Award winning Canadian guitarist & singer Sue has been around on the scene for quite a while and most recently has been busy putting together Ruf’s excellent Blues Guitar Women CD and carrying out interviews for her eagerly awaited forthcoming book ‘Guitar Woman’ so it is good that she has managed to find time to put together this new which is now available on Ruf Records.

The CD opens with the title track, a fine up-tempo number featuring Sue in a girlie, almost giggly mood and showcasing some fine guitar. Track 3, ‘When I get Back To You’  has a lovely laid back summery feel to it with some more good guitar and some nice shimmering Hammond, a feature on a number of tracks especially the six minute slow tempo song ‘Absolution’ which could almost be described as a power Blues ballad if there is such a thing! It is a very well put together number featuring some more lovely guitar, keyboards, Hammond and a wonderfully down & dirty feel, I bet this is blast live!

With all bar one track written by Sue  (two co-credited to Lynn Miles) one gets the feeling that there is a great deal of Sue in the songs, particularly numbers such as  ‘Mother’, the sparsely soulful acoustic ‘Long Tomorrow’, the heartfelt ‘Deep Freeze’; certainly ‘Little Things’ will strike a chord with many women and maybe some men!

The CD is well put together with a rocking opener a gentle, thoughtful middle and then an up-tempo conclusion.

This is my first encounter with Sue Foley, a woman about whom I have heard much. I thoroughly enjoyed this CD and am sure that Sue’s many fans will too. If like me you are unfamiliar with Sue, this could be just what you need to make her acquaintance! So grab a copy of the CD stick it in your player and luxuriate in Sue’s musical company.  

Big Dez – Night After Night

There are not too many French men (or women) who spring to mind when one thinks of purveyors of the Blues and so it was an added pleasure when this CD hit the doormat courtesy of Derek White from Rocking the Blues who is co-promoting a tour of the UK by this Paris based five piece in March & May 2006. Formed in 1996, Big Dez comprises Phil Fernandez, guitar & vocals, Bala Pradel, organ & keyboards, Marco Schaeller, harmonica, Lamine Guerfi, bass and Stephane Minana on drums (although the drummer on the CD is Nico Leophonte) and the CD is the band’s second. Recorded in Austin, Texas, the album includes some top guests including Preston Hubbard (Fabulous Thunderbirds) & Sax Gordon Beadle and comprises 11 very varied tracks, all bar two of which are Big Dez originals. (On these he is co-credited)

The band has built itself quite a reputation on the European Festival and club circuit and on the basis of this CD it is easy to see why. Phil’s vocals are spot-on and only occasionally can you tell that he is singing in a “foreign” language, whilst his guitar work pays credit to the time he has spent in the US jamming with the likes of Luther Allison, WC Clark & Billy Branch and playing alongside Texas legend Uncle John Turner (drummer with Johnny Winter & Lightnin’ Hopkins) and many others. Harpist Marc blows up a beautiful storm with some great leads whilst Bala delivers some blistering organ breaks and solos. The rhythm section is solid and always there but never over the top.

The CD contains an excellent variety of styles, tempos and approaches. There is a lovely, almost jazzy feel to the delicious “Suspicion” which features a beautiful keyboard continuo and some stinging guitar whilst the fine mid-tempo “#2” affords each member of the band an opportunity to shine in turn and just has to be one of those numbers which is a classic live! “2710 S Lamar” is a breakneck instrumental belter which is all too short, and look out for the great moody trumpet solo from Gary Slechta on “Stroll for Madeline”, a gem.

This is a cracking CD and a great introduction to Big Dez. I for one am looking forward to catching them live and what a pleasure it is to hear some great Blues from France, even if they do come via Texas! Vive les blues, vive Grand Dez!!

Danny Bryant’s RedEye Band – Days Like This – Blues Matters! – BMRCD20058 – 10 tracks – 42.15

A new Danny Bryant CD is always going to be eagerly awaited and after 2004’s excellent “Covering Their Tracks” which contained mainly covers, Danny’s new CD is an all original material collection offering a lovely variety. Take the first three tracks and you have a wonderful cross section. “Losing Game”, not a new song but one that is popular both with live audiences and with the band, “Earl Shuffle”, a nice instrumental tribute by Danny to Ronnie Earl and the wonderful title track which sees Danny playing with his friend, mentor and hero, Walter Trout, on an eight minute plus guitarfest. Recorded in one take at 1 a.m. it is a track which will have all Walter Trout & Danny Bryant fans drooling! Listen too to the lyrics, some lovely lines to be heard!

