Blues Roadhouse

Doug Duffey and B.A.D.D. — “Souvenirs” — Fort Sumner Music

Louisiana native Doug Duffey has been drawing his musical inspiration from the fertile roots of the Mississippi Delta for more than half a century, cooking up a soulful gumbo laced with the spicy ingredients of his singing, songwriting and keyboard wizardry.

Duffey describes his music as: “One hundred percent original Louisiana blues, delta soul, bayou funk, and gumbo jazz, producing a sound best described as Swampedelic.”

He’s served up this soulful elixir from New Orleans to the rest of the world with national and international performances. Duffey has created his music long and powerfully enough to be enshrined in the Delta Music Museum’s Hall-of-Fame, National Blues and Louisiana Halls of Fame, and just last year, the Northeast Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Now, Duffey has released Souvenirs, the followup to his acclaimed Ain’t Goin’ Back. with his very good band, BADD (a title carved from the first initials of band members’ first names). The members include Duffey on vocals and keyboards; Dan Sumner on guitars, bass, vocals and percussion; Adam Ryland on drums and percussion, and Ben Ford on bass. Special guests include: Matt Morgan on mandolin, Mason Howard on accordion, Bob Dowell on trombone, Bert Windham and Coby Heath on trumpet, Nate Johnson on tenor sax and Wes Rougeou on sousaphone, plus the background vocals of Betsy Shirley and Naomi Holder. Duffy and Sumner wrote the songs and produced.

All that talent gathers to offer songs of love, loss and good advice in a spirited session that draws its inspiration from Duffey’s Louisiana roots. These BADD boys open with Broken Heart and Empty Hand, a gently swinging regret for a lost love: “Though I did nuthin’ wrong, I’m feelin’ guilt and shame / But I know in my heart that I’m the only one to blame.” On Bad Luck, Duffey’s B3 adds depth and richness to his complaint that if it wasn’t for bad luck… “I’m talkin’ bout bad luck, jes keep on comin’ / Bad luck ain’t lettin’ go.”’ Better By Me builds a stinging guitar line as it rocks along with a chorus in the background and its grievance right up front: “We only held on, cause I was willing to fight / But one of these days, you’re gonna wish you’d done better by me.”

Delta Melody is gorgeous ballad with Duffey’s aching vocal reaching lovingly into the past: “I think of the time we sat and drank wine, down by the river / Loving each other, with night as our cover, with moss as our bed / As you thickly spread all your warm love over me.” Axe Jes Rite shifts into a swampy blues groove that lopes along with its sly lyricism: “I knows a gal what stays by the mill / She swears she won’t but I think she will / Iiz u axe her jes rite.” Sinking Into the Blues is a tough shuffle with a rocking piano solo leading deep into the blues: “Well, I can’t stop cryin’ and baby I aint lyin’ / But there ain’t no denyin’ i’m sinkin into the blues.”

Love Song has an old-timey vibe with crisp honky-tonk piano driving a good old-fashioned love song: “When your heart is filled with love / Nothing can be wrong.” Souvenirs is a delicate farewell, a letting go of memories at the end: “Leaving all I’ve known, leaving without fear / Leaving behind all my souvenirs.” The rousing closer, Don’t Let the Darkness In, is a New Orleans horn-fueled admonition that builds from its gentle opening bars and then marches off in a rollicking street-parade finale: “Don’t let the darkness in, don’t let it take control / Open your heart and let in the light, and let it fill your soul.”

Doug Duffey’s Souvenirs is a delightful journey through his Louisiana roots, nourished by the tasty Swampedelic gumbo that is as good as BADD can be.

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Here’s “Better By Me” from the album:

Tracklist:

1. Broken Heart and Empty Hand — 5:08
2. Bad Luck — 4:43
3. Better By Me — 4:04
4. Delta Melody — 5:04
5. Axe Jes Rite — 5:11
6. Sinking Into the Blues — 2:27
7. Love Song — 4:36
8. Souvenirs — 3:21
9. Don’t Let the Darkness In — 4:54

The music of the blues and its many cousins has been producing memorable songs for more than a century. Every once in a while, one of those songs makes a lasting impression and becomes part of the soundtrack of your life.

One of the earliest of these songs on my own blues timeline is the classic 1953 R&B hit by the big-voiced singer, Faye Adams — “Shake A Hand.” Her vocal power on this and other songs earned her the nickname “Atomic Adams”

It’s a gorgeous, gospel-inspired song, and Adams’ soaring vocal is full of passion and yearning, with minimal but effective backing that leans on subtle piano artistry.

