Blues Roadhouse

Michael Rubin — “5 Minutes of Passion” — Many Hats Records

Michael Rubin has been playing the harp for 41 years – since he was 15 – expressing himself through his magical instrumental wizardry. He’s performed in genres from blues to opera, and his favorite harp players include the legendary likes of Paul Butterfield, Alex “Rice” Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II) and James Cotton. “But I love them all,” Rubin says.

He’s played in the pit of the Tony-nominated Broadway show The Civil War and backed up luminaries such as Ruthie Foster and Cyril Neville. “I enjoy being a sideman to all types of singers,” Rubin says. “I play harp well, they sing well. It’s a good combination.”

In recent years, Rubin has revealed a new combination – singer and songwriter – on his solo albums. His latest creation is 5 Minutes of Passion, the follow to his well-received I’ll Worry If I Wanna, from 2022.

His droll storytelling is uniquely his own: “If you want another blues song explaining if you want a woman you need some cash, you’ve come to the wrong place,” Rubin says.

He describes his “non-traditional” vocals with the same whimsical irreverence: “No one owns their lack of chops like Michael Rubin.” He accompanies all this with pioneering harmonica work that raises the chromatic harp to the level of its smaller, full-throated cousin.

5 Minutes of Passion overflows with11 original songs, including one instrumental, ash Rubin’s instrumental passion flows through every track. The storytelling begins with Dirty Words, which struts out musically as a Dixieland romp with a brassy pledge that may be hard to keep: “I ain’t gonna sing no more double entendres …. When I said behind I’ll mean behind.”

Doo Doo Daa is an instrumental harp workout with a touch of the blues, setting the scene for the wordplay of Big If, with its dazzling harp solos: “If I were king I would rule the world / If I had hair I would get all the girls.” Alien in a Chair launches other-worldly blues guitar into worldly advice: “Some people like to watch, all they’re doin’ is viewin’ it / You ain’t movin’ forward until you start pursuin’ it.”

5 Minutes of Passion offers slyly salacious advice on pleasing a woman: “If you keep talking about the harmonica / She’ll think you’re odd / Her eyes will start to droop, her head will nod / Just give her five minutes of passion and then pull out.” Dig That Ditch romps with a swinging big-band vibe and another sharp harp solo, shoveling out pointed advice: “You can’t dig a ditch til you know how to do it / But if you don’t dig that ditch, that ditch don’t never get dug.”

A plaintive harp opens Little Circus Town, with its fateful warning: “You can leave the little circus town / But you can’t quit the freak show.” Gravity is sardonic political commentary: “I don’t need no vaccination, the whole story’s a fabrication / I never once got polio or measles.” Nap is an spirited defense of a time-honored tradition with a wakeup call from a stinging guitar solo: “I’m putting taking a nap at the top of the to do list / Doing less don’t make me less than.”

Propaganda, with Greg Izor adding a chromatic harp solo, is a haunting, almost-instrumental, harmonica montage with psychedelic roots, fuzzy-sounding old-timey vocals and not-so futuristic lyrics complete in two lines: “The propaganda is in the hands of the people / And the people are in the hands of the propaganda.” The confessional Grudge is a straight-ahead blues shuffle with its angry guitar and attitude: “When I hold a grudge, I hold it a long time / You may think we’re making love, I’m fighting you in my mind.”

Michael Rubin playfully calls the sophomore release of 5 Minutes of Passion his “sophomoric” effort, but the maturity of his prodigious harp talents plus his wily wordplay already have him graduating at the top of his class.

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Here’s a sample of Michael Rubin’s harmonica virtuosity:

Tracks and musicians:

Dirty Words – 3:44
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Guy Forsyth – banjo, backing vocals The McMercy Family Band (Lindsey Verrill, Dan Grissom, Ted Hadji, Ryan Conlin, Wilson Marks) – opening vocals Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums Patrick Harwell – trumpet, trombone Paulo Santos – saxophone, clarinet
Doo Doo Daa – 3:12
Michael Rubin – harmonica Cesar Crespo – guitar Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
Big If – 4:16
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Josh Fulero – guitar Cesar Crespo – guitar Matt Smith – guitar Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums Paulo Santos – saxophone
Alien in a Chair – 3:32
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Cesar Crespo – guitar Josh Fulero – guitar (lead) Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
5 Minutes of Passion – 3:30
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica The McMercy Family Band (Lindsey Verrill, Dan Grissom, Ted Hadji, Ryan Conlin, Wilson Marks) – opening vocals Sweet Gary Newcomb – pedal steel guitar Emily Gimble – keyboards Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
Dig That Ditch – 2:33
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Cesar Crespo – guitar Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums|
Little Circus Town – 2:56
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Josh Fulero – guitar Cesar Crespo – guitar Emily Gimble – keyboards Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
Gravity – 4:16
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Cesar Crespo – guitar Emily Gimble – keyboards Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
Nap – 4:44
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica, bass harmonica Cesar Crespo – guitar (lead) Josh Fulero – guitar Emily Gimble – keyboards Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
Propaganda (with Greg Izor) – 3:48
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonicas Greg Izor – chromatic harmonica (solo) Cesar Crespo – guitar Josh Fulero – guitar Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums
Grudge – 5:140
Michael Rubin – vocals, harmonica Cesar Crespo – guitar Josh Fulero – guitar (lead) Michael Archer – bass Jason Corbiere – drums

Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra with Willy Jordan — “What Can We Do?” — Nola Blue Records

There’s nothing quite as sweet as sweet soul music, especially when it’s played and sung like it was back in that golden era when soul music didn’t have to be called “retro.”

And that authentic soul music is exactly you’ll find on “What Can We Do?,” a high-spirited session by the marvelous Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, featuring the soul-stirring vocals of Willie Jordan.

The San Francisco-based APSO was founded in 2007 by guitarist/songwriter Anthony Paule after a phone call requesting a backing band for Philadelphia soul and blues singer, Frank Bey, who was coming to the area to perform. Since then, the APSO has earned multiple nominations and widespread recognition as a respected musical powerhouse, inspired by the great soul and blues music of the 1960s and ’70s.

The band is known for the strength of its vocalists, having featured Wee Willie Walker, Frank Bey, and Terrie Odabi. Jordan now fronts the group, having worked with John Lee Hooker and Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio, which earned him two Grammy nominations.

This album follows the APSO’s first effort with Jordan, “What Are You Waiting For?” and it’s packed with 11 sparkling new originals and one gorgeous cover. The musical arrangements feature Paule’s outstanding guitar work and kick-ass horns, all powering Jordan’s massive vocals. The songs are magnificent creations, filled with the pain and pleasure that define their soulful essence, all drawn from cast of songwriters that include producer Larry Batiste, Christine Vitale, Marcel Smith, Paule and Jordan.

“Still Smellin’ Smoke” kicks everything open with a blast of horns, then Jordan rocks in with impressive pipes and their scorching regret: “I’m still smellin’ smoke from the bridges I’ve burned.” The soulful lament of “Too Late” is an achingly gorgeous ballad with Jordan’s soaring vocal. “Stranger” turns funky in its tale of love going wrong, then “You Lie Like a Rug” is a suspicious mind at work: “Every time you open your mouth, ain’t no tellin’ what’s comin’ out.,” with Larry Batiste sharing the lead vocals.

“Bigger Guitar” is a Paule instrumental, with his guitar swinging hard and a rollicking piano break from Tony Lufrano. The title track layers a Latin beat over its powerful message: “I hear the children murmuring / We’ve really made a mess of things / People are dying, Mother Earth she’s cryin’, …. What can we do? / It’s up to me and you,”

“The Heart Never Says Goodbye” is a gentle love ballad drenched in Jordan’s sweet vocal. “Secret” punches its message home with sassy horns: “I don’t wanna be your secret anymore / Sneaking in and out of your back door.” “If It Ain’t One Thing It’s Two” is rhythmic lament about troubles that double. Jordan brings a lovely falsetto to “Walkin’,” with his soles showing: “Times are uncertain, don’t know what to do / The world’s hurting, too much bad news …. I wish I could change it, but there’s nothing I can do / So I’m gonna put on my shoes.”

