the 1940s through the 1960s, capturing all kinds of music, including the blues. These field recordings, which included legends like Lead Belly, are not known for their sound quality but do successfully convey the beauty of the artist. The 23-year-old 9V, who recorded this pretty much alone in a Georgia shack, is tapped into that old-school blues energy. Energy is the key idea here. 9V has an electric, contemporary sound. And recording alone (he handled all of the instruments except the keyboards) but crafting full-sounding tracks, there’s an argument to be made about just how low the fidelity is. The tracks have a polish, but the vocals often have a perfect caking of light mud that makes you think you’re hearing a track recorded 60 years ago. And don’t let 9V’s age and …interesting… stage name fool you: when you hear Left My Soul in Memphis, you instantly know you’re hearing an old soul. An old soul who can play soul. And funk. And of course, blues. Not just parroting the greats, although he certainly knows his source material, but coming up with a unique perspective on the masters. “Ghosts” is the perfect example of 9V’s smart take on the blues. It’s an acoustic country blues riff, one much like the many Lomax captured, with some piercing electric guitar on top. 9V is a self-confessed Freddie King fan, but there are lots of Albert King style string bends. 9V’s vocal is laid-back, befitting the song’s rhythm, but there’s still a seriousness and intensity. 9V is now mixing-and-matching styles is what’s most enjoyable. This album is like a quilt made out of different pieces of beautiful fabric. While each piece of fabric might be lovely on its own, reconfiguring them into something different can yield a new product just as pretty. That’s what he’s done here.” (https://bluesfirst.com/eddie-9v-left-my-soul-in-memphis/) I could not agree more. This disc is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid of Cracks”! Click here to listen to a live version of the title song.

Peter Karp – Magnificent Heart (Rose Cottage): “Songwriter. Guitarist. Singer. Pianist. Bandleader.  Operating within the fiery brand of roots/blues music that Karp calls “Soul-influenced Americana-Blues-Rock.”  The music is crackling with smart and witty lyrics.  His ability to give the audience such a great time while doing it is refreshing.  Ever the multi-tasker, Karp bounces between several instruments, handling electric resonator slide guitar, acoustic guitar — as well as harmonica and piano. Each song is driven home with his soulful voice and original songwriting style…. Peter Karp is known for many things. An assertive singer, a skilled guitarist and a passionate performer, he’s also an individual who writes songs that frequently reflect tales told as part of life’s journey, spawned by passion and personal experience.  Consequently he’s not easily confined to any singular genre. Blues, Americana and rock and roll reverence all find common ground within his visceral template. He taps tradition and yet also maintains contemporary credence. As his friend and collaborator, Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor once noted, “Guys like Peter Karp, James Taylor and Bob Dylan embody Americana Blues, and us English guys are inspired by it.” (https://peterkarp.com/biography) The players include Peter Karp (slide guitar/solo guitar/guitar/piano (2,6,10,13)/vocals), Kim Wilson and Jason Ricci (harmonica), John Ginty (B3), Jim Eingher (piano), Paul Carbonara and James Otis Karp (guitar), Niles Terrat and Edward Williams (bass), Michael Catapano (drums/percussion), the Cold City Horns (Jacob Wynne trumpet/David Kasper tenor sax) and Eyrn O’ree (background vocals). Don’t miss it! This is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid of Cracks”! Click here to listen to samples of the songs this disc.

Cary Morin – Dockside Saints (Self-produced): “12 tracks recorded at Dockside Studio in Maurice, LA. April 2019…. This recording project came about in 2018, at the urging of a friend of mine from Lafayette, LA. He thought that my Piedmont blues style of songwriting and guitar playing was a good fit for the rhythms and sounds of Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco music. He took me out to tour the infamous Dockside Studios in Maurice, LA, and encouraged Dockside’s founding engineer/producer, Tony Daigle, to attend my show in Lafayette that evening. Tony did come to my show that night, and upon leaving, told me that if I were to want to come to Maurice to record, he was my man. With the help of Tony Daigle and local drummer, Dave Nezat, we began to assemble an all-star cast of Lafayette area musical heroes and make a plan. The lure of working with such an illustrious & talented group in this multi-award winning Louisiana studio was too good to resist. I went home from that tour and began to write a collection of songs, specifically for this project.” (https://www.carymorin.com/music-merch)  “Cary Morin is a unique and brilliant guitar player, songwriter and singer,” says renowned folk musician David Bromberg, extolling the virtues of one of his favorite players. “It’s hard to pick out what he does best. As a guitar player, I have huge respect for Cary’s style and technique on the guitar. If you haven’t heard him yet, you should. Try to remember that it’s only one guitar.” Hearing the ease with which he fingerpicks on his latest album, Cradle to the Grave, it’s hard to believe that he’s only been playing solo for about seven years — and, as Bromberg says, that it’s all just one person…” (Dan Forte for Taylor Wood & Steel Magazine, June 2018) A dozen originals swirled in a Louisiana blend with great songs from Cary Morin and his guitar work! Backing musicians are Lee Allen Zeno (bass), Brian Brignac (drums), Corey Ledet (accordion), Eric Adcock (piano, B#, keys), Beau Thomas (fiddle), John Fohl and Keith Blair (electric guitar) and  Celeste Di Iorio (harmony vocals). This is an engaging group performing some solid songs. Check it out! Click here and scroll down to listen to the songs on this disc.

Kopasetically,

Professor Bebop