The song was written by Joe Morris and recorded by Adams. It stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart for ten weeks in 1953 and reached number 22 on the US pop chart. It sold a million copies and won a gold disc.

Adams had her own gospel roots; she was the daughter of gospel singer David Tuell. Her music career started at the age of five when she joined her siblings to sing spirituals as the Tuell Sisters.

Later, under her married name, Faye Scruggs, she became a regular performer in New York nightclubs in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Ruth Brown saw her perform and got her an audition with bandleader and trumpeter Morris of Atlantic Records. Morris recruited her as a singer in 1952, and signed her to Herald Records, under new management by her former vocal coach Phil Moore. After he changed her name to Faye Adams, her first release at Herald was Morris’s song “Shake a Hand.”

Adams had limited commercial success following “Shake A Hand,” with two more R&B hits, “I’ll Be True” and “It Hurts Me to My Heart” in 1954. By 1963 she had left secular music and returned to gospel. In 1998, she received an award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Adams died on November 2, 2016, at the age of 93.  However, the song itself lives on, as its power and popularity, plus the elegant simplicity of its theme, spawned dozens of cover versions over the years.

The song has been redone by, among many others, Red Foley (#6 country, 1953), Johnnie Ray (1956), Little Richard (#71 pop, 1958), LaVern Baker (#13 R&B, 1960), Jackie Wilson (#21 R&B, #42 pop, 1963), Elvis Presley (on the 1975 album “Today” and Paul McCartney (on the 1999 album “Run Devil Run.” And of course, you know there’s even a Pat Boone version!

“Shake A Hand” sounds just as impressive today as it did 73 years ago. That’s the power of America’s classical music.

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Here are some recordings of the song, starting with Adams’ original, then a live Adams performance of “Somebody, Somewhere,” then a few assorted covers:

Ryan Newman — “Wrath of Blues” — Feverbarn Recordings

When he was just eight years old, Ryan Newman heard an early Jimi Hendrix recording, Wind Cries Mary, and his future as a blues-rock guitarist was never in doubt.

The young Connecticut-based guitarist’s skill and style matured rapidly, and he and his first band were soon playing at clubs, fairs and festivals, sharpening his axe to a razor’s edge..

Along the way, it was said that he was asked to leave Berklee College of Music for playing “too loud.” That “loud” music – the blues of Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayall, B.B. King and other greats had already been permanently etched into Newman’s youthful soul. Most recently, this fixture on the Connecticut blues scene was named “Best New Artist” by the New England Music Hall Of Fame.

Newman’s passion for this music and his powerful guitar stylings have earned him the nickname “Bluwrath,” and sparked the title of his debut album, Wrath of Blues. It’s an eclectic mix of electrifying covers, uniquely interpreting music from Hoagie Carmichael to Bob Dylan, with one constant – “Bluwrath’s” fiercely emotive guitar.

Album producer, Jon Grossbard of Feverbarn Recordings, says: “I was astonished by the style and technique of this young blues devotee. The performance was explosive and authentic. I immediately knew I would have to record him with the best players I knew to help raise him up to where he needs to be: a new young dynamic force in the blues scene.”

Wrath of Blues overflows with 13 smartly chosen songs, plus one original, reflecting a maturity of taste and judgment in their selection. Newman is not just recreating these splendid songs or mimicking great artists, he’s absorbed their influences, filtered them through his own talented fretwork and made them his own.

Newman cuts loose on the first track, a spine-tingling version of Dust My Broom, the classic Elmore James version of Robert Johnson’s seminal I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom. He follows with his own Leaving This World, a scorching slow blues lament about lost love. Newman’s guitar-driven take adds a tough edge to the whimsical Your Mind Is On Vacation, from the Mose Allison songbook.

Texas Flood, the Stevie Ray Vaughan anthem, gives Newman a chance to stretch out, combining sensuously spaced notes with furious runs, creating his own masterful version. Vic Washington takes over the vocals on The Thrill Is Gone, the B.B. King chestnut, with Newman’s guitar producing its own thrills along the way. Pretty Woman, the Albert King version, adds a choral background, and Newman’s power-blues licks stand out on Be Careful With a Fool, another B.B. King delight. Arlene Wow’s soaring vocals highlight Let Me Love You, with Newman skillfully adapting the flashy Jeff Beck rocker.

Newman then switches effortlessly into the island rhythms of Get Up Stand Up, the Bob Marley and Peter Tosh classic, with vocal help from Anita Antoinette. On Miss You, a Jagger/Richards song, Newman creates a throbbing Stones vibe, while Arlene Wow provides a Latin-flavored vocal assist.

