New Blues Review 4-7-25
By Jack Roy
Andrew Duncanson – California Trap (Self Produced)
Bio – “In the past 20 plus years, the Kilborn Alley Blues Band has carved out a nice career with six albums full of tough Chicago style blues interspersed with stirring original songs that delve into the span of emotions between love and heartbreak. At the core of the band’s sound is the amazing voice of Andrew Duncanson. Since the beginning, his ability to move from a raw, gritty delivery to a soulfully expressive approach has made each of their records a joyous listening experience, as witnessed by the consistent critical acclaim and multiple award nominations. In 2017, Kilborn Alley released the album The Tolono Tapes, featuring nine original songs and three covers, featuring the band with special guest appearances by the great piano player Henry Gray, guitarist Monster Mike Welch, vocalist Jackie Scott, and harmonica master Bob Corritore. The collection garnered plenty of praise from the blues reviewers. Late in 2018, the band began recording for a new project. Guitarist Josh Rasner-Stimmel left the band in 2021, breaking up the trio of high school friends who had spent many a night merrymaking when they weren’t playing music. Duncanson took over on lead guitar after years of filling the rhythm guitar role. The other high school friend, Chris Breen, is still laying down those thick bass lines that give the arrangements a solid foundation. After more than 20 years of fronting Kilborn Alley, Duncanson remains committed to the band and it’s future. At the same time, he has been busy exploring other avenues that allow him greater freedom in pursuit of his personal musical expression. Last year saw the release of the debut album by The Dig 3, a band comprised of Duncanson on guitar and lead vocals, along with Ronnie Shellist on harmonica and multi-instrumentalist Gerry Hundt on bass, percussion, guitar and mandolin. Their stripped down sound revives the almost forgotten style of the early electric Muddy Waters records with Jimmy Rogers on second guitar and the master, Little Walter, on harp. The album was recorded live in the studio, a stripped down sound with no tricks.”
Review – I think this may be my favorite CD of the years for Blues!! This is my first time hearing Andrew and I am really impressed. His voice is perfect, has that Dr. John feel but a little smoother. Eleven of the thirteen songs were written by Andrew and his writing is so well thought out. Like every third Blues album out these days, Kid Anderson plays guitar and Mix and Masters this CD. Top quality musically, really can’t think of a better album this year. Michael Peloquin wrote one of the songs and arranged all of the horns, which he played for the recording, Jerry Jemmott on Bass, Derrick Martin on Drums, the incredible Jim Pugh on Keys and Hammond B3. Some of the notables to me were “Relearning To Climb”, “Town Saint” and “Outer Space” but all the songs are killer!! Definitely my favorite is “California Trap″, a really cool Blues with Kid Anderson playing guitar like Otis Rush, really sounds like it could of been recorded back in the late 60’s, listen here. I will give this a 10++ on Blues Content and a 10++ on Music Content.
Dudley Taft – The Speed Of Life (Self Produced)
Bio – “Dudley Taft grew up in the American Midwest, where he learned the values of friendship, roots blues, rock ‘n’ roll and a good ear of corn. With a background that includes Berklee College of Music as well as years touring with rock bands Sweet Water and Second Coming, Dudley is a thinking man’s blues rocker. There’s plenty of swagger here, but also the sensitivity of a thoughtful songwriter. In his music you’ll hear delta roots mingling with Seattle grunge, a southern twang with a high-octane crunch. Dudley was nominated “Best Guitarist” by the European Blues Awards in 2017. Dudley’s music career began in high school when he founded the band Space Antelope with friend Trey Anastasio (of Phish). In the 1990’s he joined Seattle band Sweet Water, touring the states with Monster Magnet, Candlebox and Alice in Chains. After recording two albums for Atlantic, he left the band to join Second Coming. More touring followed with an album on Capitol Records and a taste of success thanks to the single “Vintage Eyes” which made it to #10 on the Rock Radio charts. Dudley Taft has been playing blues rock since 2006, when he formed Dudley Taft Blues Overkill with like-minded Seattle musicians. After playing clubs and casinos in the Pacific Northwest for a couple of years, he released the album Left For Dead. Taft has recorded and released a total of eight studio albums and one live CD, recorded on the European tours of 2014 and 2015. After Left for Dead in 2010 came Deep Deep Blue in 2012, Screaming In The Wind in 2014, Skin and Bones in 2015, Live In Europe in 2016, Summer Rain 2017, Simple Life in 2019, Cosmic Radio in 2020 and Guitar Kingdom in 2023. Reese Wynans of Stevie Ray Vaughan fame has played on three of these studio albums. Dudley has had four #1 songs on the Hit Tracks Top 100 charts, a #2 Blues Rock single (Give Me A Song) and Simple Life made it to #9 on the US Blues Rock Album charts. Taft has been touring in Europe since 2012, and in 2017 Taft was nominated “best guitarist” by the European Blues Awards. His music can be heard on BB King’s Bluesville on Satellite XM Radio, Pandora, Spotify, and other streaming services. Dudley’s music has been featured in movies and on television, most notably The Sixth Sense, and on That Metal Show and Gene Simmon’s Family Jewels. Dudley now makes his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.”
Review – Alright, not really Blues but a decent Rock Album by Dudley. Vocals are decent and his guitar playing is funky, distorted and straight forward. The rest of the band is composed of Nick Owsianka on Drums, Dave Marks on Bass and Keys, Bennett Holland on Keys and Ashley Charmae and Gina McCann on Backing Vocals. Not an album that I would listen to again but “Wanted Man” and “No Time Left” were pretty good. I think my favorite is “Topaz Blue″, not really Blues but pretty good song, listen here. I will give this a 6 on Blues Content and a 7 on Music Content.
Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival – Retrograde (Self Produced)
Bio – “Since Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival launched their first official album release in 2021 with the EP Nothing Holding Me Down, they have blazed a remarkable trail through the modern blues scene. The band quickly gained momentum, reaching #4 on the Billboard Blues chart and earning accolades that firmly established their place in the genre. Their raw, soulful sound, paired with Jennifer Lyn’s powerful vocals, bandmate Richard Torrance’s searing guitar work, and the duo’s dynamic guitar interplay, has captivated audiences and critics alike. Backing Jennifer Lyn is a talented ensemble of seasoned musicians: Richard Torrance on lead guitar, Jim Anderson on drums, Barb Jiskra on keys, and Nolyn Falcon on bass. Together, they create a dynamic and cohesive sound that bridges modern blues-rock energy with deep roots in classic blues traditions. The group has garnered an impressive seven Independent Blues Music Award nominations, recognizing their talent, originality, and contribution to contemporary blues. Additionally, their songwriting prowess earned them a nomination for an International Songwriting Award, further solidifying their reputation as both gifted musicians and storytellers. Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival have achieved consistent success on the blues airwaves, with all three of their album releases landing in the top 10 on Blues radio music charts. With a reputation for electrifying live performances and a steadily growing fanbase, Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival continue to carve their path in the blues world, blending authenticity with a fresh, contemporary edge.”
Review – This Cd is advertised on my Facebook constantly, so I was hoping for a little better than it turned out to be. While Jennifer has a great voice, it just seems like she is singing over the top on every song. I have really enjoyed some of her other music, but this one fell a little short. Richard Torrance plays some mean guitar on this album though, every song seems to be based on a cool guitar riff! Rounding out the band is Barb Jiskra on Keys, Nolyn Falcon on Bass and Jim Anderson on Drums. Some of the standouts for me were “Baggage”, “Breaking Chains” and “Light The Fire”. I think my favorite is “Sucker For The Pain″, probably the most Bluey thing on this CD, listen here. I will give this an 8 on Blues Content and an 8 on Music Content.
