Blues Roadhouse

Namedroppers — “Cool Blue Shoes” — Horizon Music Group

What would be the best name for a band whose members fondly drop the names of the artists they’ve been mentored by and worked with over the years? The Name Droppers, of course!

Back in the 1980s, that band was Charlie Karp and the Name Droppers, with Connecticut-based Karp being a seasoned guitarist, a prolific songwriter and an Emmy-winning producer. Karp earned the right to namedrop as he left high school to work with Buddy Miles, then got to know Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards and wrote songs for Joan Jett and Joe Perry. After Karp’s death in 2019, the remaining Name Droppers stuck together: songwriter/guitarist Rafe Klein, Ron Rifkin on piano, Bobby “T” Torello on drums and Scott Spray on bass. Torello and Spray can drop impressive names as well, including the likes of Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Michael Bolton, Grace Slick, Felix Cavalier and the Rascals — and many more.

Those names they’ve dropped are more than just names they’ve dropped. They represent a decades-long road of talent and experience the Name Droppers have traveled and are now manifesting in their music, showing off the quartet’s high-octane blend of blues, R&B, soul and good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.

“Cool Blue Shoes” is the current Name Droppers’ fifth album, tightly packed with their energetic style that drives seven smartly crafted original songs and three creative covers. The opener, a full-throttle version of Howlin’ Wolf’s classic “Killing Floor,” fuels the fire to come with its ageless blues lament about his woman: “I should’a quit you long time ago / And I wouldn’t have been down here on the killin’ floor.” “Cool Blue Shoes” by Torello and Klein steps out next, with Klein leading the bluesy vocals with a message designed to put a hole in your sole: “I’ve walked a mile and slept alone in these blue shoes / They’ve carried all my dreams, walked away my blues.” Rifkin then vocalizes his own melodic charmer, “Be Alright,” filled with optimism: “I gave you all I had from me to you / Never again will you and I be blue.”

“Keep Pushin’” by Klein, with angry Rifkin vocals, is a furiously styled rocker about keeping on when the keeping on gets tough: “Most of my friends have died from the war / They never found what they were searching for / Sobriety ain’t always what it seems to be / Keep on pushin’ like my friends told me.” Klein returns for the vocal on the stirring “That’s The Way My Love Is,” dusting off the Foreigner track from Mick Jones: “There are the things I cannot say to you / That’s the way my love is /
But in my heart you’ll always stay with me.” Klein’s tough and spirited “Hard Way” puts Torello out front with the whole band as a backup chorus for a man on the run: “I think she’s gone, she left him in the dirt / She said he lies and that her feelings were hurt / But he’s on the run don’t give a damn.”

Klein, Torello and Rifkin swap vocals on their rocking version of Willie Dixon’s mournful blues on “I Cry For You,” and the lighthearted bluesy shuffle “Think Yiddish” from Klein and Torello gives Torello a vocal turn at some whimsical wordplay: “Well I went to the doctor, the doctor said / Too much pizza and American bread / Too many Budweisers give you a sleepy head / Think Yiddish, dress British that’s what he said.” Rifkin’s vocal soars on Klein’s “Yes I Will,” driven by the band’s call and response and Klein ‘s razor-sharp guitar solo midway: “I’ll be the one you talk to, yes I will / I will ease your worried mind, yes I will.” For the closer, Klein partners with Simone Brown on his torchy “Out of This Blue,” a gorgeous duet wrapped in Rifkin’s roiling B3 and caressed by Bill Holloman’s sensuous sax: “I was such a lonely man with a heart torn in two / Out of this blue I found you.” Their passionate pairing ends the album elegantly tangled up in blue.

The Name Droppers sport their brand new “Cool Blue Shoes” with considerable style and class, laced with true blues grit. Take a walk in those cool blue shoes now!

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Title track from the album:

Tracklist:

1. Killing Floor
2. Cool Blue Shoes*
3. Be Alright*
4. Keep Pushin’
5. That’s The Way My Love Is
6. Hard Way
7. I Cry For You
8. Think Yiddish*
9. Yes I Will
10. Out Of This Blue*

Gerald McClendon — “Sleeping While the River Runs” — Sleeping Dog Records

Sweet soul music – It’s that magical music whose classic sounds made history with such legendary artists as Ray Charles, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Aretha Franklin and Al Green.

Those greats, and most of their contemporaries, have disappeared, leaving only the echoes of their soulful essence.

But there’s one soul stirrer whose voice still caresses a lyric with a lover’s passion – Chicago’s Gerald McClendon. He’s a classic stylist with a voice so smooth and a feeling so deep that he’s known as the “soul keeper.”

McClendon’s been a stalwart keeper of soul for so long, breathing new life into it with every song, that he’s being honored this year by the Jus’ Blues Music Foundation with its Bobby Blue Bland Award for “Outstanding Blues Vocal Stylist and performer in the blues arena.” It’s the 25th anniversary of Jus’ Blues, an organization dedicated to “preserving and promoting the legacy of the Blues.”

In the spirit of that award, McClendon is celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of his early, groundbreaking albums, “Sleeping While the River Runs,” recorded in 2005 on Sleeping Dog Records with a band of Chicago music veterans called Mother Blues, led by songwriter and guitarist Steve Bramer. The album is packed with 14 songs sung by McClendon, mostly written by Bramer, plus two instrumentals and a gorgeous choral finale. The music shapeshifts effortlessly through a variety of musical styles, all brought vividly to life by the soul keeper’s passionate pipes.

The superbly soulful first track, “Pass You By,” launches with McClendon’s pleading vocal, soaring against a melody that builds to a powerful climax, testifying about letting go and moving on: “Time gets the best of most things / And in time this too will pass.” The easy rhythm and smooth vocal of “Smokescreen” combines a stinging guitar solo with lyrical philosophy: “Two things you can count on / You live and then you die.”

Bramer wrote the gentle blues “(Let Daddy) Keep You From Harm” as a lullaby while awaiting the birth of his first child; McClendon’s rendition is beautifully sensitive. “Leaves Tremble on the Tree” turns a harp intro into an R&B tune on deliverance from hardship on the road. “Going Down for the Last Time” is a soulfully sung ballad about a romantic dilemma. “Common Ground” flashes an uptempo R&B delivery: “We’ve had a lifetime to learn / What it means to make the best of things,” then McClendon turns on an achingly passionate vocal in the languorous slow blues of “Bed Down.”