Although it seems an unlikely choice for a Hendrix devotee, Newman joyfully updates Hoagy Carmichael’s plaintive 1942 love ballad, Baltimore Oriole, expertly blending fiery blues licks and bird-calls. Newman lets the good times roll in the hard-driving R&B of Come On, from Earl King, then digs deep into Bob Dylan’s early catalog for a furious version of the rollicking Highway 61 Revisited. Arlene Wow returns for the soulful closer with a gorgeous rendering of Aretha Franklin’s Good to Me As I Am to You, while Newman’s sensual guitar gently weeps in eloquent sympathy.

Ryan “Bluwrath” Newman unwraps his formidable guitar skills in an incredible array of styles to create his passionate debut on Wrath of Blues.

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Here’s a live version of “Dust My Broom”

Tracklist:

Dust My Broom — 2:57
Living This World Tonight — 4:06
When I’m On Vacation — 3:30
Texas Flood — 4:03
The Thrill Is Gone — 3:59
Pretty Woman — 3:04
Be Careful With a Fool — 5:06
Let’s Straighten It Out — 5:48
Get Up Stand Up — 4:35
Miss You — 3:12
Baltimore Oriole — 3:28
Highway 61 Revisited — 4:43
Good Me As I Am to You — 5:59

The results of Living Blues Magazine 33rd annual Critics Poll and Readers Poll have been announced in the latest magazine issue, #303.

That’s John Primer, the critics’ pick for male blues artist of the year on the cover. Shemekia Copeland is the critics’ pick for female blues artist of the year.

Here are all the results:

33rd Annual Living Blues Awards

Critics’ Poll

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Blues Artist of the Year (Male)

John Primer

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Blues Artist of the Year (Female)

Shemekia Copeland

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Blues Band of the Year

Southern Avenue

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Most Outstanding Blues Singer

Mavis Staples

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Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

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Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)

Charlie Musselwhite

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Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

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Most Outstanding Musician (Bass)

Bob Stroger

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Most Outstanding Musician (Drums)

Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith

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Most Outstanding Musician (Horns)

Vanessa Collier

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Most Outstanding Musician (Other)

Sharde Thomas-Mallory (Fife)

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Best Live Performer

Bobby Rush

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Comeback Artist of the Year

Maria Muldaur

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Artist Deserving More Attention

Sean McDonald

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Best Blues Albums of 2025

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Album of the Year

D.K. Harrell – Talkin’ Heavy – Alligator

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Best New Recording / Contemporary Blues

Sean McDonald – Have Mercy! – Little Village Foundation

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Best New Recording / Traditional or Acoustic Blues

John Primer – Grown in Mississippi – Blues House Productions

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Best New Recording / Soul Blues

Johnny Rawls – Make Them Dance – Catfood Records

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Best New Recording / Best Debut Release

Sean McDonald – Have Mercy! – Little Village Foundation

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Best Historical Release / Pre-war

Bukka White – Aberdeen Mississippi Blues: Complete Recordings, 1930-1940 – Document Records

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Best Historical Reissue / Postwar

Clifton Chenier – King of Louisiana Blues & Zydeco – Arhoolie

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Best Blues Book of 2025

Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King 

By Preston Lauterbach 

Da Capo Press

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Producer of the Year / New Recording

Tom Hambridge – Ain’t Done with the Blues – Silvertone / RCA

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Producer of the Year – Historical / Reissue:

Adam Machado – King of Louisiana Blues & Zydeco – Arhoolie

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Readers’ Poll

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Blues Artist of the Year (Male)

Bob Stroger

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Blues Artist of the Year (Female)

Shemekia Copeland

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Blues Band of the Year

Billy Branch & the Sons of the Blues

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Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar)

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

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Most Outstanding Musician (Harmonica)

Charlie Musselwhite

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Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

Marcia Ball

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Best Live Performer

Bobby Rush

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Most Outstanding Blues Singer

Taj Mahal

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Best Blues Album of 2025 (New Release)

Bob Stroger & the Headcutters – Bob is Back! – Delmark Records

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Best Blues Album of 2025 (Historical Recording)

Buddy Guy – This is Buddy Guy – Craft Recordings

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Best Blues Book of 2025

Inside the Moment: Iconic Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, and R&B Images andHistory 

By Joseph A. Rosen 

Schiffer Publishing

 Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport — “Young Rell — Little Villag Foundation

Harrell Davenport, from Vicksburg, Miss., is “Young Rell” because he’s 19 years old.

