Blues Roadhouse

Alex Lopez — “Retro Revival” — Maremil Music

Muddy Waters wasn’t just playing the blues when he sang, “The blues had a baby and they named the baby rock and roll” — he was predicting the future.

Blues power has always focused on the rawness and passion of its music, and modern blues-rock bands tap that intensity to rock their musical marriage with the essence of the blues.

Guitarist Alex Lopez and his trio, the Xpress, have captured that emotional lightning in a bottle, and use it to ignite their hard-driving, original blues-rock.

That’s the essence of Retro Revival, the latest album from ALX (Alex Lopez Xpress), a stripped-down name for a stripped down,, guitar-driven band that’s just Lopez on guitar and vocals, Steve Roberts (originally from England) on bass and Kana Leimbach (originally from Japan) on drums. Lopez wrote or co-wrote all eleven songs, combining the traditions of blues lyricism with his potent rock sensibilities.

ALX accelerates onto its blues-rock speedway with the rugged opener, One More Time, the first of multiple songs evoking the traditional blues fascination with love: lost love, joyful love, painful love. “One more time to love you before I leave this town,” is all he asks. Your Lovin’ follows, with a searing vocal bemoaning his treatment: “The way you treat me baby, you keep me in such pain / The way you tease me baby, coming back again.”

When I Sing The Blues opens with a mournful guitar intro to a slow-burning lament of love that’s lost but still painfully present: “The way you left me baby, you took all that I have / And you hurt me baby, I can’t take no more of that.” The vibe shifts to a hard-times blues theme with Here I Am, a rocker with a cynical eye on the world outside: “Trying to pay the mortgage send my kids through school / Everyone’s forgotten what they call the golden rule.” Then What The World Needs Now rocks with hope: “A little bit loving, a little bit of hope / A little bit of patience, find some way to cope.”

Hey Little Sister is a bouncy, bluesy bid to be appreciated for who you are: “Hey little sister, I got the right stuff / Not all that I need to be, not enough money / But I got good loving, that’s all you need.” Angry is just that; a fiercely played and sung worldly judgment: “Seems the sky is on fire, And everyone is a liar / Angry here to justify / Angry here to testify.”

The jaunty melody of Loving You Gave Me The Blues is a lively counterpoint to its downhearted bluesified message: “I was kneeling, praying you’d treat me right / Double dealing, hiding the truth from my sight / Never knew loving you gave me the blues.” In The Name Of Love is a gently rocking resumption of his optimism: “In the name of love, Not the same without love / Don’t know what I’m going to try / Out to prove all my love will never die.”

Black Hole rocks out with a bluesy shuffle of unrequited love, with the band forming an emphatic vocal trio: “I need your love, get none / Got no place to go, pulled into the big black hole.” The heartfelt closer, Keep On Living, is an elegant anthemic ballad filled with hope: Time to keep on living / Take what I’ve been given / Find my path to heaven / Time to keep on living.”

Alex Lopez isn’t just revisiting blues past, he’s made it his mission to revive and expand the music for new audiences with power and passion. With the birth of “Retro Revival,’ ALX is delivering that rocking baby of the blues.

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“Your Lovin'” from the album:

Tracklist:

01. One More Time
02. Your Lovin’
03. When I Sing The Blues
04. Here I Am
05. What The World Needs Now
06. Hey Little Sister
07. Angry
08. Loving You Gave Me The Blues
09. Name Of Love
10. Black Hole
11. Keep On Living

Charles Tiner — “Good Soul” — Self-Released

Charles Tiner says he’s “just a regular guy with a whole lot of soul.”

He’s also a regular guy who just happens to play passionate piano and organ, write spellbinding lyrics, arrange vibrant music, and sing with the soul of a bluesman and the fire of a preacher – his musical roots having been nourished in the Baptist church where his father was a pastor, opening the door to this blues life.

The Chicago native has wrapped all those talents into a joyous session of soulful blues for his second album, Good Soul. It follows his 2021 debut album, the self-produced N’Treble, when his music earned him a finalist spot in the 2022 International Blues Challenge representing the Illinois Central Blues Club.

“Good Soul” showcases Tiner’s songwriting, rich with imagery, delivered in his soulful vocals, all woven into the tapestry of his sparkling musical arrangements. Eleven of the twelve songs are originals, with one creative cover.

The opening track, “Be A Man,” is a fierce vocal statement of survival, backed by Tiner’s rousing organ riffs: “I watched the sun go down / And laid awake all night, I seen trouble in my way, It didn’t seem very bright.” Sassy horns spike Bad Woman, a blues with a vengeance: “If she ain’t a bad woman, I’m not gonna spend one dime / Come on girl, don’t make me waste my time.”

“Blue Moon” rises out of stinging guitar intro into a down-home blues vibe with Tiner’s gutsy piano and vocal: “I can’t miss having a silver spoon, I was born under a blue moon.” Don’t Baw Me Nun is a front-porch blues lament with a mournful harp wailing in the background and countrified acoustic guitar from Eddie Smith: “You can cut me like a fish, easy as butter / You keep it going until you thought I was done / But you really found out, it don’t baw me nun.”