“You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You,” the 1960 Dean Martin hit, gets a tough, bluesy intro, then adds a backbeat, a sexy sax solo, and a slow-rocking Jordan vocal for this knockout update. The closer is the elegant instrumental “Blue Mood Indica,” by Paule and keyboardist Lufrano. It gets a “Blues in the Night” opening riff, with the band stretching out for an extended blues excursion fueled by Lufrano’s majestic B3.

The APSO and Willie Jordan, and everyone involved, sound like they had a great time creating this excellent soul music, conjured from the mists of its timeless originators. And it’s just as great to hear. Play it soon and often.

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There’s a quote in the liner notes that offers an eloquent answer to the question posed by the title, “What Can We Do?”
“Every single one of us makes an impact on this planet every single day, and we get to choose what kind of difference we make. Hold on to hope, never give up, and remember: you matter. Together, we can create a better future for all living things.”
– Jane Goodall

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Here’s “Lie Like a Rug” from the album:

Musicians:
Willy Jordan (lead vocals, congas, more cowbell), Anthony Paule (guitar), Tony Lufrano (Hammond B3, grand piano, Wurlitzer), Timm Walker (bass), Endre Tarczy (bass), Kevin Hayes (drums), Bowen Brown (drums), Derek James (trombone), Ethan Pires (trumpet), Charles McNeal (tenor sax), Johnnie Bamont (baritone sax, flute), Rob Sudduth (baritone sax), Larry Batiste (lead vocals, background vocals), Omega Rae (background vocals), Nona Brown (background vocals), The Sons of the Soul Revivers — Dwayne Morgan, Walter Morgan (RIP), and James Morgan (background vocals), Jon Otis (percussion).
Produced By: Larry Batiste, Co-Producers: Anthony Paule, Willy Jordan, Christine Vitale

Tracklist:
Still Smellin’ Smoke — 4:03,
Too Late — 4:32
Stranger — 3:45
You Lie Like a Rug — 3:06
Bigger Guitar — 3:56,
What Can We Do? — 4:30
The Heart Never Says Goodbye — 3:33
Secret — 3:56
If It Ain’t One Thing It’s Two — 3:09
Walkin’ — 3:38
You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You — 3:47
Blue Mood Indica — 5:05.

There’s been a long and constant relationship — it’s been called a secret handshake — between the blues, its many cousins, and gospel music.

Many blues and soul artists began their careers singing in church. The passion and power of gospel music often found new voice in artists who chose the Devil’s Music, as the blues was sometimes called, over their more sacred roots. Gospel music has often been the secret sauce that spices the sounds of jump blues, R&B, soul, and even rock and roll.

Nowhere has that handshake, and the resulting fervor, been stronger than in the music of the criminally under-appreciated “5” Royales, a 1950s group whose sound evolved from their early 1940s gospel roots as the Royal Sons Quintet.

The Royal Sons were brothers Lowman and Clarence Pauling, plus two cousins and a friend, Bill Samuels. Johnny Tanner joined in 1943 when one of the members was drafted and a year later Otto Jefferies and Jimmy Moore joined, when the now 18-year-old Tanner went into the military.

Clarence Pauling dropped out in 1948, and joined Motown in the 1960’s as the producer for Stevie Wonder under the name Clarence Paul. The Son’s early lineup included Tanner on lead, Moore and Samuels as tenors, Pauling as baritone, songwriter and guitarist and Jefferies singing bass. when they signed with Apollo Records in 1951 on the strength of a gospel demo. By 1950 Obediah Carter and Johnny Tanner had replaced William Samuels and Pauling.

However, Apollo was looking for a secular group that could compete with the Dominoes, the Orioles, and the Cardinals. The Sons were reluctant to change, fearing they would alienate the religious community. So, the Sons became the “5” Royales, with 5 in quotes, since there were often six members.