But in blues years, he already seems ageless.

His debut album, “Young Rell,” from the musically prescient folks at Jim Pugh’s Little Village Foundation, has all the earmarks of someone who’s absorbed the soul of the blues, and is determined to add his name to that long list.

He’s certainly well on his way, having been nominated twice by Blues Blast Magazine for the Sean Costello Rising Star Award in 2024 and 2025.

Chicago harmonica legend Billy Branch says of Davenport: “In my 46 years of teaching Blues in Schools, never have I encountered anyone as young as Davenport with such a laser focused drive and ability to play the blues as it was played in the bygone golden era of the masters.”

Writing on his Facebook page, Davenport says the album is: “A full statement of who I am as a musician, rooted in the blues, but pushing it forward in my own voice whether on guitar, vocals or harmonica. The majority of the songs were written, composed, and arranged by me, drawn from real life experiences,” Davenport says. “Some go back to when I was 12 years old, others are as recent as December 31st, 2025. Horn arrangements and background vocals were done by my Unc Larry Batiste. I’m extremely glad that he was willing and able to be a part of this.”

“Young Rell” is graced with stellar accompaniment on his first recording session: Little Village founder and keyboardist Jim Pugh; co-producer and guitarist Kid Andersen; bassists Daquantae “Q” Johnson and Endre Tarczy; and drummer June Core. The horn section, featured on two songs, includes Aaron Lington on tenor and baritone saxophone and Niel Levonius on trumpet. Horn arrangements and background vocals are handled by Larry Batiste. The album was recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios and produced by Chicago blues harmonica ace Matthew Skoller with co‑production and engineering by Andersen.

What about “Young Rell’s” music?

Davenport boasts a deep blue musical vocabulary. He moves effortlessly from Delta blues to acoustic country blues, from Chicago Southern soul, using exceptional guitar and harp skills. His own songs reflect his immersion in the styles while maintaining his own voice, and his covers display his ability to recreate great music in his own image.

“Tomorrow” is a traditional blues shuffle about all those woman hanging around, complete with a feisty harp and stinging guitar. “Fatherless Child” is a mournful, autobiographical, slow blues; “Spinning” is uptempo soul with a ?? vocal; “Giving Me the Blues” laments “people giving me the blues,” with a fiery guitar solo and features Pugh’s backing organ riffs.

“Richland Swing” is a boogie-woogie guitar romp with the band blasting along. A wistful harp intro leads into “Hurt People, Hurt People,” with a timeless blues vibe, while “I Be Tryin’,” relates personal struggles with more tasty harp. Davenport delivers a masterful take on Bob Dylan’s classic “Masters of War.” “I’ll Keep It Hot for You” is a chunky, rhythmic blues promise: “I’ll be the fire that warms your soul.”

Davenport brings his finest Chicago chops to Fenton Robinson’s “I Hear Some Blues Downstairs, “Nite Creepin’” is a rollicking harp-blast of an instrumental, and the closer, “The World Don’t Deserve Your Smile,” is an eloquently written torchy blues with a belt-buckle-polishing invitation to slow drag with love as its promise.

Harrell Davenport says that “Young Rell” the album is: “A full statement of who I am as a musician, rooted in the blues, but pushing it forward in my own voice.”

The album is indeed making the statement that Young Rell the bluesman has found his voice, and it’s singing the future of the blues.

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Here’s “Giving Me the Blues” from the album:

Tracklist:

Tomorrow – 3:51
Fatherless Child – 4:38
Spinning – 3:17
Giving Me the Blues – 3:49
Richland Swing – 3:55
Hurt People, Hurt People – 4:57
I Be Tryin’ – 4:39
Masters of War – 3:27
I’ll Keep It Hot for You – 3:23
I Hear Some Blues Downstairs – 3:55
Nite Creepin’ – 3:45
The World Don’t Deserve Your Smile – 3:28

Name Droppers — “Let’s Live Together” — Horizon Music Group

The Name Droppers are a tightly knit quartet of veteran New England musicians who have traveled a long and winding musical road in shaping their multiple talents into a high-octane blend of blues, R&B, soul and good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.

The group came together in the 1980s as Charlie Karp and the Name Droppers, with the Connecticut-based Karp being a seasoned guitarist, a prolific songwriter and an Emmy-winning producer.

After Karp’s death in 2019, the remaining Name Droppers stuck together: songwriter/guitarist Rafe Klein, Ron Rifkin on piano, Bobby “T” Torello on drums and Scott Spray on bass. Torello and Spray added to their impressive resumes by working with the likes of Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Michael Bolton, Grace Slick, Felix Cavalier and the Rascals — and many more.