The gorgeous lyrical imagery of the title track, “Sleeping While the River Runs,” floats on an emotional gospel-hued wave that hints at the despair of giving up, but with an undercurrent of constant hope. McClendon’s vocal builds with an elegant chorus behind him: “Find the edge of the shoreline / Under the haze of the Memphis sun / Feel the drift of the water … / sleeping while the river runs.”

“Come To Me” is an easygoing blues shuffle with a sparkling guitar intro. “Thin Line” is smooth, torchy slow blues: “When you toy with affection, you walk a thin line.” “Me & Ian” is the first instrumental, an eloquent jazz-inflected interlude. On “Glory Train,” McClendon’s gospel-infused call-and-response hints at universal deliverance: “And when my time has come, I’m gonna hop that train and ride.”

“Habit of the Heart” is a straight-ahead rocker, leading into the deep-blue darkness of “Chalk Line”: Put your chalk line around him / He’s no longer sleeping with my wife / He was a low-down dirty snake, and it cost him his natural life.” The final McClendon cut is “Walk With Me,” another hard-driving blues, demonstrating his effortless ability to make any song his own. The second Mother Blues instrumental is “Where’s the Fire,” fueled by the majestic harp of Hurtin’ Burt. The perfectly chosen closer is a beautiful choral version of “Sleeping While the River Runs” by the Halsted Street National Uptown Choir, with churchlike organ rolling along behind them.

Gerald McClendon’s breathtaking vocal depth and emotional range on “Sleeping While the River Runs” may be 20 years old, but his sweet soul music is still vital, earning this year’s Jus’ Blues honor. The soul keeper is still keeping on!

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Here’s the title track from the album:

Tracklist:
01. Pass You By (3:11)
02. Smokescreen (2:34)
03. Keep You from Harm (3:29)
04. Leaves Tremble on the Tree (3:04)
05. Going Down for the Last Time (4:24)
07. Bed Down (4:47)
08. Sleeping While the River Runs (3:35)
09. Come to Me (2:48)
10. Thin Line (3:32)
11. Me & Ian (2:37)
13. Habit of the Heart (3:30)
14. Chalk Line (5:24)
15. Walk with Me (2:31)
16. Where’s the Fire (2:58)
17. Sleeping (Reprise) (1:34)

Debbie Bond — “Live at the Song Theatrer” — Blues Root Productions

It’s been a long and winding blues road for Debbie Bond, from her first solo guitar performance in Sierra Leone, West Africa, at age 13, to her present-day deep blues musical life in her sweet home Alabama,

Since moving to Alabama and joining forces with legendary bluesman Johnny Shines in the early1980s until his death a decade later, Bond has immersed herself in the raw power of the blues, and absorbed the influences of Alabama’s famed Muscle Shoals sound. She’s an award-winning blues activist and founder of the Alabama Blues Project, dedicated to promoting and preserving the state’s blues heritage. As if that isn’t enough, Bond also makes memorable music with her band: British-born husband “Radiator” Rick Asherson on keyboards and harp, Marcus Lee on drums, Sam Williams on sax, and Bond adding vocals and her own guitar work.

This album, “Live at the Song Theatre,” was recorded live at the intimate Song Theatre in Columbiana, Ala., and shows off the joyful lyrical and musical interplay of Bond, Asherson and their bandmates on nine of their original songs, with three smartly done covers. This concert performance works the magic of all live blues shows, bringing fresh vitality to the essence of Bond’s music. Bond and Asherson write gorgeous love songs, often with a personal twist, and they tackle social issues with straight-ahead sensitivity. And they do it all with great music.

They open here with “That Thing Called Love,” the title track from an earlier album, an eloquent ode to that thing called love: “Love is a power, you just can’t explain / A mystery and magic, so simple and plain.” Bond’s vocal is supple and soulful, with elegant sax from Sam Williams. “Road Song” shifts into a tough road-warrior vibe, with Asherson echoing the vocals and soaring on harp: “This old road don’t own me / Still got a long way to go.”

“Watch Out for Your Heart” is a torchy blues layered over sensuous sax: “He’ll tell you that he loves you / Swear his love is true / But don’t you turn your back on him / I know what he’ll do.”

The upbeat R&B feel of “Let Me Be” is stirring search for personal freedom: “The path to freedom / Ain’t down this road / Got to leave you far behind / Lighten up my load.” Bond’s stirring vocal turn highlights her version of “Some Kind of Wonderful,” while a Motown vibe and raunchy sax complete the thought: “Me and my baby were so tight / Don’t you know that he is / He’s some kind of wonderful?” The anthemic “Winds of Change” is a larger look at life: “Don’t you feel the winds of change / blowin’ in the wrong direction.” The ageless philosophy of Delbert McClinton’s “Been Around a Long Time” gets a fresh look from Bond, with Asherville’s backup vocals, sharp harp filigrees and tasty honky-tonk piano: “I ain’t old, but I’ve been around a long time.” Bond offers an achingly soulful version of “I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down,” the Ann Peebles staple from 1972: “You’ve been playing playboy / A little bit too long / Gonna tear your playhouse down.”

Asherson takes the lead on the rollicking New Orleans gumbo of “Going Back,” with Bond on backup, and the band kicking up its Big Easy heels: “We’re gonna dance all night long / To a zydeco beat and a two-stepping Cajun song.” Bond steps out next on the profoundly thoughtful “Nothing But The Blues,” and the contradictions of life: “You claim you’re killing for peace, to set people free / But people are dying is all we can see.” The whimsical, bluesy shuffle of “Wishbone” spotlights Asherson wailing on harp, as Bond laments her emotional condition: “Don’t take extra vision it’s plain to see / Got a wishbone where my back bone should be.” The set closer, the title track from Bond’s 2021 album, is “Blues Without Borders,” an appropriately heartfelt plea for peace, love and understanding, as valid now as it was then: “The whole round world’s in trouble, got to find our common ground / Come together people or we won’t even be around.”

Debbie Bond’s sparkling “Live at the Song Theatre” is testimony that there are many joyful miles ahead on her long and winding musical road through the land of the blues.

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Here’s “Winds of Change” from the album:

Buddy Guy — “Ain’t Done With the Blues” — Silvertone/RCA Records

The words “living legend” are not always my favorite, because they are so commonly overused.

Not this time.

Buddy Guy is exactly that — a living legend. He turned 89 on July 30, the day he released his latest album, “Ain’t Done With the Blues.”

The title is a meaningful statement on two levels: He ain’t done with the blues, and the blues still ain’t done with us. Both still have a lot to give.