“Night Rider” is an anthemic ode to a mysterious nocturnal visitor: “Night rider alone in the dark, riding in the moonlight / It don’t matter, the street is home, he’ll ride through midnight.” “Peace By the River” runs deep with an orchestral torrent of emotion creating a storm before the calm: “Thunder can roar, shake the land / It will make you shiver / No matter what it looks like …. There’s peace by the river.” “Stick Around” is elegant soul, enriched by eloquent horns, declaring Tiner’s love for his music: “The blues has been consistent / The blues has been real sound …. The blues will always stick around.”

“She Made The Move On Me” tells its tale with its title, a jazzy piano interlude, and the unanswered question of what came next. Tiner’s sensuous organ lines introduce the torchy slow blues of “Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right,” with his soaring vocals and fierce guitar solo from Smith: “We played on each other, all day and night / But one thing is for sure, two wrongs don’t make it right.”

“Don’t Be A Fool Too Long” offers worldly advice with a spoken-word sermon midway: “I got a message for you / You’re gonna do what you do / But don’t be a fool too long.” “Don’t Let The Devil Ride” is a gospel song written by Rev. Orvis Mays in 1968, re-imagined by Tiner as a funky blues, breathing fire from the pulpit: “Don’t let the devil ride / If you let him ride, he’ll want to drive / Don’t let him ride.”

The closer is the lighthearted optimism of “Put Ya Money On Me” with Tiner’s melodious piano, Camp’s swinging harp and Charles Fox’s upright bass. Tiner’s playful falsetto brings the session to a joyous conclusion: “Sometimes the day seems dark and cold …. But if you ever have a doubt, put your money on me.”

That’s a good bet for just a regular guy with a whole lot of Good Soul.

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Here’s an interview with Charles Tiner from Michael Limnios at Blues Gr

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Here’s “Be A Man” from the album:

Album tracklist:

1. Be a Man
2. Bad Woman
3. Blue Moon
4. Don’t Bau Me Nun
5. Night Rider
6. Peace by the River
7. Stick Around
8. She Made a Move on Me
9. Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right
10. Don’t Be a Fool Too Long
11. Don’t Let the Devil Ride (cover)
12. Put Ya Money on Me

Tinsley Ellis — “Labor of Love” — Alligator Records

Acoustic guitar blues always raises the feral specter of the music’s murky origins, buried in the roots of field hollers and church music, conjured up by the spirits of bluesmen like Charley Patton, Son House and Willie Brown a century ago.

When contemporary blues artists decide to revisit that historical form, they invite listeners on a journey back up the long and winding road of primeval blues history. Some give new life to the original music; others bring that spirit into their own creations. Both can be vital, expressive forms.

Tinsley Ellis, who has been a premier blues-rock performer for decades, has pulled the plug on his own past to live in an acoustic present. His latest album, “Labor of Love,” is a follow to his brilliant 2024 acoustic debut, “Naked Truth.”

While that first impressive solo effort included a few reworked classics, “Love” is entirely Ellis. He’s created a raw and rootsy set of personal songs filled with the emotional essence of the blues, distilled by his expressive vocals and inventive guitar work. On a technical note, Ellis used six different open tunings on his 1969 Martin D-35, his 12-string Martin D-12-20, and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. For the first time, he also played mandolin on three songs.

Ellis says the endless possibilities created by those instruments keeps him constantly invigorated by the music. And it shows on this gorgeous session, as he weaves a tapestry of modern tales drawn from the fabric of his spirit.

The opener is the pulsating, hypnotic “Hoodoo Woman,” featuring Ellis sounding ethereal on the mandolin. “Long Time” follows, a rhythmic, mythic and slyly lyrically tale of Adam and Eve. “To A Hammer” (everything’s a nail) is a slowly picked blues that emphasizes a rich vocal. “Sad Sad Song” offers a cheerful mandolin and handclaps as a counterpoint to its mournful lyric.

“The Trouble With Love” is a gentle ballad of unrequited love plaintively sung in a higher register. “Sunnyland” showcases his National Steel in a fierce vocal take. “Whole Wide World” offers a melodic bit of philosophy that says “the whole wide world needs love.” “Sweet Ice Tea” is a tasty blues hungering for “soul food and sweet ice tea.”

“I’d Rather Be Saved” is a gospel-soaked plea to be saved — from his “mean old boss man.” A sprightly mandolin highlights “Too Broke,” with its fatalistic outlook — “never seen a bank truck in a funeral parade.” The delicately picked “Low Land of Sorrow” seeks escape from the low land in the coming storm. Tinsley uses his higher register again to great effect on the elegant love song, “Fountain Of Love.” The closer is the rich gospel of “Lay My Burden Down.” It’s an eloquent, passionate finale to an album filled with eloquent and passionate moments.