Now they’ve poured all that talent and experience into their sixth album, Let’s Live Together, an energetic session driven by smartly crafted original songs and creative covers, following last year’s highly regarded Cool Blue Shoes.

Everything kicks off with Klein’s whimsical Grey Haired Blues boasting that living together longer may just help turn shades of grey into still-fiery blues: “Yeah It’s true my roof is covered in snow / Don’t be fooled, there’s a fire below.” Let’s Live Together fires up next, the album’s thematic centerpiece. It’s a chunky, rhythmic anthem written by Klein, whose soulful vocals partner magically with Crispin Cioe’s soaring sax and gospel-infused background vocals by Simone Brown. Klein’s vocals pour out its eloquent message: “Lately we’ve seen a lot of sadness in the news / Each Monday morning we wake up with the blues / Have to find a way where we can do better … let’s live together.”

Rifkin takes over the vocals on the driving blues of Heartbreak City, a town without pity for lost love: “Don’t know what you’re looking for / Don’t look back, cause it ain’t here no more.” Then Brown brings her seriously soulful chops out of the background for a smoking live recording of Aretha Franklin’s classic Chain of Fools. Klein returns with his thoughtful take on Bob Dylan’s epic Gotta Serve Somebody, propelled by Rifkin’s churning B3 and Brown’s sanctified background vocals. Klein next offers a plaintive reading of Frank Durazzo’s Don’t Cry Over Me, a look at breaking up from both sides now: “You see the picture from a different view than me / I see the picture the way my love has to be.”

Klein also revisits two tracks from the band’s Charlie Karp years: The salaciously sexy Talk Dirty, and Love Lightnin’, by Karp, Klein and Bruce Carter, longing for love to strike twice in the same place: “Even lightning love runs thin when the money runs out / They say it don’t strike twice, but I wish it happens to me.”

Torello’s percussive drumming and gritty vocals drive the blues rock of his threadbare Watch Pocket, with stinging slide guitar from Jay Willie, as time slips away on his love: “Baby since you’ve been gone / There’s a hole in my watch pocket / Time keeps on slipping away … I’ll get you back some way” The Name Droppers wrap it all up by dropping a pair of big blues names with a tough take on the Muddy Waters-Bo Diddley classic, “Mannish Boy,” adding crisp down-home harp from Richard Hunter.

The Name Droppers bring a musical drive and vitality to the tracks of Let’s Live Together that make it so much easier for the rest of us to live together in the blues.

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Here’s “Let’s Live Together” from the album:

Tracklist:

Grey Haired Blues — 3:36
Let’s Live Together — 3:56
Heartbreak City — 4:00
Chain of Fools (Live) — 4:23
Gotta Serve Somebody — 3:33
Don’t Cry Over Me — 4:19
Talk Dirty — 3:35
Love Lightning — 3:25
Watch Pocket — 3:57
Mannish Boy — 3:01

John Primer — “Tribute to Theresa’s Lounge” — Blues House Productions LLC

If you’re a blues fan (and you should be!), music from the smoky mists of the classic Chicago blues sound should always have a top spot on your playlist, your CD or vinyl collection, and most of all, in your mind.

One of the early spots where the Chicago blues simmered and cooked was a basement bar under an apartment house at 4801 S. Indiana, called Theresa’s Lounge. The term “lounge” is a bit of an exaggeration. By all accounts it was tiny, cramped basement room with no bandstand, holding about 50 patrons, opened in late 1949 by Theresa Needham.

Needham was working in a laundry on the city’s South Side when a customer asked her to open a bar, but couldn’t get a liquor license. couldn’t obtain a liquor license in his own name. She got him a license, and he gave her a job in the bar.

The club owner tried to remove Needham, but since the license was in her name, the club became hers. Theresa’s Lounge was born. first as just a place to drop in for a libation and possibly some recorded music. But, in 1954, a singer named Carl Jones brought in a band to try playing live music — and it worked.

Sooner or later, much of Chicago’s blues talent descended the stairs into Theresa’s gritty lounge to stand in the corner and ignite the nightly crowds. It became Buddy Guy’s first steady gig in Chicago. He played in the house band at Theresa’s for several years, and John Primer, whose Chicago blues highlights this “Tribute to Theresa’s Lounge,” played there seven nights a week for seven years. Surprisingly, only one live album was ever recorded there: Delmark’s “Junior Wells: Live at Theresa’s 1975.”