It was just about two years ago that Guy announced a Damn Right Farewell Tour and implied that it was time to hang it up. But that was two years ago, and the farewell tour is not only turning into a celebration of the new album, but also a declaration that the blues still burn brightly in his soul.

“This album is about where I’ve been, it’s about where I’m going, and the people I learned everything from,” says Buddy on the album, “…Muddy, Wolf, Walter, Sonny Boy, BB, I could go on and on. Before they passed, they used to say, ‘Man, if you outlive me, just keep the blues alive,’ and I’m trying to keep that promise.”

Guy has included a high-caliber roster on these 18 tracks. Guests include Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on “Where U At?;” Joe Walsh on “How Blues is That?,” Joe Bonamassa on “Dry Stick,” Peter Frampton on “It Keeps Me Young,” and the Blind Boys of Alabama on the gospel-soaked “Jesus Loves the Sinner,” The album was recorded in Nashville and New Orleans, with Guy, producer Tom Hambridge (drums) and Rob McNelly (rhythm guitar) as the core band members. Keyboardists are Kevin McKendree or Chuck Leavell, and bassists are Tal Wilkenfeld or Glenn Worf. Also appearing are Jeff Beck bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, and Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers on B3 and Wurlitzer. The uber-talented Hambridge also wrote or co-wrote much of the music with Richard Fleming, Gary Nicholson and Jimmy Tennant.

But what about the music? The originals and covers here stretch over the breadth of Guy’s career. His guitar work is vibrantly expressive, and explosive when needed. His vocals are seasoned by his 89 years, but still strong and smooth.

The opening track is a starkly brief take on John Lee Hooker’s classic “Boogie Chillun,” with Guy chuckling at the end: “That’s the first thing I ever learned how to play, man…” The biographical “Been There Done That” by Hambridge and Nicholson, with Guy’s blistering guitar, summarizes his life in blues: “I shake my head, and I can’t believe the hell that I’ve been through / My life feels like a movie, but every scene is true.” Two other tracks also reflect on Guy’s blues life: “How Blues is That,” with Walsh on guitar and vocals, and “It Keeps Me Young,” with Frampton contributing guitar and vocals.

More highlights include:
On “Where U At,” Guy trades licks with “Kingfish” Ingram in a sharp-edged display that hints of blues to come, shaped by what has been. “Blues On Top” is a more traditional slow-burning blues with a feisty piano adding to the mix.

“Dry Stick” adds Guy’s name to the writing credits, relating his mother’s advice on being prepared for life’s surprises, with a powerful vocal offering, aided by Bonamassa guitar licks: “Bound to be some heavy weather up ahead, I just go right back to what Mama said: Save a dry stick for a wet day, you never know what’s coming your way.” It’s a gorgeous effort, tucked midway through the album.

“Jesus Loves the Sinner” is a gospel-enriched Hambridge/Fleming song, adding the vocal talents of The Blind Boys of Alabama in a joyous nod to the shared roots of blues and gospel music.

“One From Lightnin'” pays a brief but heartfelt tribute to the heritage of Lightnin’ Hopkins, displaying one of Guy’s seldom-heard guitar skills — his acoustic talents. This is reminiscent of his 1991 album, “Alone & Acoustic,” recorded with Junior Wells in France in 1981 — it’s a quiet masterpiece that’s well worth the effort to track down.

The two closers are intriguing choices, reaching back into the early years of rock ”n’ roll and R&B.

“Send Me Some Loving” was a slow rocker recorded by Little Richard in 1957. Over a furious piano backing, Guy creates his own rocking vibe. He also pumps new life into the 1955 J.B. Lenoir chestnut, “Talk To Your Daughter.”

There’s considerably more Buddy Guy music sprinkled in between those tracks, all of it a testament to his massive presence in blues history, and his welcome influence on its future.

This blues’ living legend certainly “ain’t done with the blues.” And that’s good news for the rest of us.

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“How Blues is That” from the album:

Tracklist:

1 Hooker Thing
2 Been There Done That
3 Blues Chase The Blues Away
4 Where U At
5 Blues On Top
6 I Got Sumpin’ For You
7 How Blues Is That
8 Dry Stick
9 It Keeps Me Young
10 Love On A Budget
11 Jesus Loves The Sinner
12 Upside Down
13 One From Lightnin’
14 I Don’t Forget
15 Trick Bag
16 Swamp Poker
17 Send Me Some Loving
18 Talk To Your Daughter

Terry Hanck — “Grease to Gravy” — Little Village Foundation

The sweet, sassy, soulful saxophone has always been one of my favorite instruments.

It’s been used in a wide variety of music since its invention in 1846, whether it’s sophisticated classical (Debussy wrote a solo sax orchestral piece), sensuous jazz. (Charlie Parker) or raunchy rock ‘n’ roll (Red Prysock).

And when properly used, it also speaks well of the blues and beyond. That’s Terry Hanck. It’s also his latest album, “Grease to Gravy.”

Hanck is one of those old-school guys who learned his trade from some of the masters. He was born in Chicago, and influenced by the blues, soul and jazz of the 1950s and early 1960s — some of its best years. He moved to Los Angeles as a teen in 1965, then later relocated to the San Francisco area and toured with Elvin Bishop before leaving to form his own band.

His influences were seminal players like Fats Domino, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Lee Allen & King Curtis. “I write songs that you think you’ve heard for years,” says Hanck,

In a simple twist of musical fate, Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studio is co-producing the album with Hanck, who brought Andersen from Norway to be his guitarist in 2001. Hanck’s current guitarist is Johnny Soubrand, who has been with the band since Andersen left in 2004 to work with Charlie Musselwhite. Rounding out Hanck’s cast are bassist Tim Wagar and drummer Jon Otis (son of the legendary Johnny Otis), both long-time veterans of the West Coast music scene. Also on the album are Greaseland and Little Village stalwarts, D’Mar, J.P. Soars, Chris Peet, Mitch Woods, Endre Tarczy, Chris Burns, Lisa Leuschner Andersen, Jim Pugh and Andersen himself.

Of this album Hancks says: “There’s a confidence that comes when you’ve done something a long time. “Grease to Gravy” is a culmination of all the styles I’ve played. I’m just old enough to add my own style to songs that I love and feel like I can cover. But really, it’s the music I’ve loved since I was 11. The first record I bought was Fats Domino “Yes, It’s Me and I’m In Love Again” on the Imperial label. 45 rpm records were just coming out and you could buy that on 45 or 78. I bought the 78!”

This mix of covers and originals shows off Hanck’s virtuoso saxmanship and soulful vocal style, which come together in this smartly crafted collection.