“Labor of Love” is just that: A testament to the music that has driven Ellis throughout his career in the blues. As he puts it — “No matter what I play, I like to have an edge. For me, just playing this music is a labor of love. I sat at the feet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf. I got into this music because of them. I always told myself if I could just make a living playing the blues, I’d be, at least in my own mind, successful.”

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Here’s “Hoodoo Woman” from the album:

Tracklist:
1. Hoodoo Woman 3:12
2. Long Time 2:55
3. To A Hammer 3:40
4. Sad Sad Song 2:33
5. The Trouble With Love 2:59
6. Sunnyland 2:50
7. Whole Wide World 2:59
8. Sweet Ice Tea 2:53
9. I’d Rather Be Saved 4:20
10. Too Broke 3:00
11. Low Land Of Sorrow 3:18
12. Fountain Of Love 2:57
13. Lay My Burden Down 3:28

Here are the 2026 Grammy award winners for the two categories of blues albums, and for Americana and roots albums. The winners are listed in bold with the other nominees. You can look for all the Grammys here.

Best Traditional Blues Album
● Ain’t Done With The Blues by Buddy Guy
● Room On The Porch by Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo
● One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey by Maria Muldaur
● Look Out Highway by Charlie Musselwhite
● Young Fashioned Ways by Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush

Best Contemporary Blues Album
● Breakthrough by Joe Bonamassa
● Paper Doll by Samantha Fish
● A Tribute to LJK by Eric Gales
● Preacher Kids by Robert Randolph
● Family by Southern Avenue

Best Americana Album
● Big Money by Jon Batiste
● Bloom by Larkin Poe
● Last Leaf On The Tree by Willie Nelson
● So Long Little Miss Sunshine by Molly Tuttle
● Middle by Jesse Welles

52. Best Regional Roots Music Album
● Live At Vaughan’s by Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet
● For Fat Man by Preservation Brass & Preservation Hall Jazz Band
● Church Of New Orleans by Kyle Roussel
● Second Line Sunday by Trombone Shorty And New Breed Brass Band
● A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco (Various Artists)

Mississippi Heat — “”Don’t look Back” — Delmark Records

Mississippi Heat is not your traditional Chicago blues band — except for the magnificent music that it creates.

Since the release of their its first album in 1992, this crackling sharp band, led by harmonica wizard Pierre Lacocque, works with a core group of musicians that now includes Lacocque, Sheryl Youngblood on vocals, Giles Corey on guitar, Brian Quinn on bass and Jason Edwards on drums.

What sets them apart is the addition of a variety of singers and musicians on each session. Their latest, “Don’t Look Back,” adds a musical cast that pushes the band to another level on each of the 14 original Lacocque songs. (A complete list of contributors is listed by track at the end of this post.)

Former vocalists Inetta Visor and Daneshia Hamilton share the vocals on one cut, and Danielle Nicole sings on two tracks, Omar Coleman sings on one song and plays harp with Lacocque on another. It all makes for a very special session. This time around, Youngblood has been added as the vocalist on nine songs. She’s a powerful singer with a take-no-prisoners style honed in church music and polished to perfection in the blues.

Youngblood launches the album with a fierce vocal turn on the high-spirited “You Ain’t the Only One,” with horns blazing and Lacocque’s devilish harp. Nicole’s tough vocal highlights the torrid blues of “Third Wheel,” driven hard by Lacocque’s harp and Johnny Iguana’s rocking piano.

Visor and Hamilton duet on the fast-paced blues shuffle, “Quarter To Three,” when the train leaves for Chicago, with more dazzling harp and rollicking piano. Youngblood returns for the gospel-drenched torch of “Stepped Out Of Line,” with the haunting choral backup vocals of man who’s NADIMA — Nanette Frank, Diane Madison and Mae Koen. Youngblood returns with “Can’t Take It,” an uptempo lament about a man who’s “a hot mess that I can’t take.”

Next, Lacocque and Coleman deliver the high-energy instrumental, “Moonshine Man,” then Youngblood turns in “Champin’ At The Bit,” with its gorgeous harp solo, before shouting her enthusiasm about “Love (It Makes You Do Most Anything).”

Nicole’s emotional vocal inhabits “Shiverin’ Blues,” dedicated to Lacocque’s father Andre, who died due to Covid-19. Corey’s slide work adds an appropriately ethereal note. That mood quickly shifts to the dance-friendly “The Sock Hop,” with Youngblood rocking and rolling the vocals. The band turns funky behind Youngblood on “Blue Amber,” a thoughtful piece of songwriting with John Kattke boiling beneath the surface.

 “I Ain’t Evil” is driven by Corey’s fluid guitar work with a Latin vibe and more B3, with Youngblood explaining how she “ain’t evil.” On the title track, Youngblood’s soaring vocal offers encouraging advice on relationships and life — “don’t look back.” The closer showcases a Coleman vocal on the rousing “Four Steel Walls,” with the band and backup singers pulling everything together in a powerful finale.