Johnny Rawls – Make Them Dance (Self Produced)
Bio – “Johnny Rawls is a soul blues legend. In fact, the term “soul blues” was invented to describe his music. With a career spanning more than 50 years, he’s done it all. He’s an internationally recognized recording artist, music producer, and songwriter who tours extensively throughout North America and overseas. The Blues Music Awards, Blues Blast Awards, Living Blues Awards, and the W. C. Handy Awards have all acknowledged Johnny with multiple awards and nominations, including Soul Blues Album of the Year and Soul Blues Artist of the Year. Living Blues Magazine described him as a “soul-blues renaissance man” when he was featured on the cover in 2002. Johnny is honored to be mentioned on two markers along the Mississippi Blues Trail – one in Hattiesburg, MS marking the Hi-Hat Club, and another in Rocklin ME marking the migration of blues from Mississippi to Maine. Born in Columbia, Mississippi in 1951, Johnny grew up in Purvis (near Hattiesburg) and Gulfport. Johnny’s interest in music began in early childhood. He started out playing clarinet in the school band when he was in 5th grade. Over the next couple of years, he graduated to saxophone, trumpet and other instruments. Johnny became interested in guitar when he heard his grandfather playing one Christmas morning and by age 13 was playing guitar seriously. Johnny’s high school band teacher had a professional band that backed touring soul artists and asked Johnny to join his band as a saxophone player. This began Johnny’s professional career, and at age 15, he was backing artists including ZZ Hill, Little Johnny Taylor, Joe Tex, and The Sweet Inspirations on their tours in the Southeast. In the mid-1970s, Johnny became the band director for soul singer O.V. Wright, and toured with O.V. until his death in 1980. Wright’s band, under Johnny’s leadership, continued to perform as the Ace of Spades band for several years. Then, Johnny became the band director for Little Johnny Taylor. In 1985, Johnny began touring as a solo artist and made his first solo recording. A prolific songwriter, hundreds of Johnny’s songs have been recorded. He has released more than 15 albums since his debut solo album, Here We Go, in 1996 on JSP Records. In the late 1990’s Johnny worked as an arranger and record producer for JSP. Johnny has released albums under various labels, including JSP, Catfood Records, Third Street Cigar Records, and his own label Deep South Soul, which he created in 2002. The Blues Music Awards (and its predecessor, the W.C. Handy Awards) frequently recognize Johnny’s work. To date, ten of Johnny’s albums have been nominated for Soul Blues Album of the Year, with “I’m Still Around” winning in 2019 and “Ace of Spades” winning in 2010. Johnny has been nominated for Soul Blues Male Artist eleven times, and received one nomination for Song of the Year. Roots Music Report declared Johnny’s 2017 release, “Waiting for the Train,” one of the top 50 blues albums of the year. Johnny also has multiple nominations/awards from Blues Blast Magazine and Living Blues Magazine. With his 2018 release, “I’m Still Around,” Johnny returned to his roots in Mississippi Soul Blues. All the songs on this album were written and arranged by Johnny, and reflect his favorite subjects – falling in and out of love, making love, and enjoying and being thankful for life. Johnny is extremely proud to have won the Soul Blues Album of the year at the 2019 BMAs for this release. A true “road warrior,” Johnny tours extensively throughout the US, and internationally, playing approximately 200 dates every year. He’s performed at major blues festivals, including the Chicago Blues Festival and the Waterfront Blues Festival multiple times. Whether he’s playing in a small intimate club or at a large blues festival, Johnny always delivers a high-energy show to the delight of audiences everywhere.”
Review – Johnny Rawls, what an incredible Blues/Soul singer he is. Kind of the last of his generation of Music Legends that played so many gigs per year! Johnny’s voice is as good as every, has even aged well for this amazing musician. Johnny has many players on this CD, but the root of the band consists of Will McFarlane on Guitar, Steve Potts on Drums, Bob Trenchard on Bass and Dan Ferguson on Keys. Special shout out the horn section including Andy Roman, Nick Flood, Mike Middleton and Frank Otero, so good! Some of the music that stands out to my ears are “Make Them Dance”, “Move In My Direction” and “Rip Off The Bandage”. My favorite is “So Cold″, but I couldn’t find this on YouTube but here is a live recording of “Turn Back the Hands of Time” that shows why this man is so good at his profession, working the crowd and singing his music, listen here. I will give this a 10 on Blues Content and a 10+ on Music Content.
Charles Wigg Walker – This Love Is Gonna Last (Self Produced)
Bio – “Charles Walker was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 12, 1940. Charles or “Wigg,” as he is known by his friends (his mother nicknamed him when he was born with a full head of hair), began singing at an early age in church and school. He cut his first record in 1959 for Ted Jarrett’s legendary Champion label. One cut, “Slave To Love,” was credited to Charles Walker and the Daffodils. In fact, there was no such group as the Daffodils. The backup singers on the record were label mates the Kinglets and Larry Birdsong. In 1960, Charles moved to New York City where studios and nightclub work were plentiful. 1962 found Charles recording with Chess Records out of Chicago, and soon he signed on as lead singer with the J.C. Davis Band. This band began touring the country opening for the greats of the era including James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Little Willie John, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke. The J.C. Davis Band recorded some real barnstormers for Chess like “Sweet Sweet Love” and “The Chicken Scratch.” In 1964, Charles formed his own group, Little Charles and the Sidewinders. They became one of the most in demand soul bands in New York City’s nightclub scene, performing at the Apollo Theater, Small’s Paradise and venturing out to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. They subsequently recorded for Chess and Decca labels. The Sidewinders stayed together through the 60’s, and in 1969 Charles cut some sides for Botanic Records. The Sidewinders reformed in 1973 and worked as a show band in hotels, nightclubs, and casinos without the benefit of a recording contract. Early in the 80’s, Charles recorded in England and re-issued many of the Sidewinders classic sides. Realizing that there was a market for soul music in the U.K., he formed his own label P.R.G. and released the single “See Me” in Europe. Charles spent most of the 1980’s in England and Spain and worked steadily and recorded occasionally, but this wasn’t enough. In 1993, he moved back to Nashville to do some serious recording, since Nashville’s blues and R&B scene was really booming. His solo releases include “I’m Available,” “Leavin’ This Old Town,” “In the House” (live with Johnny Jones) and “Soul Stirring Thing.” He also released an album on the U.K. label Zane records called “Number By Heart” in 2003. Charles most recently was the featured singer for a band called “The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker”, and three records were released since June of 2007 on Outtasight Records. The band toured frequently in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. Charles currently resides in Nashville with his wife, Marva, and frequently performs with his new group featuring Pat Bergeson (guitar), Pete Abbott (drums), and Charles Treadway (organ). Charles is one of the few remaining original soul singers from back in the day when old school R&B/soul was brand new on the music scene. There has recently been a resurgence of this style of music, and it is finding a younger audience while rekindling memories for the old school crowd. Wigg is still delivering this style of music at a very high level, and his experience and maturity in the field of soul music gives him a perspective that is unmatched.”
Review – So like Johnny Rawls, Charles Wigg Walker is a legend in the Soul/Blues arena but unlike Johnny, Charles really leans towards the Soul or Beach Music side of the spectrum. The music is so well done if your into that Genre, every note charted out, Synth Keys, Syncopated Guitar. Charles has a lot of musicians on this one with Pat Bergeson on Guitar, Pete Abbott on Drums, Charles Treadway on Keys, Gary Gold on Percussion, Jeff Coffin, Mike Haynes, Roy Agee, Even Cobb and Roland Barber on Keys. Not crazy about most of the music even though I can appreciate it, but I really like “I Like’em Like That″, listen here. I will give this a 7 on Blues Content and a 9 on Music Content.