The opener is a bright cover of Wilson Pickett’s 1970 “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You,” led by Hanck’s seriously swinging sax and sharp guitar work. Hanck’s vocals are clear and strong, and you can hear the wisdom in his voice. “If A Politician Was a Doctor” is a Hanck original filled with sly wordplay and Soars adding his guitar with a New Orleans vibe.

“Best Years of My Life” is a soulful love song with an easy-flowing rhythm and smooth backup singers. A smoky sax introduces Hanck’s torchy version of Ray Charles’ 1957 “Come Back Baby,” with a sexy sax solo. “Goin’ Way Back Home Tonight” is tight and bright rock ‘n’ roll packed with its throwback raunchy sax, ready for a sock hop ball. Hanck’s hot take on Albert King’s instrumental “Overall Junction” keeps the rock rolling with his sax and Soubrand’s guitar trading tasty licks.

On “Run Baby Run,” Hanck reprises an earlier recording on this feisty, down-home R&B version with more soaring sax. Mitch Woods adds his considerable piano chops to Fats Domino’s 1958 oldie and still rollicking goodie, “Sick and Tired” — Hanck’s swampy vocal and slinky sax complete this authentic Nola take. Hanck updates “St. Louis Jimmy ” Oden’s 1961 “Going Down Slow” blues with a little more rhythm and a lot more sax.

Hanck updates his own “When I Get My Shit Together,” since, as he puts it: “The times called for this again,” with this take driven hard by his swinging sax. “Pins & Needles” add a little Zydeco to the mix, revising a song by Hanck and JoJo Russo. Everything wraps up with another instrumental, “Midnight On The Reef,” an original reggae-flavored track featuring Soars on guitar.

Hanck says he’s been lucky finding musicians young and older “who understand and love those classic rhythm and blues sounds. There’s maturity there—it’s a way of nicely saying I’m an old MF!”

It’s also a way of saying that this great old music, and musical style not only still has legs, but it will keep those legs moving. “Grease to Gravy” is indeed sweet, sassy, soulful saxophone!

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Here’s “Come Back Baby” from the album:

Here are Terry Hanck’s thoughts on each song:
1) “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool Ya” – I wanted to do an organ shuffle version of this tune and with Jimmy Pugh, Kid Andersen and Jon Otis I think we got some magic in the first take.
2) “If A Politician Was A Doctor”- An original we did as a second line NOLA street parade groove.
3) “The Best Years Of My Life” – A soul love song I wrote with beautiful production and contributions from Jimmy Pugh, Kid & Lisa Andersen.
4)      “Come Back Baby” – A Ray Charles ballad (I know I’ve got to be nuts trying to sing this!)
5)      “Going Way Back Home Tonight” – A get-up and go groove and “Home” is where you feel good.
6)      “Overall Junction”- A perfect Johnny Cat Soubrand shuffle (a nod to Albert King)
7)      “Run Run Baby”- I did this years ago with a jazzy- groove…this is now a dirtier R&B groove.
8)      “Sick & Tired”- (Chris Kenner/Dave Bartholomew/Fats Domino )-A classic NOLA R&R tune- from 1956. Mitch Woods on piano.
9)      “Goin’ Down Slow” (St. Louis Jimmy Oden) – It’s taken from the grooves of Bobby Bland and Hank Crawford and Jimmy McGriff’s “River’s Invitation.”
10) “When I Get My Shit Together”- The times called for this again – a new version of my song.
11) “Pins & Needles” – This is a more Zydeco version of a tune written by JoJo Russo and myself that we recorded some years back.
12) “Midnight On The Reef” – An original Latiny, reggae instrumental. So glad I finally was able to include my South Florida homies JP Soars and Chris Peet a on a couple of tunes. We’ve been making music together on and off for over 20 years.

Tracklist & Credits:
1. DON’T LET THE GREEN GRASS FOOL YOU (4:51)
(Jerry Akines, Johnnie Bellmon, Reginald Turner, Victor Drayton, Warner-Tamerlane Pub.,   BMI)
2. IF A POLITICIAN WAS A DOCTOR (4:04) (Terry Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI*)
3. BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE (5:13) (Terry Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI)
4. COME BACK BABY (3:25) (Ray Charles, Walter Davis, Unichappell Music Inc., BMI)
 5. GOIN’ WAY BACK HOME TONIGHT (4:28) (Terry Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI*)
6. OVERALL JUNCTION (4:05) (Albert King, Arc Music, BMI)
7. RUN RUN BABY (4:16) (Terry Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI)
8. SICK AND TIRED (4:28)
(Dave Bartholomew, Chris Kenner, Joe McCoy, EMI Unart Catalog Inc., BMI)
 9. GOING DOWN SLOW (6:25) (James B. Oden, aka St. Louis Jimmy, Arc Music, BMI)
 10. WHEN I GET MY SHIT TOGETHER (4:04) (Terry  Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI)
11. PINS AND NEEDLES (3:57) (JoJo Russo, Terry Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI)
12. MIDNIGHT ON THE REEF (3:46) (Terry Hanck, Old Toby Pub., BMI**)
Personnel:
TERRY HANCK – Vocals: all tracks except 12, Tenor sax: all tracks •
CHRIS KID ANDERSEN – Guitar: tracks 1, 3, 9; slide guitar: track 2; Bass: tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7; Upright bass: tracks 4, 10; B3 organ: track 6 •
JIM PUGH – B3 organ: tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11; ARP string ensemble, Wurlitzer and organ: track 3; Piano: tracks 9, 10 •
 JOHNNY CAT SOUBRAND – Guitar: tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 •
LISA LEUSCHNER ANDERSEN – Background vocals: tracks 3, 9 •
J.P. SOARS -Guitars: tracks 2, 12 •
JON OTIS – Drums: tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11; Percussion: tracks 2, 3, 9 •
TIM WAGAR – Bass: tracks 8, 11 •
D’MAR MARTIN – Drums: tracks 6, 9 •
CHRIS PEET – Drums: track 2, 12; Bass: track 12 •
JUNE CORE – Drums: track 4 •
 BUTCH COUSINS – Drums: track 8 •
ENDRE TARCZY – Bass: track 9 •
CHRIS BURNS – Piano: track 4 •
MITCH WOODS – Piano: track 8 •
MARK DOYLE – Piano: track 12 Guitars: tracks 2, 12 •

Koko Taylor — “Crown Jewels — Alligator Records

Watching, and hearing, Koko Taylor perform was always a near-religious experience. I was privileged to have that experience several times, including one of her last, in 2008.