Lacocque says “Don’t Look Back” is “the bluesiest project I’ve done in years.” And it’s a complete package — sharply crafted songs, emotional vocal performances and muscular musical backing. It’s classic Chicago blues that’s looking ahead, not back. The album was released last September, so I’m late to the party, but it that won’t keep me from recommending this powerful blues album as one of the best of 2025.

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Here’s a Q&A with Pierre Lacocque by Michael Limnios of Blues Gr.

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Pierre Lacocque took an interesting route to the Chicago blues. Read his bio here.

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“You Ain’t the Only One” from the album:

Tracklist and credits:

1. You Ain’t the Only One Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax), NADIMA — Nanette Frank, Diane Madison, Mae Koen (background vocals).

2. Third Wheel Danielle Nicole (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), Brian Quinn (bass), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums).

3. Quarter to Three Inetta Visor & Daneshia Hamilton (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

4. Stepped Out of Line Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

5. Can’t Take It Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

6. Moonshine Man Omar Coleman (acoustic harp), Pierre Lacocque (amplified harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), NADIMA (handclaps), Pierre Lacocque (handclaps), Natalie Bennison (handclaps).

7. Champin’ at the Bit Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Billy Flynn (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), Brian Quinn (bass), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums).

8. Love (It Makes You Do Most Anything) Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax), NADIMA (background vocals).

9. Shiverin’ Blues Danielle Nicole (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (slide guitar), John Kattke (piano), Brian Quinn (acoustic bass), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums).

10. The Sock Hop Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (slide guitar), Johnny Iguana (piano), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax), NADIMA (background vocals).

11. Blue Amber Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), John Kattke (piano), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

12. I Ain’t Evil Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Anthony “Tony” Alexander (percussion).

13. Don’t Look Back Sheryl Youngblood (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), John Kattke (B3 organ), Brian Quinn (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums).

14. Four Steel Walls Omar Coleman (vocals), Pierre Lacocque (harp), Giles Corey (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Big Mike Perez (bass), Jason “J Rock” Edwards (drums), Marc Franklin (trumpet), Kirk Smothers (sax solo), Anthony “Tony” Alexander (percussion), NADIMA (background vocals).

ALL SONGS WRITTEN BY P. Lacocque (Ransart Music, BMI)

Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps — “Bad at Being Good” — MoMojo Records

Teresa James’ sassy-sweet vocals are instantly recognizable, always squeezing every drop of life, love and lusty femininity from her Texas blues-rooted pipes.

Wrap those signature vocals in the razor-sharp backing of the criminally talented Rhythm Tramps, and you’ve got another luminous James album — “Bad at Being Good.”

It’s James and the Tramps at their rhythmic roadhouse best on their 14th album, a smartly crafted session of 12 original songs expertly tailored to fit James’ shape-shifting musical moods.

“This music truly represents our roadhouse and blues roots, but also shows off the band’s soul inspiration and heart,” James says.

The Tramps include the multi-talented Terry Wilson — James’ partner, band bassist, and primary songwriter who contributes their deliciously imaginative repertoire. James plays piano, and of course, sings. Also: Billy Watts (lead guitar), Dean Parks (lead guitar), John Porter (slide guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Jay Bellerose (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3, piano, Wurlitzer), Bennett Salvay (piano), Jon Cleary (guests on piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), David P. Jackson (accordion). (The musicians are listed by track below.)

The fun begins with the easy-rocking “Love’s A Full Time Job” — “Love’s a full-time job, and you’ve got me working overtime.” The achingly tender “Is Anything Alright” is a soulful delight, a slow-dancing blues. “I Got This Thing” is a sultry come-hither invitation to love.

“All About the Benjamins” slyly counts that loving feeling that registers on a strictly cash basis. “Trouble in Paradise” is a smoothly done exploration of love going wrong. “Angel on My Shoulder” rocks gently through a personal message to the love who’s the angel on her shoulder, with McKendree’s B-3 rolling underneath.

“Treat Her Like You Want Her to Treat You” is a sensuous, belt-buckle polishing slow-dance blues, with James’ sultry vocal leaving you weak in the knees. “Bad at Being Good” is a swinging, soulful gem with smart lyrics — “You’re gonna need your own personal Jesus / To make up for all your malfeasance …. You’re so bad at being good.” Cleary adds his tasty piano to the mix.

“Say What You Will” swings in with a jazzy lyricism, before “We Came to Rock” shifts into a rollicking honky-tonk roadhouse gear with the band cranking out great old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll behind James’ soaring vocals. “Anytime is Alright” puts a chunky beat behind James pleading that “Any day, any night … anytime is alright.”

“Close Down the Blues Bar” is a fitting closer — a greasy, slow-drag blues with a warning: “He’s so crazy about that funky beat / He forgot he’s got a wife.”