The Royales brought the jubilee quartet harmonies of their gospel roots, added the raw energy of rhythm and blues, and created what would become soul music before the genre had a name. According to the Acoustic Music organization, the “first clear evidence of soul music shows up with the “5” Royales.”

The first Apollo session in 1952 produced “Too Much Of a Little Bit” and “Courage Of Love.” 1953 saw their biggest hits “Baby Don’t Do It” and “Help Me Somebody,” both which topped the national rhythm and blues charts. Following this initial success, Jefferies decided to stop touring about 1954 when the Royales accepted a bigger offer to move from Apollo to King Records, and focus on being the group’s manager. Jefferies’ place was taken by Johnny Tanner’s brother Eugene, though he continued to record with the group when needed.

After recording five Top Ten hits in two years, the Royales were popular enough to force another act calling themselves The Royals to change their name. The Royals thus became The Midnighters, who, with Hank Ballard as their driving wheel, would take the Royales’ place as the biggest vocal group in rock over the next few years.

When the Royales followed Aollo label head Carl LeBow to King Records, the group entering its most productive years. At King they recorded “Think” (1957, No. 4 R&B) — later covered by James Brown as his breakthrough pop hit — and “Dedicated to the One I Love” (1957), co-written by Pauling, who wrote most of the Royales’ songs, with producer Ralph Bass, which became a Top 5 hit for The Shirelles in 1961 and a No. 2 hit for The Mamas & the Papas in 1967. “Tell the Truth” (1958) was covered by Ray Charles and Ike and Tina Turner.

In 1960, the Royales were involved in a lawsuit with fellow King artist Brown concerning the song “Think.” The lawsuit forced them to leave King, and for a time they recorded for Home of the Blues, which leased the masters to Vee-Jay and ABC Records. The Royales disbanded around 1965, having released 59 singles across their career.

The Royales were unique among the ’50s R&B groups. Their gospel-drenched sound, underscored by the primal pleading of Johnny Tanner’s fervent lead vocals and Eugene Tanner’s smoother sound, gave the group its electric vocal range. But Lowman Pauling’s guitar may have been their major legacy. He pioneered a call-and-response approach between guitar and vocals, weaving fills into the spaces left by the singers — a technique that Steve Cropper later identified as the foundation of the Stax guitar style. The Royales had limited commercial success, but their influences on this classical American music were immeasurable as early architects of soul music and rock and roll.

In his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame essay on the Royales’ 2015 induction, Joe McEwen wrote that Cropper said: “I know when I saw Lowman Pauling onstage it changed my style and my life. He was a one-man show who played rhythm and stinging riffs when necessary … I owe a lot to Lowman.”

Rock critic Dave Marsh credited Pauling with recording the first intentional use of guitar feedback on “The Slummer the Slum” (1958), predating The Beatles, The Yardbirds, and Jimi Hendrix by years. The Royales blending of styles and innovative techniques also influenced artists such as Clyde McPhatter of the Drifters, Hank Ballard of the Royals/Midnighters, and James Brown.

Lowman Pauling ended up working as a night watchman at a Manhattan church and died of an apparent seizure on Dec. 26, 1973; Otto Jefferies died on Aug. 8, 1975; Eugene Tanner was on disability benefits in the years before his death on Dec. 29, 1994; Johnny Tanner died of cancer on Nov. 8, 2005; Jimmy Moore died on Aug. 16, 2008, at the Cedar Manor Nursing Home in Ossining, New York, after a long illness.

Their music survives, an extraordinary testament to the men who created it, and their influence on what came next.

From their song, “Think”: “Think about the sacrifices that I made for you. Think of all the times that I spent with you. Think of all the good things that I done for you.”

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In 2011, Steve Cropper released “Dedicated: A Salute to the “5” Royales,” featuring Cropper on guitar and vocalists that include B.B. King, Shemia Copeland, Bettye LaVette, Sharon King, Dan Penn and Delbert McClinton.

It’s a great listen, and you can hear the echoes of the Royales on every track.

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A special thanks to the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz and Marvelous Marvin Boone, who host the Rhythm Revival radio show weekly on WMNF Tampa. Their airplay of the “5” Royales made me do this!

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Here are a few of “5” Royales greatest hits:

In 1955, Lavern Baker was the second most-played female artist in the United States after Etta James.

Her most successful records were “Tweedle Dee” (1955), “Jim Dandy” (1956), and “I Cried a Tear” (1958). Her 1955–65 tenure with Atlantic Records produced 15 rhythm-and-blues hits.

She was a singer with a majestic voice and a flair for performing.

She was born Delores Evans, in Chicago, on Nov. 11, 1929. She began singing in Chicago clubs in 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper, and first recorded under that name in 1949, leading to a recording deal with National Records in 1951, shortly before it folded. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, switched to Delores Baker, and then was billed as LaVern Baker when she sang with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.

In 1953, Baker signed with Atlantic Records and her first release was “Soul on Fire.” Her first hit came in early 1955, with “Tweedle Dee,” which reached number 4 on the R&B chart and number 14 on the national U.S. pop chart, selling more than a million copies. Popular imitations of her recordings by white singers in the mid-1950s temporarily slowed her career. Singer Georgia Gibbs recorded a note-for-note cover of the song, which reached number 1. Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned Congress to consider such covers copyright violations. Her request spurred a Congressional investigation into song theft.

In 1958, Baker broadened her range with the release of her third studio album, Atlantic’s “Lavern Baker Sings Bessie Smith.” It was a jazz-oriented take on the songs of Smith and garnered critical acclaim for her dynamic cover versions of traditional blues songs using jazz musicians. Her spirited vocals sound just as expressive and sassy now as they did nearly 70 years ago. It’s an album worth a serious listen today.

In 1966, Baker recorded “Think Twice”, a duet single with Jackie Wilson. The controversial song featured raunchy lyrics considered inappropriate for airplay. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the version with the raunchy lyrics.

Baker married the comedian Slappy White in 1959, after divorcing her first husband, Eugene Wilson. Baker and White split in 1969, and Baker joined a USO tour where she contracted bronchial pneumonia after a trip to Vietnam. After recovering at the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay in the Philippines, Baker stayed on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there, where she stayed for about 20 years.

In 1990, she made her Broadway debut, replacing Ruth Brown as the star of the hit musical “Black and Blue.” She continued to record and perform, even after both her legs were amputated in 1994 because of complications from diabetes. She said, “God took my legs, but He left me my voice so I could continue to do what I love, to sing and entertain.”

Baker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, noting that her “fiery fusion of blues, jazz and R&B showcased her alluring vocals and set the stage for the rock and roll surge of the Fifties.” “Jim Dandy” was named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked number 343 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2020, Baker was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame

Baker died of cardiovascular disease on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. She was buried in an unmarked plot in Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, New York. Local historians raised funds for a headstone, which was placed on May 4, 2008.

Lavern Baker is one of those pioneering voices from the 1950s that helped mold R&B into rock ‘n’ roll, but kept on rolling with her passion for performing. She deserves to be remembered.

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Baker, her music, and her heroic personal life, also caught the attention of noted blues photographer Joe Rosen, and took her place among other musical greats in his book of marvelous photography and personal reflections, “Inside the Moment: Iconic Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, and R&B Images and History.”

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Here is a sampling of recordings from Baker’s career:

I’m adding a Roadhouse Gallery of photos of blues artists I’ve taken at clubs, concerts and festivals, dating back to about 1980. This is just a beginning. More photos will be added as time goes passing by.

It can be found by using the menu atop the Roadhouse home page.

I hope it’s an interesting look at performers who caught my attention through the years, such as Honeyboy Edwards, shown here. Some of the dates are approximate. Most of the locations are in in or around my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., or festivals within my reach.

Here’s the gallery.

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