“Perform” might not be the best description of her singing style. Taylor poured her heart and soul into every song, overwhelming you with the power of her magnificent voice. Her force-of-nature vocals grabbed you, shook you with their raw power, ripped the blues from her heart and poured them into yours. Taylor’s music was always a revelation in the blues.

For her 40-plus year career, Taylor reigned as the “queen of the blues,” and gathered blues awards as smoothy as she made her music. In 2004 she received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award, among the highest honors given to an American artist. She had previously received a “Chicago Legend Of The Year” award when the city declared “Koko Taylor Day” throughout Chicago. In 1997, she was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame. A year later, Chicago Magazine named her “Chicagoan Of The Year” and, in 1999, Taylor received the Blues Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  Eight of her nine Alligator albums received Grammy nominations, and she won a Grammy in 1984 for her guest appearance on the compilation album “Blues Explosion” on the Atlantic label.

Rolling Stone may have said it the best: “Koko Taylor was the greatest blues singer of her generation.”

Taylor spent 34 years of her career recording for Alligator Records, from 1975 to her death in 2009. Alligator founder and president Bruce Iglauer says that for this album, available as a vinyl LP or from digital services, “We picked and remastered songs from throughout her career, highlighting her most-requested fan favorites—each one a gem.”

Those gems would be the “crown jewels” of her legendary output: “Wang Dang Doodle,” “Mother Nature,” “Voodoo Woman,” “Can’t Let Go,” “Ernestine,” “Come To Mama,” “Hey Bartender,” “Born Under A Bad Sign” (with guest Buddy Guy), “You Can Have My Husband,” “I’d Rather Go Blind” (live), “Let The Good Times Roll” and “I’m A Woman.” 

If you’re a Taylor fan, you’ve likely heard most of these songs, but this assembly of “the best of the best” puts the essence of her talents on full display. If, like me, you’ve seen her live, you’ll appreciate just how hard she worked to bring you her music. She was still doing that when I took the photo here of her 2008 Chicago Blues Festival appearance, just a year before her death. The one song on this album that I had not heard, however, is her tough and tender version of the Etta James classic, “I’d Rather Go Blind.” As she usually did, Taylor re-created the song in a style that was unmistakably her own, making that track alone worth the price of admission.

This album also features many of the great blues musicians that she worked with during her career, including Buddy Guy, Carey Bell, Sammy Lawhorn, Mighty Joe Young, Vino Louden, Eddie King and the great gospel guitarist, Taylor’s cousin Criss Johnson. A full list of the musicians on each track is at the bottom of this post.

Taylor died on June 3, 2009, in her hometown of Chicago. Just a month earlier, Taylor won her 29th Blues Music Award from the Blues Foundation, where she also delivered her final performance. Having received more Blues Music Awards than any other artist (male or female), the Blues Foundation re-named the award for Traditional Blues Female Artist “The Koko Taylor Award” in her honor.

“Crown Jewels” honors Taylor’s musical memory with a sampling of her most vital recordings. If you’ve never heard her sing, and you’re a blues fan, it’s a requirement! Start here!

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Here’s a biography of Koko Taylor’s life and career from the Alligator Records website.

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Here’s a live version of “Wang Dang Doodle.”

Tracklist and credits:

SIDE A
1. Wang Dang Doodle 4:24 
(Wilie Dixon, BMG Bumblebee obo Hoochie Coochie Music, BMI)
2. Mother Nature 4:42
(Little Milton Campbell, Trice Music, BMI)
3. You Can Have My Husband 2:46
(Dorothy LaBostrie, Wixen Music Publ., BMI)
4. Born Under A Bad Sign 4:56
(Booker T. Jones & William Bell, Irving Music, BMI)
5. I’m A Woman 4:34
(Ellis McDaniel & Koko Tayor, BMG Rights Mgt./BMG Platinum Songs, BMI)
6. Voodoo Woman 3:47
(Koko Taylor, Eyeball Music, BMI)
SIDE B
7. I’d Rather Go Blind (Live) 4:42
(Ellington Jordan & Billy Foster, BMG Platinum Songs obo Arc Music, BMI)8. Can’t Let Go 4:59
(Koko Taylor, Eyeball Music, BMI)
9. Hey Bartender 2:52
(Floyd Dixon, Cottontail West Music, BMI)
10. Ernestine 5:03
(Koko Taylor, Eyeball Music, BMI)
11. Come To Mama 4:48
(Willie Mitchell & Earl Randle, Irving Music, BMI)
12. Let The Good Times Roll 3:01
(Fleecie Moore & Sam Theard, Kobalt Music Publ. America obo Rytvoc Inc./Cherio Corp., BMI)

Koko Taylor, vocals
with
Tracks 1, 3, 5, 9, 12:
Sammy Lawhorn, Guitar
Johnny B. Moore, Guitar
Pinetop Perkins, Piano
Abb Locke, Tenor Sax
Cornelius Boyson, Bass
Vince Chappelle, Drums
Harmonia Hinds, Harmonica on I’m A Woman
Produced by Koko Taylor, Bruce Iglauer and Richard McLeese
Recorded and Mixed by Fred Breitberg at Mantra Studios, Chicago IL

Tracks 2, 4:
Criss Johnson, Lead Guitar
Calvin “Vino” Louden, Rhythm Guitar
Jeremiah Africa, Keyboards
Jerry Murphy, Bass
Ray “Killer” Allison, Drums
Carey Bell, Harmonica on Mother Nature
Buddy Guy, Guitar and Vocals on Born Under A Bad Sign
Produced by Criss Johnson, Koko Taylor and Bruce Iglauer
Recorded and Mixed by David Axelbaum at Streeterville Studios, Chicago IL

Track 6:
Mighty Joe Young, Lead Guitar
Sammy Lawhorn, Guitar
Bill Heid, Piano
Abb Locke, Tenor Sax
Cornelius Boyson, Bass
Vince Chappelle, Drums
Produced by Koko Taylor, Joe Young and Bruce Iglauer
Recorded by Stu Black and Mixed by Alan Hendler at Sound Studios, Chicago, IL

Track 7:
Michael “Mr. Dynamite” Robinson, Lead Guitar
Eddie King, Rhythm Guitar
Jerry Murphy, Bass
Clyde “Youngblood” Tyler, Drums
Produced by Bruce Iglauer, Koko Taylor and Robert “Pops’’ Taylor
Recorded by Justin Niebank and Timothy Powell at FitzGerald’s Roadhouse, Berwyn, IL
Mixed by Justin Niebank at Streeterville Studios, Chicago, IL