“Bad at Being Good” is another in a long line of albums from Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps that showcase a unique ability to create a joyful reunion of their bright new music and its deep roots. The music is perfectly crafted to blend insightful songwriting and whip-smart musical backing with James’ honeyed vocals. The result is your listening pleasure.

As James says, “I am so excited about our new album – even after having already released 13 albums, I feel like Bad at Being Good is the best yet… with great performances by everyone (including some very special guest artists) and some of the best songs ever, this music truly represents our roadhouse and blues roots, but also shows off the band’s soul inspiration and heart,” observes James. “Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!”

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Here’s “Close Down the Blues Bar” from the album:

Tracks and credits:

Track 1 – “Love’s A Full Time Job” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 2 – “Is Anything Alright” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Jay Bellerose (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Bennett Salvay (piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 3 – “I Got This Thing” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 4 – “All About the Benjamins” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3).

Track 5 – “Trouble in Paradise” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass, B3), Dean Parks (lead guitar), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (Wurlitzer).

Track 6 – “Angel on My Shoulder” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3).

Track 7 – “Treat Her Like You Want Her to Treat You” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3), Bennett Salvay (piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 8 – “Bad at Being Good” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass, slide guitar, background vocals), John Porter (slide guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion, background vocals), Kevin McKendree (B3), Jon Cleary (piano).

Track 9 – “Say What You Will” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Kevin McKendree (B3, piano), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 10 – “We Came to Rock” (Terry Wilson & Teresa James):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

Track 11 – “Anytime is Alright” (Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass), Jay Bellerose (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), David P. Jackson (accordion).

Track 12 – “Close Down the Blues Bar” (Gary Nicholson & Terry Wilson):
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Tony Braunagel (drums), Richard Millsap (percussion), Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Paulie Cerra (sax).

(This post has been republished to update now that the film is available again. It’s a timeless look at blues history.)

Most blues fans have probably heard about, and even heard, the primitive and powerful Mississippi Hill Country blues style. If you haven’t, you’re missing a primeval blues experience.

It’s a rhythmic, hypnotic, drum-and-guitar-heavy style that grew up in the Mississippi Hill Country and almost never left home. Most of its practitioners rarely or never left the areas where they were born and raised. A few were found and recorded by Fat Possum Records.

Some, like R.L. Burnside, recorded and toured and became, if not exactly household names, well-known to blues fans. In fact, Burnside’s 2009 album, “Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down” on Fat Possum, was named the second best blues album of the preceding decade by the old Blues Revue Magazine.

Mostly these bluesmen lived their hardscrabble lives in rural towns and played their blues in jukes and on front porches, where they made music for the simplest and best of reasons — for their own pleasure.

All of this was brought back to me a while back when, whilst perusing the interwebs for music, I ran across the 2002 documentary on this Hill Country music, “You See Me Laughin’.” The film features artists Asie Payton, Cedell Davis, David Cardwell, Johnny Farmer, Junior Kimbrough, Kenny Brown, R.L. Burnside and T-Model Ford.

Davis, who suffered crippling polio, played his guitar with a butter knife as a kind of slide, Ford saying how he “can’t read, can’t write, can’t spell nothin’, but I can play this guitar when I have to.”

Fat Possum co-funder Matthew Johnson hovers around, trying to get gigs and record these men. “I don’t want my guys to die unknown,” he says near the end of the film. If you watch this film, he will have at least partly succeeded.

The film was directed by filmmaking newcomer Mandy Stein, who described her work for the website Stay Thirsty:

“My first documentary was titled, You See Me Laughin’ (2002) where I followed the last of the Hill Country Bluesmen.  The idea was sparked in early 1999, from a Mike Rubin article in Spin Magazine about the Bluesmen.  So I went on and called Mississippi where the label (Fat Possum) was based.  I had no education in the field and never attended film school. The funding came from borrowed money from my grandfather, and I just went down there, figured it out and created a documentary.”

It’s an excellent look at the music lives that these men lived, and how and why they made their music. There’s power and beauty in the music, but a poignant undercurrent throughout of struggles to survive, to live. And to create music.

The movie was unavailable for a time, but seems to be accessible again.

Lucky Losers — “Arrival” — MoMojo Records

I’m a little behind on a few fine new releases from the last couple of months — no excuses, just late. Rest assured that those responsible have been placed on a severely reduced libation ration.

One of the best of those albums, reaching way back to its long-ago release date of Nov. 7, is “Arrival,” from the dynamic West Coast blues duo, The Lucky Losers.

The San Francisco-based Losers, a five-piece, six-time Independent Blues Award-winner, are more-than-lucky winners here, fronted by the soulful vocals of Cathy Lemons and the harmonica wizardry of Phil Berkowitz, who shares in their wide-ranging, always spot-on, vocal stylings. “Arrival” is the group’s sixth album, and their debut on the MoMojo label (a division of Nola Blue, Inc.), home to a growing collection of vital, independent roots artists.

Of these 11 original songs, five were written by Lemons (co-writers: Kid Andersen and Chris Burns) and five by Berkowitz (co-writers: Danny Caron and Chris Burns). The criminally talented Andersen also produced and engineered this sparkling session.

Adding to the musical magic are Doug James on tenor sax, Mike Rinta on trombone and John Halbieb on trumpet, Burns and Andersen on keys, Simon Govan Smith on guitars, Edgar San Gabriel on bass, and Jon Otis on drums.

Lemons says: “Arrival” is our breakthrough album, and the most personal music I’ve ever written. Out of the 11 tracks, I contributed five songs that pushed me to take real risks. For example, ‘I Believe Her (Because I Am Her)’ confronts childhood sexual abuse. The line, ‘I believe her, because I am her—who don’t believe me, my own mother,’ comes directly from my life. “Pig Iron Tough” reflects on the ‘made-of-steel’ resilience it takes to survive touring. That song is rooted in my childhood when I moved 15 times before the age of 17; ‘got no friends, always new in town, until you move again.’

Berkowitz adds: “Looking back, I wasn’t supposed to be a musician. I grew up in a not so typically dysfunctional 60s/70s suburban household in New Jersey.  My mother died when I was ten years old.  I was sent off to camp for nine consecutive summers, diagnosed with ADD HD, long before the term became a household word, and sent to therapists.  I guess the song ‘Misfit Kids’ comes straight from my life. ‘Sunday Stroller’ is probably my best work because people instantly respond to it …. When I wrote these songs with Danny Caron and Chris Burns, these stories came so naturally. These songs are personal reflections and characters I created. “Arrival” has brought my songwriting full circle.”

All of that finely crafted personal songwriting sparks an album rich with human experience, enthusiastically delivered by Lemons and Berkowitz, flowing effortlessly through a variety of genres from folk to funk.

It all kicks off with some of that funky feeling from Lemons in “S-C-A-M,” a contemporary warning to the unsuspecting and a special shoutout to Elon Musk, all kicked along by a furious horn section. “Sunday Stroller” finds Berkowitz rocking a bluesy message about a “big high roller” with his vocals and sharp harp.

An album highlight is Lemons’ rich, soulful vocal on “Pull on The Rope,” with its deep gospel feel. “Play It From the Heart” is a sweet uptempo ballad with Berkowitz and Lemons blending vocals with love and a gently swinging vibe. The sultry blues of Lemons’ “I Believe Her (Because I Am Her)”-delivers her angry tale of the sexual abuse of young women, with mournful harp embellishment by Berkowitz. . “Sorry Brother” highlights Berkowitz on harp, and “My Father’s Son” is another thoughtful personal tale from Berkowitz.

“Pig Iron Tough” brings back a funky beat pairing Lemons’ soaring vocals with Berkowitz’s horn-like harp, weaving a message of personal toughness. “Don’t Let It Slip Away” is a horn-fueled R&B slow dancer with Lemons’ torchy vocal polishing this soulful gem of a song. Berkowitz’s autobiographical “Misfit Kids” is a bouncy tale of life emerging for just that — a misfit kid.

“Ain’t The Marrying Kind” is the whimsical countrified closer, a Berkowitz-Lemons penned duet with Andersen on acoustic guitar and Berkowitz on harp. It adds a sweet touch of front porch intimacy to this jaunty finale.

The Lucky Losers are indeed arriving as talented winners in “Arrival,” with their thoughtful personal songwriting, engaging vocals and infectious musicality. Put them on your list for the new year!

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“Pull on the Rope” from the album:

Tracklist:
01. S-C-A-M
02. Sunday Stroller
03. Pull on The Rope
04. Play It From the Heart
05. I Believe Her
06. Sorry Brother
07. My Father’s Son
08. Pig Iron Tough
09. Don’t Let It Slip Away
10. Misfit Kids
11. Ain’t The Marrying Kind

Reckless and Blue — “Seven Deadly Gins” — Self-Release

Blues music has long thirsted after the pleasures and pains of love at the heart of its emotional essence.

Sometimes, though, love and the blues create a thirst for more – like the heady musical cocktail of Seven Deadly Gins, the sparkling new album served up by the Colorado band Reckless and Blue. The group’s searing blues style has made them winners of the Colorado Blues Society’s 2026 Blues Challenge, headed for January’s International Blues Challenge.

The seasoned veterans of Reckless and Blue were pulled together by George Williams in 2017, when he returned to the Denver area after three decades of travel, and sharpening his talents as a classical guitar student, band member, singer and songwriter. Seven Deadly Gins is a follow to the band’s debut album, Can’t Give Me the Blues, in 2021.

The Reckless quintet regulars include Williams on guitar and vocals, Allen Anderson on keyboards, Tom Dillard on bass, Steve Gaskin on drums, and sultry vocalist Shaunda Fry, notable as a latecomer to the group two years ago, and who didn’t begin her singing career until she turned 50. The ten songs here were written or co-written by Williams, who shares the vocals with Fry, often trading verses in the same song, adding a passionate he-said, she-said lovers’ interaction.

