Various Artists — “The Blind Raccoon and Nola Blue Collection Vol. 6” — Blue Heart Records
For the past several years, the music-loving folks at Blind Raccoon and Blue Heart / Nola Blue record labels have been releasing annual collections of music from some of the excellent new and veteran artists they represent. These collections have all been filled with exciting music from a talented array of performers.
Now it’s time for another smartly curated compilation of 15 performances from this constantly expanding talent base of independent and label artists – “The Blind Raccoon and Nola Blue Collection Vol. 6” – and it’s just as impressive as the previous five. It’s filled with an eclectic variety of soulful, bluesy and roots music that offers a tantalizing preview of the full-color spectrum of sounds from this innovative musical team.
This sparkling set, like the earlier ones, is the brainchild of Betsie Brown, who heads the artist management organization Blind Raccoon, and Sallie Bengston, who, with Brown, operates the Blue Heart and Nola Blue record labels. They are responsible for the impressive selection of talent represented here, with original songs taken from existing and upcoming albums, as well as previously unreleased material.
This latest sampler opens with the “Ballad of Pat Hare,” written by and featuring the deep, soulful blues of London’s Oliver “Mississippi” McDonald, a guitarist whose vocals and guitar seem to have been dredged from the muddy waters of blues origins. O’Hare himself was an original, a 1950s bluesman whose power chord guitar helped father heavy metal bands. The Reverend Shawn Amos adds vocals and harp work.
Rolling on, “Tidal Wave” is a gorgeous instrumental from Anthony Geraci on piano and Hammond organ. “My Baby Loves Me Like a Hurricane” storms into view next, a memorable hard-rocking track from the late Kip London.
Harpman Douglas Avery offers his original “Survival,” featuring Franck L. Goldwasser on guitar, in a dirge-like track reminiscent of the Doors, of which he is an honory member. The joyous vocals of Teresa James spark “I Do My Drinkin’ on the Weekend,” a rocking country song that’s rolling with her honky-tonk piano.
The Texas Horns combine with vocalist Ange Kogutz and guitarist Anson Funderburgh on the R&B-laced “Never Buy My Soul” by Horns’ saxman John Mills. Benny Turner offers his “Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right) aka A Tribute to Big Chief Bo Dollis,” the leader of the Wild Magnolias, who took part in Indian masking traditions and performed New Orleans Mardi Gras music.
Dave Keyes works special keyboard magic on his own “Pookie Po Po,” a track that swings hard with delicious New Orleans rhythms. “Man Goes Blind” is tough bluesy rocker with a social conscience from guitarist Trevor Power. “Forever Blue” is an emotion-stirred ballad from Terry Wilson-Slesser and Mark Taylor, with Wilson-Slesser on the soulful vocals.
The lovelorn barroom blues of “Struck Out Again” by chromatic harp wizard Big Harp George (George Bisharat) is an unreleased bonus track from his 2018 album “Uptown Cool.” Fingerstyle guitarist Steve Howell and the Mighty Men preview the Betty James and Clarence Edward Johnson R&B chestnut “I’m a Little Mixed Up” from Howell’s upcoming album, “99½ Won’t Do.”
“She Might Meet Me” is a jazzy, upbeat track flowing from Kenny Parker’s languorous guitar, featuring Fred Foley on vocals. Blind Lemon Pledge (James Byfield) polishes up the vintage classic “House of the Rising Sun,” a preview from his forthcoming album, “Oh So Good.”
The inimitable Reverend Freakchild brings the session to a stirring acoustic finale with his haunting “Don’t Miss Nothing ‘til It’s Gone,” which adds The Reverend Shawn Amos on harp and vocals in its final bars.
All of the samples from these talented artists highlight the elegant eclecticism and remarkable originality of the Blue Heart and Nola Blue labels. And best of all, it makes damn good listening all by itself.
Here’s the “Ballad of Pat Hare” from the album:
Track list and credits:
- Ballad of Pat Hare (feat. The Reverend Shawn Amos) – MISSISSIPPI MacDONALD (2023 Another Planet Music Limited)
Written by Oliver MacDonald (Glovebox Songs/Kassner Assoc. Pub.)