Track 8:
Criss Johnson, Guitar
Jim Dortch, Organ
Jerry Murphy, Bass
Ray “Killer” Allison, Drums
Horns Arranged by Gene Barge
Produced by Bruce Iglauer, Koko Taylor and Criss Johnson
Recorded and Mixed by David Axelbaum, assisted by Justin Niebank and Steve Frisk at Streeterville Studios, Chicago IL

Track 10:
Criss Johnson, Guitar
Johnnie Johnson, Piano
Matthew Skoller, Harmonica
Kenny Hampton, Bass
Kriss T. Johnson, Jr., Drums
Produced by Koko Taylor, Criss Johnson and Bruce Iglauer
Recorded and Mixed by David Axelbaum at Chicago Recording Company, Chicago, IL

Track 11:
Criss Johnson, Guitar
“Professor” Eddie Lusk, Organ
Johnny B. Gayden, Bass
Ray “Killer” Allison, Drums
Produced by Koko Taylor, Bruce Iglauer and Criss Johnson
Recorded and Mixed by Justin Niebank at Streeterville Studios, Chicago, IL

Crown Jewels produced by Bruce Iglauer
Remastered by Collin Jordan, The Boiler Room, Chicago, IL
Front cover photo by Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve
Back cover photo by Sandro Miller
Packaging designed by Kevin Niemiec

Bob Corritore & Willie Buck — “Oh Yeah” — VizzTone Label Group

This splendid album of traditional, old-school Chicago blues is yet another release from Bob Corritore’s masterful “From the Vaults” series, featuring artists he’s recorded over the years as they visited his Phoenix Rhythm Room club.

This album features the ageless voice of Chicago blues powerhoue Willie Buck, now 88 and still slinging the blues. Corritore’s relationship with Buck goes back to the late 1970s, when Buck invited him to join his Chicago band. Buck has since made regular visits to Corritore’s sweet home Phoenix, and recorded music like this. The tracks here come mainly from three Arizona sessions from 2021 to 2023.

The tough-enough blues aggregation backing Buck’s gritty pipes includes former Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin, Corritore regular Jimi “Primetime” Smith, Chicago’s Billy Flynn, pianists Anthony Geraci and Ben Levin, veteran bassist Bob Stroger and drummer Wes Starr, plus assorted guests. And of course, Corritore’s harp soars throughout.

Together, this blues-driven band and Buck bring some great old music, including songs by Waters and Buck, whose songwriting chops carry their own considerable weight.

For the opener, though, they reach back nearly 70 years to 1958 for the churning title track, “Oh Yeah,” by Bo Diddley. It’s deep blues driven hard by ferocious guitar and blazing harp, with Buck rolling out the lyrics. Waters’ 1968 hypnotic “She’s Alright” roars in next, with an especially tough Buck vocal. “That Ain’t Enough,” with Margolin and Smith dazzling on guitar, is the first of Buck’s originals.

“Brand New Cell Phone” shuffles in with Geraci’s rock-steady piano backing and Corritore’s razor-sharp harp. “Money Can’t Buy Everything” is a Flynn contribution, with a whimsical lyric, easily captured by Buck’s vocal prowess. “Went Home This Morning” features piercing Corritore harp throughout, swirling around Buck’s tough vocal, decorated by some great guitar.

Scorching slide guitar permeates Buck’s torchy “She Turned Me Down,” a deeply felt slow blues built for belt-polishing close dancing. “Baby Please Don’t Go” is a Waters’ classic rocked hard by Buck and the band. “Me And My Baby” features Flynn on wicked slide guitar.

The closer is the slow-blues scorcher, “Let Me Find Out Your Name,” with the band cranking out a fierce blues concerto behind Buck’s steamy vocals. It’s a breathtaking masterpiece, which Buck seems to realize as it all wraps up, happily proclaiming: “Let’s leave it like that … I don’t think I could do it again.”

You can do it again, though, by giving this album a well-deserved spot on your old-school curriculum.

“Oh Yeah” is Chicago blues at its glorious best. Blessings on Corritore for doing his best to keep this classical American music alive and well. Very well, indeed!

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Here’s the album’s title track:

Tracks Listing:
 1. Oh Yeah! – 3:42
 2. She’s Alright – 2:24
 3. That Ain’t Enough – 4:27
 4. Brand New Cell Phone – 3:13
 5. Money Can’t Buy Everything – 3:09
 6. Went Home This Morning – 3:33
 7. She Turned Me Down – 4:28
 8. Baby Please Don’t Go – 3:22
 9. Me And My Baby – 2:57
10. Let Me Find Out Your Name – 7:53

Maria Muldaur — “One Hour Mama – The Blues of Victoria Spivey” — Nola Blue Records

More than a half-century has passed since Maria Muldaur’s seductively popular 1973 hit, “Midnight at the Oasis.”

While considerable time has passed since then, the mood has not, as evidenced by the sweet and sultry sounds on Muldaur’s latest, “One Hour Mama – The Blues of Victoria Spivey.”

Muldaur has moved through her early, folksy Americana years to a series of blues albums that pay tribute to the music’s vintage roots.

This splendid session honors the great Victoria Spivey, because, as Muldaur says: “When I was a young aspiring singer in the early 1960s, one of the great Classic Blues Queens of the 1920s & 30s, Victoria Spivey, took me under her wing & mentored me….”

Spivey was notable as a blues artist because of the depth and breadth of her musical talents. Her first recording, the salaciously self-penned “Black Snake Blues,” was a hit, followed by her own unique recording and work with the legendary likes of Louis Armstrong, Lonnie Johnson, Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie and Blind Lemon Jefferson, and much later, Bob Dylan. And of course, Muldaur. She also worked in movies and Broadway musicals in the 1930s and ‘40s. In 1961, she co-founded Spivey Records with one of her husbands, Len Kunstadt.

On “One Hour Mama,” Muldaur pays glorious tribute to Spivey’s sassy blues style with a selection of vintage music from that era, with special emphasis on its splendid bawdiness that threatens to make its double entendres single again.

Muldaur’s vocals, at age 82, are equally splendid. Her voice has always been honey mixed with whisky, and now the whisky has aged to smooth perfection with the honey still as sweet. She’s smoky, sensuous and downright sexy, with musical backers who float along effortlessly on honky-tonk piano runs and brassy horns from a cadre of excellent musicians, including the sparkling New Orleans band, the criminally unheralded Tuba Skinny. There are also magical duets with Taj Mahal and Elvin Bishop.