The opener, Come Back, cuts loose with a percussive intro and Williams on cigar box guitar, with co-writer Fry pleading for her lover’s return: “You know I miss you, baby, but now you’re gone / I know you love me, please just come back home.” Fry fuels her next plea for lost love with the libation of the title track, Seven Deadly Gins: “I’ve been drinking gin like never before / Since my baby walked out the door,” with rolling organ riffs from Anderson.

The torchy Triflin’ Blues features Williams and Fry trading soulful verses of mutual torment, mirroring each other’s pain: “Now baby stop – don’t you walk out that door / If you leave this time – I won’t be here when you get back home.” Williams’ vocals romp over the honky-tonk rhythms of Don’t Expect Me, as he warns his lover that he’s gone: “Seems like you got what you had comin’ / You ain’t getting no more of my lovin’.” Fry and Williams pair up again in the gently rocking Burnin’ Daylight, each driving hard to get together again: “I’m comin’ home baby, wait and see / I’m comin’ home, just you and me.”

Can’t Give Me The Blues is another slow-burning scorcher, with Williams and Fry exploring their mutual pain: “You can’t give me the blues / I’ve had the blues for a long long time.” Anderson cranks up the boogie-woogie piano on Shimmy Shakin’ Blues, a rollicking dance track that gives both singers a chance to kick up their vocal legs: “Woke up this morning with a beat in my shoes / Gonna shimmy shake away these shimmy shaking blues.”

The drinking lamp is lit again on the mournful duet If The Blues Was Whiskey (an original, not the 1935 Bumble Bee Slim version): “If the blues was whiskey, I’d stay drunk all the time.” A rocking organ intro from Anderson opens Williams’ solo turn and then follows him while he looks for love on Hey Pretty Baby: “Hey pretty baby, won’t you look my way / Talk to me woman, you will want to hear what I say.” The closer is the haunting, slow-rocking Stormy Night In Denver, with an aching, lovelorn vocal from Fry, with backup vocals from Annie Phillips and Ernie Martinez, plus a splash of horns from Jeff Miguel on sax and Derek Banach on trumpet: “In this rainy night, I’m lost in pain / Longing for my man, so so far away.”

Reckless and Blue’s spirited Seven Deadly Gins arrives as a welcome tonic for love and the blues – no matter how you pour it.

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Here’s a live version of the song “Come Back” from the album:

Tracks:
01. Come Back
02. Seven Deadly Gins
03. Triflin’ Blues
04. Don’t Expect Me
05. Burnin’ Daylight
06. Can’t Give Me The Blues
07. Shimmy Shakin’ Blues
08. If The Blues Was Whiskey
09. Hey Pretty Baby
10. Stormy Night In Denver

Kim Wilson — “Slow Burn” — M.C. Records

For a half-century and change, Kim Wilson’s harp and vocals have led The Fabulous Thunderbirds, the rugged blues band he co-founded in Austin, Texas, in 1974 with Jimmie Vaughan, that supercharged blues music with Wilson’s soaring harp and Vaughan’s superb guitar prowess.

He’s the only original member of the T-Birds still with the band, with Wilson now sometimes stepping out on his own.

“Slow Burn” is his latest solo effort. The songs are taken from two earlier sessions in 2014 and 2020 that featured three outstanding musicians who have since died: drummer Richard Innes, piano player Barrelhouse Chuck, and bassist Larry Taylor.

Eight of the twelve tracks here are classic blues from legendary bluesmen, re-imagined and channeled through Wilson’s prodigious harp and vocals that are more than tuff-enuff for the task. The four originals, especially two instrumentals, show off Wilson’s own powerful classic stylings.

Everything begins with a romp through Little Milton’s “I’m Trying,” with a layer of horns endorsing Wilson’s ever-so-smooth vocal. Wilson’s “Leaving You on My Mind” adds gut-bucket attitude to a down-home trio of harp, guitar and drums.

Wilson gives B.B. King’s “Sweet Little Angel” a convincing vocal workout, with Bob Welsh adding just-right guitar, and Barrelhouse Chuck on piano. “Boogie in E” is Wilson’s first instrumental, a flashy bit of harmonica virtuosity. “Howlin’ For My Darlin’” is appropriately down and dirty Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett), followed the harp wizardry and vocal richness of “Keep Our Business To Yourself” Alex Miller (who performed as Sonny Boy Williamson II).

Wilson reaches deep into the blues for the first of two songs from Robert Nighthawk, who doesn’t often get the recognition he deserves. The first is the swampy “The Time Has Come” that speaks eloquently of its deep blues roots. Wilson’s “Lowdown Woman” shuffles along before Magic Sam’s “Easy Baby” stirs its simmering blues into the mix. “Gotta Have A Horse” is the second Wilson instrumental, another relentless harmonica blowout. Wilson aces another Nighthawk gem, a rollicking “Kansas City” (from 1951, not the 1952 Leiber-Stoller creation).