Mississippi MacDonald (guitar, lead vocals), The Reverend Shawn Amos (harmonica, lead vocals), Phil Dearing (piano, percussion), Lucy Randall
(backing vocals), Jim Kimberly (drums) - Tidal Wave – ANTHONY GERACI (2023 Anthony Geraci)
Written by Anthony Geraci (Jatome Music/ASCAP)
Anthony Geraci (piano/Hammond Organ), Barrett Anderson (guitar), Paul Loranger (bass), Kurt Kalker (drums), Drew Davies (saxophone) - My Baby Loves Me Like a Hurricane – KIP LONDON (2023 Kip London)
Written by Kip London
Kip London (vocals, steel body guitar, slide guitar), Norman Nardini (guitar), Brice Foster (drums) - Survival (feat. Franck L. Goldwasser) – DOUGLAS AVERY (2023 Greenwave Music)
Written by Douglas Avery
Douglas Avery (vocals and harmonica), Franck L. Goldwasser (guitar), Ralph Carter (organ and bass), Johnny Morgan (drums and bongos) - I Do My Drinkin’ on the Weekend – TERESA JAMES & THE RHYTHM TRAMPS (The Bottom Line – 2007 Jesi-Lu Records)
Written by A. Anderson and S. Bruton (Windswept Pacic/BMI – Brutunes/Bug Music / BMI)
Teresa James (vocals, piano), Billy Watts (lead guitar), Terry Wilson (bass, rhythm guitar), Red Young (organ), Terry Townson and Jerry Peterson
(horns), Debra Dobkin (percussion), Herman Matthews (drums) - Never Buy My Soul (feat. Ange Kogutz and Anson Funderburgh) – THE TEXAS HORNS (2023 The Texas Horns)
Written and arranged by John Mills (Stutter-Step Music/BMI)
The Texas Horns: Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazano (tenor sax), John Mills (baritone sax), Al Gomez (trumpet); Ange Kogutz (vocals), Anson Funderburgh
(guitar), Johnny Moeller (guitar), Stefano Intellisano (keyboards), Chris Maresh (electric bass), Brannen Temple (drums and percussion) - Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right) aka A Tribute to Big Chief Bo Dollis – BENNY TURNER (2023 Nola Blue Records)
Written by Wilson John Turbinton (Gopam Enterprises, Inc. obo Turbine Music) – arranged by Benny Turner
Benny Turner (vocals, bass) with special guests Warner Williams (vocals), Marva Wright (vocals), June Yamagishi (lead guitar); Bobby Gentilo
(rhythm guitar, percussion); Jack Miele (rhythm guitar); Keiko Komaki (piano and organ), Norwood “Geechie” Johnson (bass drum), “Jellybean“ Alexander (drums)
- Pookie Po Po – DAVE KEYES (Covered In Blue – 2001 Keyesland Records)
Written by Dave Keyes (Keyesland Music/ASCAP)
Dave Keyes (lead vocals and all keys), Frank Pagano (drums, percussion and background vocals), Keith Lambeth (bass), Jon Spector (all guitars),
Ken Fradley (trumpet), Roy Agee (trombone), Chris Eminizer (saxophones and sax solo), Stan Bronstein (additional saxophone) - Man Goes Blind – TREVOR B. POWER (2023)
Written by Trevor B. Power
Trevor B. Power (guitar, vocals), Charlie Macarone (guitar), Dave Fields (bass, vocals, organ), Tom DiCianni (drums) - Forever Blue – TERRY WILSON-SLESSER (2023 Terry Wilson-Slesser and Mark Taylor)
Written by Terry Wilson-Slesser and Mark Taylor
Terry Wilson-Slesser (vocals), Mark Taylor (keyboards), Terry Wilson (bass, guitars, percussion), Tony Braunagel (drums) - Struck Out Again – BIG HARP GEORGE (Uptown Cool unreleased bonus track – 2018 Blues Mountain Records)
Written by George Bisharat
Big Harp George (vocals and harmonica), Kid Andersen (guitar), Joe Kyle Jr. (bass), Michael Peloquin (tenor and baritone saxophones), Mike
Rinta (trombone), Chris Burns (keyboards), Alexander Pettersen (drums) - I’m a Little Mixed Up – STEVE HOWELL AND THE MIGHTY MEN (99 ½ Won’t Do – 2024 Out of the Past Music)
Written by Betty James and Clarence Edward Johnson (Sunower, Garnet/ASCAP)
Steve Howell (vocals, electric guitar), Chris Michaels (electric guitar), Jason Weinheimer (bass and keys), Dave Hopauir (drums) - She Might Meet Me (Live in the 313) (feat. Fred Foley) – KENNY PARKER (Single – 1999 Rock-A-While Records)
Written by Kenny Parker (House of Parker Music/BMI)
Kenny Parker -(guitar), Fred “Slye” Foley (vocals), Frank Greenhalgh (bass), Andy Szmansky (keyboards), Dave Fair (drums) - House of the Rising Sun – BLIND LEMON PLEDGE (Oh So Good – 2024 James Byeld)
Traditional, arrangement by James Byeld
Blind Lemon Pledge (vocals, guitar), Peter Grenell (bass), Juli Moscovitz (drums) - Don’t Miss Nothing ‘til It’s Gone – REVEREND FREAKCHILD (Songs of Beauty for Ashes of Realization – 2023 Reverend Freakchild)
Written by Reverend Freakchild
Reverend Freakchild (vocals and guitar), The Reverend Shawn Amos (harmonica and outro vocals)
Blues Roadhouse 