The smartly chosen album opener, the classic “My Handy Man,” sets the pace for the session with its vintage jazz-band vibe, Muldaur’s steamy vocal, and its easy-rolling libidinous lyrics: “He shakes my ashes, greases my griddle / Churns my butter, strokes my fiddle / My man is such a handy man!” Enough said!

“What Makes You Act Like That?” is a sprightly duet with a growling Elvin Bishop on this Lonnie Johnson chestnut, followed by a pair of Spivey originals: “Don’t Love No Married Man” offers a marital warning amid timeless relationship advice, and a lilting “Dreaming of You” makes a surprisingly tender lyrical turn with a lovely piano interlude.

The lusty “Organ Grinder Blues” by Clarence Williams tiptoes through an innocent musical intro, then Muldaur slinks in with her entendres at full steam: “Organ grinder, play that melody / Take your organ, and grind some more for me.” Another Spivey tune follows, with its upbeat warning of “No, Papa, No!”

The delicious title track, “One Hour Mama,” slides in with crackling horns, and Muldaur has its number (which turns out to be “one”): “I’m a one hour mama / So no one minute papa / Ain’t the kind of man for me.”

“Funny Feathers” is a rollicking 1929 song by Spivey, on which Louis Armstrong played on her early recording. Tuba Skinny offers masterful backing on “Gotta Have What It Takes” another Spivey song, with Muldaur and Taj Mahal in a duet of full of sly back and forth wordplay. “Any-Kind-A-Man, (will be better than you)” a lively Hattie McDaniel song follows. Two more Spivey songs close everything down: “Down Hill Pull” and the powerfully mournful “T-B Blues.”

“One Hour Mama” is described in the album notes by Maria Muldaur as “a loving tribute to Victoria Spivey for all she brought to the blues and for the great influence she was on my musical journey. ENJOY!”

I wholeheartedly second that emotion! Muldaur and her musical compatriots have created a joyous celebration of Victoria Spivey’s music, along with a welcome reminder of the vitality of that seldom-heard musical era.

Give yourself a tasty blues treat and ENJOY! this music.

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Here’s the title song, first from this album, and then the Victoria Spivey version:

Track Listing and Credits:
1. My Handy Man (Andy Razaf)
2. What Makes You Act Like That? (duet with Elvin Bishop) (Lonnie Johnson, © Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. o/b/o Lonesome Ghost Blues)
3. Don’t Love No Married Man (Victoria Spivey)
4. Dreaming of You (Victoria Spivey, © Victoria Spivey)
5. Organ Grinder Blues (Clarence Williams)
6. No, Papa, No! (Victoria Spivey) 
7. One Hour Mama (Porter Grainger, © Handy Brothers Music Co., Inc.)
8. Funny Feathers (Reuben Floyd and Victoria Spivey)
9. Gotta Have What It Takes (duet with Taj Mahal) (Victoria Spivey and Harold Grey, © Victoria
Spivey and Harold Grey)
10. Any-Kind-A-Man (Hattie McDaniel)
11. Down Hill Pull (Victoria Spivey, © Universal-McA Music Publishing Div. of Universal)
12. T-B Blues (Victoria Spivey)

It’s time for another blues music poll!

This time, Blues Blast Magazine is asking for your votes in its annual fan voting poll for its 2025 Blues Blast Music Awards. The magazine asks a group of music critics, journalists, festival promoters, music venue managers, musicians and other blues music industry professionals to nominate the best in blues over 23 categories. Then readers get to vote.

Blues Blast is a free online magazine, founded in 2007 and headquartered in the U.S. with 45,000 subscribers worldwide. Voting is open to anyone, and if you’re not a Blues Blast subscriber you are automatically signed up for a free subscription as part of the voting process. You may unsubscribe at any time. Voting ends on Aug. 31.

Follow this link to cast your vote.

2025 Blues Blast Music Award Nominees

Contemporary Blues Album
Andrew Duncanson – California Trap (feat. Michael Peloquin)
Chris Cain – Good Intentions Gone Bad
Ronnie Baker Brooks – Blues In My DNA
Kid Ramos feat. Brian Templeton and Johnny Ramos – Strange Things Happening
Tony Holiday – Keep Your Head Up
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers – Closer To The Bone

Traditional Blues Album
John Primer – Grown in Mississippi
Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Young Fashioned Ways
Bob Corritore & Friends – Doin’ The Shout
Eden Brent – Getaway Blues
Frank Catalano and Lurrie Bell – Set Me Free
Bob Stroger & The Headcutters – Bob Is Back

Soul Blues Album
Curtis Salgado – Fine By Me
Billy Price – Person Of Interest
Tad Robinson – Soul In Blue
Sugaray Rayford – Human Decency
The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra – What Are You Waiting For?
Johnny Rawls – Make Them Dance

Rock Blues Album
Albert Castiglia – Righteous Souls
Tab Benoit – I Hear Thunder
Mike Farris – The Sound of Muscle Shoals
Brody Buster – Redemption
Matt “The Rattlesnake” Lesch – Blues Cut Like Glass
Ian Siegal Meets Johnny Mastro – Easy Tiger

Acoustic Blues Album
Giles Robson & John Primer – Ten Chicago Blues Classics
Johnny Iguana – At Delmark
Eva Rose & David Pippin – Black Water Blues
Catfish Keith – Shake Me Up
Guy Davis – The Legend of Sugarbelly
Lee Kanehira – The Chicago Blues Piano Trio!!
Prakash Slim – 8000 Miles To The Crossroads

Live Blues Album
Bruce Katz Band – Back In Boston Live
The Blues Giants – Live at Groove Now
Eric Johanson – Live In Mississippi
Tas Cru – Tas Cru Band LIVE
Sean Chambers – Live Featuring The Savoy Brown Rhythm Section
Willie Buck – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends

Historical Or Vintage Recording
Frank Bey – Peace
Jim Brewer and Dan Smith – Take It Easy Greasy
Terry Blade – Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues
Bernard Allison – Chills & Thrills
Duke Robillard – Roll With Me

New Artist Debut Album
Jad Tariq – Jad Tariq Sings
Jovin Webb – Drifter
Jubu Smith – JUBU
Fran Drew and the Lucky Strikes – Trial by Fire
Jantso Jokelin – Spark of Luck
Christopher Wyze & the Tellers – Stuck in the Mud

Blues Band Of The Year
The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Southern Avenue
The Blood Brothers
Tab Benoit Band