The closer is nine-minute tour-de-force version of Otis Rush’s classic “So Many Roads,” with a gorgeous two-minute harp intro followed by Wilson’s aching vocal, and more harp woven elegantly throughout.

Wilson, talking about making this album, says:
“The tracks on this album are very special because several of the songs include some of the last
performances in the studio by three great blues giants, Richard Innes, Larry Taylor, and
Barrelhouse Chuck. Basically, everything was recorded the same way they did it in the old days.
Some great blues for you fans, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it.”

“Slow Burn” is a great title for this session of fiery blues, torrid harp work and soulful, torchy vocals. Kim Wilson has added this music to his tough, hard-working blues legacy that thankfully shows no sign of slowing down.

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More Thunderbirds news:

If you’re a T-Birds fan, or if you just want a treasure trove of their musical history, a new box set of their music is now available.

It’s The Jimmie Vaughan Years: Complete Studio Recordings 1978-1989, a comprehensive four-CD box set available through The Last Music Co.

The Jimmie Vaughan Years captures Grammy-winning Vaughan’s blues journey after he cut his teeth in Austin’s late-60s blues scene, including an early recording produced by legendary American songwriter Doc Pomus and Joel Dorn.

“It begins with 13 super-rare unreleased cuts from sessions the T-Birds did for Doc Pomus in 1978 for the potential album that never saw daylight, until now,” says Last Music founder Malcolm Mills. “The five-hour music compilation then follows their career through all the subsequent releases they made on Takoma, Chrysalis, and Epic until Jimmie left the band to pursue his solo career in 1989 — a total of eight albums.”

The Jimmie Vaughan Years includes: The Doc Pomus Recordings 1978, The Fabulous Thunderbirds (Girls Go Wild), What’s The Word?, Butt Rockin’, T-Bird Rhythm, Tuff Enuff, Hot Number, and Powerful Stuff. The box set is packaged as a 12-inch hardback book written and annotated by Bill Bentley, who was an eyewitness to the band’s emergence and rise to fame. His notes, combined with pages full of never-before-seen photos and images, bring to life the story of this band in their heyday.  

“This is the only collection of its kind of Vaughan’s years in the Fabulous Thunderbirds and begins with an album that never saw a release,” Bentley says. “In the late 1970s, celebrated songwriter Doc Pomus heard about the Austin band and brought them to New York to record. Pomus felt something important was there in their music and wanted to share it with the world. Noted producer Joel Dorn signed on to participate and they recorded a full album. Unfortunately, it was an incredible set of songs that never saw the light of day.”

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Here’s a Kim Wilson interview with Blues Blast Magazine

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“Leaving You On My Mind” from the album:

Just for fun, here’s the Robert Nighthawk version of “Kansas City”:

Tracklist & credits:
Track 1 – I’m Trying (Milton Campbell)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Piano: Barrelhouse Chuck
Drums: Marty Dodson
Horns: Johnny Viau

Track 2 – Leaving You On My Mind (Kim Wilson)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Drums: Malachi Johnson

Track 3 – Sweet Little Angel (B.B. King)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Bob Welsh
Piano: Barrelhouse Chuck
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Marty Dodson

Track 4 – Boogie in E (Kim Wilson)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Malachi Johnson

Track 5 – Howlin’ For My Darlin’ (Chester Burnett)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Bob Welsh
Piano: Barrelhouse Chuck
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Marty Dodson

Track 6 – Keep Our Business To Yourself (Sonny Boy Williamson II/Rice Miller)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Drums: Marty Dodson

Track 7 – The Time Has Come (Robert Nighthawk)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Bob Welsh
Piano: Barrelhouse Chuck
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Marty Dodson

Track 8 – Lowdown Women (Kim Wilson)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Malachi Johnson

Track 9 – Easy Baby (Samuel Maghett)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar & Piano: Barrelhouse Chuck
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Malachi Johnson

Track 10 – Gotta Have A Horse (Kim Wilson)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Malachi Johnson

Track 11 – Kansas City (Robert Nighthawk)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Bob Welsh
Piano: Barrelhouse Chuck
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Marty Dodson

Track 12 – So Many Roads (Otis Rush)
Vocals/Harmonica: Kim Wilson
Guitar: Billy Flynn
Bass: Troy Sandow
Drums: Malachi Johnson

Key contributors:
Nathan James – mixing, mastering, production, and performance.
Billy Flynn – guitar and bass on multiple tracks.
Troy Sandow – bass on several tracks.
Marty Dodson, Malachi Johnson, Richard Innes – drums across different sessions.
Barrelhouse Chuck, Bob Welsh, Johnny Viau – piano, guitar, and horns.
The Rhythm Scratchers (Wilson’s bandmates) are highlighted for their one-take quartet recordings.