This session gathers an all-star lineup of musicians who got their start playing at Theresa’s, including Primer, Billy Branch, Willie Buck, Carlos Johnson, Mary Lane, John Watkins, Harmonica Hinds, Twist Turner, Bob Stroger, Jeff Brinkman, and Tony Mangiullo.

The 13 tracks here could easily be a setlist at Theresa’s, including the four originals from Primer. The blues are Chicago-straight, no chaser, filled with bluesy grit and passion. Highlights include the Muddy Waters classic “Champagne and Reefer,” featuring Willie Buck; Little Walter’s “Mean Old World” with Primer; Sugar Sweet” with Billy Branch and a very special “Mary’s Song,” by 90-year-old Mary Lane.

Theresa’s was forced out of its basement headquarters in 1983, and a second location closed in 1986. Needham died in 1992. Her lounge, which earned her the title “The Godmother of the Chicago blues,” may be history, but its blues definitely are not. The music lives on in the works of the great artists who passed through its doors, and in the tracks of this memorable recording.

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Here are two articles that detail the history of Theresa’s Lounge:
The Chicago Bar Project
Article by Jeff Mores

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“Up in Heah,” from the album:

Tracklist:
1. UP IN HEAH Feat. John Primer – 3:45 Daniels & Moore 
2. 7 NIGHTS FOR 7 YEARS Feat. John Primer – 3:21 John Primer 
3. THE BLUES IS KING Feat. John Primer – 4:56 John Primer 
4. SUGAR SWEET Feat. Billy Branch – 4:21 Mel London 
5. CHAMPAGNE AND REEFER Feat. Willie Buck – 4:59 M. Morganfield 
6. WE ALL NEED HELP Feat. John Primer – 3:44 John Primer 
7. SHE’S NINETEEN YEARS OLD Feat. Carlos Johnson 5:14 M. Morganfield 
8. LITTLE BY LITTLE Feat. John Primer 5:09 Mel London 
9. MARY’S SONG Feat. Mary Lane 5:07 Mary Lane 
10. CUT YOU A-LOOSE Feat. John Primer 3:14 Mel London 
11. BLUES SURVIVALIST Feat. John Primer 4:44 John Primer 
12. HERE I AM KNOCKIN’ AT YOUR DOOR AGAIN Feat. John Watkins 3:25  John Watkins  
13. MEAN OLD WORLD Feat. John Primer – 4:30 Little Walter Jacobs

Trevor B. Power Band — “Two Crows” — Farm 189 Records

Blues and roots rocker Trevor B. Power has been in and around the music industry for decades, but the New Jersey native has finally stepped out on his own as a singer/songwriter and guitar-slinging bandleader of the Trevor B. Power Band.

The release of his latest album, the rootsy, introspective “Two Crows,” is Power’s fourth release since his 2019 debut, the well-received Everyday Angel. “I wish I would have gotten started recording more seriously sooner,” the 63-year-old Power says, but he notes that “life has a way of unfolding exactly when it’s meant to.”

Backing Power on the album are two world-class musicians: drummer Steve Holley (an Englishman whose impressive resume includes a stint with Paul McCartney’s band Wings), and Dave Fields, a N.Y. Blues hall of famer who plays guitar, bass and keys, and co-produced the album.

Power’s personal philosophy is instrumental in creating his music. “We’re all going to leave this form someday, so let’s make the best of it,” he says. That perspective carries over into his lyrics: They’re powerful statements of his personal journey, artfully blended with his rugged blues rock in the ten original tracks.

“Two Crows” opens with three songs that draw darker images of the world – a grim reality check. “Bobby Lane” opens with Power’s vocal growling out the tale with minimalist blues chugging behind: “Killed a man if you stepped outta line / I was proud to say he was a friend of mine… mean Bobby Lane.” “Let It Ride” is a tough blues rocker about tougher times: “Chilly winds really get to me as I grow old / Hard times to keep smiling / But you know I gotta let it ride,” all riding fierce harp work from guest Dennis Gruenling. “Ain’t Got No Bread” rocks hard to rework the old message that crime doesn’t pay: “Living the good life ain’t easy but living the hard life will get you done.”

The album’s mood lightens as “Neighborhood” rocks with dynamic guitar riffs and Power finds himself “Feeling good in my neighborhood … Ain’t got no crime / I got me a dime in my neighborhood.” The pensive “Speck of Life” opens with a guitar-led folk-music feel and gentle background vocals by Laura Kate Marshall: “You wonder about your own mortality / Our life here is a just a speck in the universal reality.”

“Horizon” keeps adding optimistic momentum with an airy flow, a stinging guitar with psychedelic overtones and ethereal flute from Jason Fields: “We are climbing up a hill / You are right beside me … Then you make it to the top, what do see / It’s a beautiful world, lottsa peace,” with the haunting refrain of “Love, love, love.” “The Message” adds a choral effect for its anthemic statement: “Well the message is all so very clear / We’re all so lucky to even be here / I have had my trials and tribulations / Why must there be such pain in any nation.” “Puddles of Blood” expands that message with its own profound questions: “Why does the blood have to spill before the peace? / How many children have to die before the peace?”

“The Fire Burns” is a moody, spoken-word metaphor: ”I can’t imagine if a fire burned down my home / All that is left are the memories / The melted artifacts don’t really mean anything to me.” Power’s finale is the poignant “Our Time is Short,” building from a delicate acoustic intro to a passionate choral conclusion with its personal lament: “I miss you, but I will see you again / When my time is done.”

The Two Crows album art of – two crows – is a reminder that a group of crows is known as a “murder.” Although the cover displays just two, it would still be a crime to ignore the rugged rootsiness and passionate vision in Trevor B. Power’s music.

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Here’s “Ain’t Got No Bread” from the album:

Tracklist:
01. Bobby Lane
02. Let It Ride
03. Ain’t Got No Bread
04. My Neighborhood
05. Speck Of Life
06. Horizon
07. The Message
08. Puddles OfBlood
09. The Fire Burns
10. Our Time Is Short

Russ Green — “Stone Cold” — Overton Music

Singer, songwriter and harmonica wizard Russ Green was born and raised in Chicago, but his life took a long and winding path before he found himself on the blues highway – and eventually back in Chicago.

As a Jimi Hendrix fan, a desire to create music had followed him through his studies and and successful work in the film industry. As a student, however, the cost of a guitar had limited Green to making music with the harmonica that he already owned.

That turned out to be more than enough. A blues life was born, nourished by returning to Chi-Town and working with harp players Sugar Blue, (“the Jimi Hendrix of the blues harp”) and Billy Branch.

Green is still following that path with the release of “Stone Cold,” the followup to his acclaimed 2018 debut, “City Soul,” named by DownBeat as one of the best blues albums of that year. His latest album displays Green’s maturity as a songwriter, his expressive vocals and the raw power of his harp work. Backing Green on the album are Giles Corey and Vince Agwada on guitar, Vic Jackson on bass, Felix “D Kat” Pollard on drums and Joe Munroe on keys.

“Stone Cold” is tightly coiled around Green’s razor-sharp harp, delivered with soul-rich vocals filled with inventive lyrical imagery. “I also wanted to write songs that people can think about, can have an emotional and/or intellectual connection to,” Green says.

“Lint Redux” cracks open the session with a fiery harp that soars throughout this hard-luck tale: “Nothin’ but lint in my pocket / It’s more than I can stand / That lint got so lonely, it’s gone and left me too.” “Stone Cold” rolls in on a boiling organ and a soulful vocal bemoaning his stone cold woman: “I went down to the river to see what I could see / I heard my baby tell the preacher man that she loves everybody but me.” “12 Feet of Water” opens with an orchestral vibe around a lengthy harp moan introducing a tale with mystical overtones: “There’s 12 feet of water in her living room / She called 911 and there’s nothing they can do / ‘Cause you know the rest of the house is just bone dry.”

“Hey Man” is a funky slice of tough life punctuated by high-caliber harp: “Got yourself a gun and became the stickup kid / Hey man look what you done / Got yourself a gun and now you’re on the run.” “Waitin’ On You” is a gently sung, easily swung tale of frustrated love: “You told me you love me, you love me so damn hard / All you wanted was my brand new credit card.”

“Nobody Knows” is an easy-rolling blues love poem with melodic guitar and harp interplay: “Nobody knows the story about me and my baby / The truth is they don’t have a clue / About the sweet love between me and you.” “Need You So Bad” cooks with percussion and jazz-like harp work in a plea for love: “I try to play it cool, but I am just your fool / Your wish is my command, nothing I can do.” “I Believe” opens with a mournful harp intro to a soulful vocal pleading for renewed love: “I gotta believe that I will see you again / I gotta believe that I will love you once more.” “Troubled World” is a traditional shuffle working hard for the blues life: “You gotta live, live the life you love / You gotta love, love the life you live / Cause that’s what you do when you live in the blues.”

The closer is the hard-driving “Boogie Joint” with a wickedly furious harp workout paying tribute to the blues, wherever it was played: “Thinking about how blues used to be / Seven nights a week and all night long.”

Russ Green may have taken a while to travel that long and winding path to the blues highway, but once he got there, the results are perfectly Stone Cold!

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Here’s a recent interview with Green by Michel Limnios of BluesGr:

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“Lint Redux” from the album:

Tracklist:

1 Lint Redux 6:38
2 Stone Cold 4:08
3 12 Feet Of Water 5:35
4 Hey Man 3:39
5 Waitin’ On You 4:41
6 Nobody Knows 4:41
7 Need You So Bad 5:21
8 I Believe 6:12
9 Troubled World 5:27
10 Boogie Joint 3:39

Carmen Ratti Band with Jill Dineen — “Come to Me” — MoMojo Records

The Carmen Ratti Band with Jill Deneen is a powerhouse blues and roots outfit from Northern California, with Ratti’s strong guitar work and Deneen’s soulful vocals creating a passionate framework for their latest album, “Come to Me.”

“This record mirrors the roots of blues while incorporating soul, gospel, rock blues and funk. These textures honor our influences and show up in many different ways throughout the album,” Ratti says.

“Come to Me” is a follow to the band’s 2021’s debut album, “The Road Back,” both produced by Kid Andersen’s increasing fabulous Greaseland Studios. The band was also a winner of the 2023 Golden Gate Blues Society International Blues Challenge.

The musical textures that Ratti talks about show up in the rootsy variety of the 11 original tracks (including two versions of the title track), all with Ratti or Deneen’s name on them.

The opener, “No Delusion,” is a funky blues by Dineen that introduces her soaring vocal style, with Ratti’s tough guitar and Tony Lufrano’s driving piano powering it all along. “Get In Line” rocks out next, another vocal showcase.

The title track, by Ratti and Dineen, is a gorgeous effort, a haunting melody overlaid with Dineen’s torchy vocal and ethereal background vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen. The song is reprised as the album closer, adding two more minutes of its pure enchantment.

Lufrano’s roiling organ licks kick off the chunky rhythms of “I Can See,” with a trenchant observation: “Open up my eyes, scroll through the news / “Looks like you’ve been messin’ round anyone with shoes.” Ratti’s haunting guitar powers the instrumental “Riley,” giving every note the space it needs to breathe its essence, while Lufrano adds elegant solos on both organ and piano.

“Blessing in the Blues” is a gospel-soaked slow blues masterpiece, drenched in gorgeous guitar and elevated by Dineen’s passionate vocal. Dineen keeps pushing higher on the foot-stomping “Coming Down,” highlighted by another wicked organ solo. “About You” features Ratti on his one vocal appearance, “Uncle Joe” is a bright and jazzy guitar-driven instrumental and Dineen’s take on her own “Pretty Good Man” is a scorching, bump-and-grind throwback with Dineen’s hard-to-resist demand for just one good man. The closer is that longer version of “Come to Me,” that adds even more depth and power to its anthemic plea.

“Come to Me” is an excellent album all around — from thoughtful songwriting from Carmen Ratti and Jill Deneen to the band’s musical sharpness elevating the power and passion of Dineens’ vocals. They can keep their hearts in San Francisco, but their music needs to be everywhere!

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Here’s “Get in Line” from the album:

Tracklist:
1. No Delusion – 3:59 (Jill Dineen)
2. Get In Line – 4:29 (David Fulford & Jill Dineen)
3. Come to Me – 4:49 (Carmen Ratti & Jill Dineen)
4. I Can See – 3:52 (Jill Dineen)
5. Riley – 5:54 (Carmen Ratti)
6. Blessing in the Blues – 4:50 (Carmen Ratti & Jill Dineen)
7. Coming Down – 5:50 (Carmen Ratti)
8. About You – 4:54 (Carmen Ratti)
9. Uncle Joe – 4:03 (Carmen Ratti)
10. Pretty Good Man – 4:06 (Jill Dineen)
11. Come to Me ~ Extended Version – 6:58 (Carmen Ratti & Jill Dineen)

Musicians:
Carmen Ratti – Guitar, Vocals
Jill Dineen – Vocals
Tony “Macaroni” Lufrano – Organ, Piano Background Vocals on Coming Down
Steve Hazlewood – Bass
Randy Hayes – Drums
Lisa Leuschner Andersen — Background Vocals on Come to Me
Recorded – Mixed – Mastered – Produced by Christoffer Lund Andersen Greaseland Studios USA