Male Blues Artist
John Primer
Chris Cain
D.K. Harrell
Curtis Salgado
Tab Benoit
Andrew Duncanson

Female Blues Artist
Carolyn Wonderland
Eden Brent
Ruthie Foster
Shemekia Copeland
Sue Foley
Tierinii Jackson

Sean Costello Rising Star Award
Jad Tariq
Jovin Webb
Stephen Hull
Matt “The Rattlesnake” Lesch
Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport
Tony Holiday

Producer Of The Year
Kid Andersen
Tony Braunagel
Tom Hambridge
Mike Zito
Bob Corritore
Jim Gaines

Electric Guitarist Of The Year
Chris Cain
Kid Andersen
Tab Benoit
Laura Chavez
Duke Robillard
Kid Ramos

Acoustic Guitarist Of The Year
Catfish Keith
Guy Davis
Doug MacLeod
Keb’ Mo’
Kevin Burt

Slide Guitarist Of The Year
Sean Chambers
Derek Trucks
John Primer
Joanna Connor
Robert Randolph
Sonny Landreth

Bass Guitarist Of The Year
Bob Stroger
Rodrigo Mantovani
Benny Turner
Jerry Jemmott
Scot Sutherland
Danielle Nicole

Keyboard Player Of The Year
Bruce Katz
Ben Levin
Eden Brent
Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne
Johnny Iguana
Jim Pugh

Percussionist Of The Year
Derrick D’mar Martin
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Tony Braunagel
June Core
Terrence Higgins
Tom Hambridge

Harmonica Player Of The Year
Jason Ricci
Bob Corritore
Dennis Gruenling
Kim Wilson
Rick Estrin
Charlie Musselwhite

Horn Player Of The Year
Jimmy Carpenter
Vanessa Collier
Terry Hanck
Sax Gordon Beadle
Deanna Bogart
Doug Woolverton

Vocalist Of The Year
Curtis Salgado
Oscar Wilson
Andrew Duncanson
Tad Robinson
Billy Price
Bobby Rush

Blues Video Of The Year
Tomislav Goluban with Crooked Eye Tommy – There Is A Train 
https://youtu.be/7OTlGlkL30c?si=Av2xU9_RcM4oE0jD

Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Uncle Esau 
https://youtu.be/MeM1to8FsW4?si=4IUPQTqsKffXkj2j

Peacock & the Surfarians – Dead Mans Blues 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdXTVOnVGN4

Kid Ramos – Strange Things Happening 
https://youtu.be/6pvr7FaIeU8?si=bZVFI0N8Gy9_AHFZ

Billy Price – Inside That Box 
https://youtu.be/oAU_C6xIGk8?si=UZBxRyWQFhvhIjLR

Mississippi MacDonald — “Oli Mac Presents Slim Pickin’ — APM Records

Oliver MacDonald. “Mississippi” MacDonald. Oli Mac.

Take your pick. Those names are all combined in one fine London bluesman, who dredges his music from the timeless mists of the blues; whose gritty vocals and eloquent guitar insist that you’re sitting in a smoky Chicago blues club or a Mississippi juke joint.

His recent electric albums have been electrifying, and his acoustic efforts have won him Acoustic Artist of the Year UK Blues Awards in 2024 and 2025.

His latest, “Oli Mac Presents Slim Pickin’,” is an acoustic gem that follows last year’s unplugged “Call Me Mississippi.” This latest set features ten songs, old and new, with Mac on vocals, guitar and piano; producer Phil Dearing on second guitar and keys, and Brent Cundall on bass.

The tough-enough flavor of the opener, “Trouble Doing the Right Thing,” sets
the mood for what’s to come, followed by “Slim Pickin’,” a typically slyly worded Mac original: “I spend all my time talkin’ to you / my head in my hands at the things that you do / ahhh good lord, slim pickins, ain’t that the truth…”

A pair of originals follows, “My Bad Attitude” and “I’m Sorry,” both thoughtful and melodious, with “Sorry” a gentle musical apology with lyrical guitar work.

The blues return with fingerpicking delight in a delicious version of Blind Willie McTell’s classic “Statesboro Blues.” Mac’s own “Got to Get to Walkin’” follows, a soulful blues rich with imagery and emotion. Then his gritty vocal wail highlights “Goin’ Down Slow,” the blues standard by St. Louis Jimmy Oden. Gospel rises up to shout amidst the blues in Mac’s powerfully slow-rocking version of “Strange Things Happening Every Day,” the Sister Rosetta Tharpe masterpiece.

The original “Sad Songs” is another gently sung ballad mourning lost love: “If I can’t hold your hand, I can’t live without you…” That song, paired with the lyrical closer, Keb’ Mo’s “You Can Love Yourself,” show off the maturity of Mac’s songwriting and vocal talents.

Oliver MacDonald. “Mississippi” MacDonald. Oli Mac — whatever name you choose — is a singer-songwriter-musician to be reckoned with in the future of the blues, and beyond.

“Slim Pickin'” is a gorgeously created album that showcases Mac’s versatility and authenticity, testifying to his ability to absorb the emotional essence of the blues, make it his own, and keep on keepin’ on.

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I couldn’t find a video of music from this album, but here’s an acoustic performance from the 2025 UK Blues Awards:

Tracklist:
1.Trouble Doing The Right Thing (acoustic) (3:51)
(Zachary Logan . BMI)
2.Slim Pickin’ (acoustic) (3:26)
(Oliver MacDonald . Glovebox Songs/Kassner Associated Publishers)
3.My Bad Attitude (acoustic) (3:24)
(Oliver MacDonald . Glovebox Songs/Kassner Associated Publishers)
4.I’m Sorry (acoustic) (2:52)
(Oliver MacDonald . Glovebox Songs/Kassner Associated Publishers)
5.Statesboro Blues (acoustic) (3:24)
(Blind Willie McTell . Peer Music (UK ltd) )
6.Got To Get To Walkin’ (acoustic) (4:18)
(Oliver MacDonald . Glovebox Songs/Kassner Associated Publishers)
7.Goin’ Down Slow (acoustic) (4:06)
(James Oden . Universal Music)
8.Strange Things Happening Every Day (acoustic) (5:10)
(Sister Rosetta Tharpe . EMI Harmonies Ltd)
9.Sad Songs (acoustic) (2:57)
(Oliver MacDonald . Glovebox Songs/Kassner Associated Publishers)
10.You Can Love Yourself (acoustic) (2:31)
(Kevin Moore . BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd)