WTJU 91.1 FM

New Blues & Soul News – 12/11/2017

New Blues:

Julian Fauth – The Weak & The Wicked The Hard & The Strong (Electro-Fi): Canadian pianist/organist/foot stomper/songwriter Julian Fauth offers his fourth disc and it is quite a showcase. Songs include traditional offerings like “Tricks Ain’t Walkin’”, “Casey Jones”, “Frankie And Johnny”, “Betty And Dupree” and “John Henry” and adds “Blowin’ In The Wind” and a few originals like “So Far Down” and “Nightmare”. The sound is old honky tonk but don’t be looking for steel guitars. Fauth is a solid pianist and a quirky singer and arranger with an old time sound with quirks galore. He has a few backing guest musicians who also add variety as they come and go: Ken Yoshioka (harmonica, backing vocal); Donne Roberts (guitar), Tim Hamel (trumpet, vocal) and Alec Fraser (percussion, backing vocal). Click here and scroll down then click the boxes with a check to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Sam Frazier Jr – Sam Frazier Jr & The SBG’s (Music Maker): Alabama bluesman Sam Frazier Jr has joined forces Sarah Green (vocals, guitar), Sam Gunderson (vocal, guitar) and Jacob Thompson (cymbals) to recapture and perform the old blues styles of decades ago. The songs include three originals by Frazier (lead vocals, harmonica), two from Sonny Boy Williamson II, Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do”, and Buster Brown’s “Fannie Mae”, mixed with the other side of the down-home coin like Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and Gillian Welch’s “Miner’s Refrain”. The performances are straight ahead basic folk blues with few frills. We don’t hear much of this style anymore. Click here for a live version of Frazier’s “Inherit The Blues”.   

FreeWorld – What It Is (SwirlDisc): FreeWorld is a Memphis based rock’n’soul band who are celebrating their 30th year. Band members are Richard Cushing (bass, lead vocal), Dr. Herman Green (tenor sax), Peter Climie (tenor, bari, alto sax, EWI, backing vocals), Andy Tate (guitar, electric sitar, Glissintar, mandolin, dobro,cuarto, keys, backing vocal), Chris Stephenson (B-3, piano, keys, vocals), Jared Dover (trumpet, backing vocal, percussion), Greg Lundy (drums, vocal rap) and Freedman Steorts (trombone). Stephani McCoy is lead vocalist on one song. All but one of the songs are originals. Click here for a live version of the first song on this disc.   

Dave Keyes – The Healing (Keyesland): Singer/keyboard player/songwriter Dave Keyes has performed with many well-known musicians including Odetta, David Johansen, Bo Diddley, Sleepy LaBeef and gospel great Marie Knight among many others. In addition to his own solo gigs and gigs with the Dave Keyes Band, he currently can be found playing with Popa Chubby, Rock and Roll Queen Ronnie Spector, and gospel/blues innovator Alexis P. Suter. Nine of the eleven songs on this disc are originals and the covers are Robert Johnson’s “Traveling Riverside Blues” and Rosetta Tharpe’s “Strange Things Happening”. His vocals are not terribly strong, but his playing is fantastic. His back-up is quite impressive as well: Popa Chubby, George Naha and Arthur Neilson (guitar); Rob Paparazzi (harmonica); David J Keyes (bass); Frank Pagano and Stephen Rushton (trading off on drums); Chris Eminizer (tenor sax, bari sax); Tim Quimette (trumpet); with guest vocalists Vaneese Thomas, The Ministers of Sound, featuring Alexis P. Suter, Vicki Bell and Ray Grappone and Diane Cricchio (backing vocals). There is some good material here and a lot of variety. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

Heather Newman – Burn Me Alive (VizzTone): Singer/songwriter/bassist Heather Newman began singing in Omaha and upon moving to Kansas City joined forces with guitarist Nick Schnebelen, who plays on one song on this disc. Newman more recently started her own band that includes Keith Ladd (guitar), Ryan Flemmer (keys) and Cole Dillingham (guitar, drums). Michael Lefever adds sax on one song. Newman has a strong voice and shows ample skills as a songwriter. Click here to listen to a song from this disc.   

Various Artists – International Blues Challenge #33: There is a wide array of blues and related performances on this disc: soul, gospel, acoustic and electric blues, highly polished and rough, countrified and rocked out. Performances also range from solos to full sized bands. It’s a testament to the reach of the blues. I found several that truly blew me away. You probably would, too, even they might be very different than mine. I had never heard of any of these acts before checking out this disc, but I feel sure we’ll hear from several of them again. Click here to check out a performance from Dawn Tyler Watson, winner of the 2017 Blues Challenge.   

Little G. Weevil – Something Poppin’ (VizzTone): Born in Hungary, Little G. Weevil moved to the US to pursue his love of music. This is his fourth recording and it is an intriguing melange of blues, funk, soul, rock and even some touches of spoken word and rap. In addition to Little G’s singing and guitar, the players include Daniel Harper (drums), Marton Pfeff (bass), Laci Borsadi (rhythm guitar and some lead), Matyas Premecz (Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, keys), Rebeka Easley Ellis and Sharika Allen Brown (backing vocals), with guest appearances by Danny Del Toro (harmonica) and Dulzura (rap vocal on Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman”). Click here and press the play button by the song “Here I Come Knocking” which opens the disc.   

JP Williams Blues Band – Stolen Cadillac (Gizzifter): This EP features four originals by JP Williams (guitar, vocals) and backing from Eddie The Harp (harmonica), Bob Strunk (bass), Jack Roberts (drums), Dominick Piccione (percussion), Eric Brody (keys), Giles Davis (alto, bari sax), Ekat Pereyra (vocals) and Leslie Williams (cajon drum). There is a shift between electric and acoustic and  blues rock to country rock to a folksy style. The music is also fairly laid back. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.   

New Soul:

Sweet Pea Atkinson – Get What You Deserve (Blue Note): Sweet Pea Atkinson was a member of soul group Was (Was Not), originally founded by Don Was during the 70’s. Atkinson released his first solo album in 1982, also produced by Was. Still in great voice, Atkinson got a boost from both Don Was and Keb’ Mo’ who produced this release. The songs come from a wide variety of sources, including Don Was, Jeff Barry and Bert Russell, James Brown, Bobby Womack, Motown’s William Stevenson and Ivy Joe Hunter, and George Jackson, among others, and are largely remakes of songs from of the best soul and blue soul from the 90’s. Musicians of note on this disc include Randy Jacobs (guitar), Don Was and Reggie McBride (bass), Joe Sublett and Mindi Abair (sax), and Keb’ Mo’ (guitar). The music is tight and Atkinson is quite all right! This disc is a certified Professor Bebop “Wax Devoid Of Cracks”! Killer all the way! Click here to listen to the closing song on this disc.   

Various Artists – Blues Mix 24: Party Soul Blues (Ecko): It’s time to head back to the dance floor and disco lights in or just around Memphis and like minded soul dance places. This disc is a mixture of six released and six previously unreleased soul recordings from O.B.Buchana, Val McKnight & Ms. Jody and lesser known artists as well as some more popular (in the deep soul or deep South disco soul) by Bill Coday, Donnie Ray, Jaye Hammer and Barbara Carr. This is mostly dance music and it’s more about the beat and sway, but I am sure that the folks who mostly engage with this style have a good time. Several of the songs have dance calls as the lyrics. Click here to listen to samples of the songs on this disc.  

Kopasetically,

Professor Bebop