Add to this the almost heavy metal guitar based track, “Heart Working Overtime”, the lovely, soaring instrumental,  “Back in Baltimore”, the mid tempo “Long Time Coming”, more lovely guitar as only Danny does, “Last Man Standing” with some very thoughtful lyrics, “Blues All Over Me” a gorgeous slow blues, one of several tracks that Danny describes as blues jam “us playing off each other live in the studio”

The final two tracks are the wonderfully bouncy “Good Time Woman”, a bit of a departure for Danny featuring as it does keyboards from Chris Cooper which creates the suggestion of a brass section that really enhances this rocking number and another of Danny’s trademark and gorgeous slow rock ballad style number. “Always With Me” dedicated to Danny’s lovely wife, Kirby and featuring Danny’s beautiful emotion drenched vocals, delicious ringing guitar and more keyboards.

Danny is the longest serving artist on the Blues Matters! label and this is his 4^th CD for the label and their 30^th CD in all. How appropriate, then, that it should be such a smasher with Danny showing only too well how his writing, singing and playing have all matured way beyond his years. Recorded once again at Purple Studios in Trowse, Norwich and engineered by Richard Hammerton, this will delight Danny’s fans and should also bring him to the attention of many others. Congratulations and thank you to all concerned for another fine CD, definitely the best yet!

DIXIEFROG 20^TH ANNIVERSARY – CELEBRATING 20 YEARS DEDICATED TO THE BLUES – 2006 ROOTS & NEW – Various Artists - Dixiefrog

This is a great double CD released to celebrate Dixiefrog’s 20^th Anniversary and what a choice! There’s Eric Bibb, Duke Robillard & Ronnie Earl, Nagic Slim, our very own Nublues, Popa Chubby,George Hamilton V, Leon Redbone, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Blind Boys of Alabama, Rob Tognoni & Gwyn Ashton and that’s just for starters! Whilst all the tracks date from the last eight years, they represent the fantastically varied stable of blues artists that have passed through chez Dixiefrog over the last 20 years and represent a very broad musical church.

There is certainly something here for everyone, whatever your favourite tipple, and it is difficult and unfair to try to pick favourites although tracks that standout for me are Taj Mahal’s quirky take on the Jagger/Richard hit ‘Honky Tonk Women’, Van Wilks great version of one of my favourite songs from the ‘60’s, ‘Morning Dew’ and Tom Principato’s deliciously seductive and sensual ‘Tango’d up in the Blues’, a glorious instrumental with wonderful shades of Carlos Santana.

So, if you want a double CD with 32 hugely varied tracks from some of the best artists around, some of whom are new to me, this is the one for you. It is a collection that is being played a great deal at Digital Blues towers & I sure will spend plenty of time in your CD player too! Highly recommended and thank you Dixiefrog.

Pilgrimage – Mississippi to Memphis – Aynsley Lister, Erja Lyytinen & Ian Parker – Ruf Records

“What do you get if you take three young European artists, all musically rooted in the Blues, yet untraditional in their approach, on a journey of discovery to the American South?” So open the sleeve notes to this exciting new CD from Ruf which is an absolute must for your library if you care about the next generation of European blues musicians.  The answer to the question is a stunningly good CD featuring two top young UK singer/songwriter/guitarists and, the rose between two thorns, a young lady whose slide playing has earned her the nickname “the Bonnie Raitt of Finland”. Recorded, as the title hints, both in Memphis and Clarksdale, this collection includesfour of Ian’s songs, three each written by Erja & Aynsley, a track, “Blues Caravan”, credited to all three plus a cover of Luther Allison/James Solberg’s “You Don’t Know”.

The variety of material is beautiful, the CD kicks off with a piece of classic Lister thrash blues, “1010^o”, a perfect opener which is followed by two excellent Parker compositions, a classic blues number, “All The Time” which develops into a gospelly style number with some down and dirty guitar and is six minutes odd of heaven & “Heal Me Love”, one of Ian’s beautiful mid-tempo ballad style numbers that builds beautifully and features some lovely organ.

Erja’s first offering as composer is a lovely, emotion dripping cri de coeur, “Last Love Song” on which, as with most of the numbers, the trio of artists share vocal duties, again most effectively. There is also a glimpse of how Erja got her nickname with some deliciously understated slide guitar. “You Don’t Know” bounds along and features some great contrasting guitar and vocal styles and leads us to Ian’s “Too Much to Hide”, another classic Parker track, the sort of thing at which he excels, a slteady but funky beat, some gorgeous guitar and thoughtful lyrics.

Aynsley treats us to a classic acoustic guitarfest which is different from anything else on the CD and evokes a back porch somewhere out in the mangroves, a kerosene lamp guttering and attracting the insects, the air thick with tobacco smoke and musicians doing what they do. “Blues Caravan” again features some great guitar work as the three trade licks over a slowish but rock steady funky beat. NuBlues fans will be thrilled by the rap break from Erja in the middle of the song, most effectively worked into the song.

Erja shows the breadth of her capabilities with “Funky mama”, a song which lives up to its title and could it be a description of Erja herself? This is followed by “Dreamland Blues” which is another  fascinating acoustic number, again very much in back porch blues style and lovely with it.

Aynsley’s final offering is an up-tempo track, “Twinkle Toes Willie” which has a positively country feel to it and is not one that you can sit still to, the feet must move! Track 12, “Time Bares Witness” is another of Ian’s impassioned ballads which have almost become his trademark and which is gorgeous. The final cut on the CD is described on the CD as Jam with Mr Tater, the Music Maker and features Ian & Aynsley having a ball!

What a great CD this is, congratulations to all at Ruf for the concept and bringing together three excellent young musicians and to the musicians themselves for producing such an enjoyable, varied and enthralling collection of numbers. Due to tour in 2006 as the Blues Caravan – The New Generation, there are already dates set in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for January & February, (details at www.bluescaravan.com) we have to hope that Ruf will bring this fabulous triumvirate to the UK because that will be a show not to miss. Meantime get the CD to for close to an hour of great music.

18^th December 2005

Summer Rain – John Crampton

Anyone familiar with Brighton based John will know that he is one of those one man band type performers who gives out such energy and passion that it is often difficult to believe that it is just him playing. He is also a prolific producer of CDs which always sell well at live gigs. Summer Rain is the latest from John and offers a slight departure from his previous work in that there is quite a bit of multi-tracking to be heard as John plays a variety of instruments. Ever present however is his incredible power, his frenetic but always controlled guitar playing, percussive and melodic at the same time as is typified by the CD opener “Shoot Me Down in Flames”.

Track two sees another Crampton key identifier, “Swamp Stomp” is a classic instrumental which cannot fail to get your body moving. With thirteen tracks, 12 of which are originals, there is the usual variety that one always gets from John. Listen to the lovely “Isabella” or the slow “Three O’Clock Blues” or the infectious and evocative “Train Song”, the haunting “Stay”, the throbbing title track or the excellent cover of “Smokestack Lightning” to see what I mean.

As ever, this CD demostrates just what a one-off John is and why he continues to build a reputation, very well deserved, that sees him being asked to play venues and Festivals ever further away from the South Coast. I have seen him play many times and he never disappoints, always coming off stage soaked in perspiration having given his all. This CD can only serves to enhance his reputation still further.

18^th December 2005

Rags & Bones – Ernie Hawkins – Say Mo’ Music

I just get such a thrill when a CD like this comes along, a man, a guitar, a friend or two and some old style picking that dazzles. Ernie Hawkins is a new name to me who hails from Pittsburgh and this CD is a wonderful collection of 14 tracks with Ernie’s interpretation of numbers by the likes of the Rev. Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hirt, Louis Armstrong & Blind Willie McTell. As the CD title suggests, the playlist is a wonderful mix of vocal numbers as well as infectious rags, some of the latter being Ernie’s adaptaion of one artists song played in the style of another. For example “Guitar Chop Suey” which is described by Ernie as “From Louis’ Coronet Chop Suey…..I thought this was a perfect candidate for a Gary Davis type rag”.

I also love Ernie’s honesty. Talking about “Texas Easy Street” he writes “I learned (stole) this song from Joe LaRose of Kent Ohio. One thing about when you steal a song from somebody, then you both have it. The folk process”!

Blues Revue said of one of Ernie’s earlier releases “…a ray of sunshine, a perfect cure for the winter doldrums” and this so aptly sums up this CD as well.

This is a CD that may have a fairly narrow appeal but if you love fine Piedmont country blues then you will love this CD. With delicious acoustic guitar playing, spare vocals, some nice harp from  Marc Riesman on a couple of tracks, the excellent Maria Muldaur giving a wonderful gospel feel to one track with great vocals and several other guests, this is music which draws influences from many places including Gershwin, Biederbecke and world music as well as Blues originals, but it never loses its roots. Thanks Ernie for a CD that is a standout and such a pleasure. Ernie also does some pretty good instructional stuff – see www.erniehawkins.com for details.

18^th December 2005

funkydory – Still – Pre-release CD – No label - 11 tracks – 57.18

funkydory are a band who have only recently celebrated their first anniversary but they have come a long way in that year. “Still” is their first “proper” CD and as well as five tracks which appeared on the previous “home-made” CD which the band were selling at gigs, there are no less than six spanking new tracks which just prove the point that this a band that has a great future, tight as you like with the fabulous vocals of Lorna Reilly, the super guitars of Jules Fothergill and Marc Le Guerrannic, newcomer Ian Mauracio on bass and Hayden Doyle on drums. Together they produce the funkiest of soul-tinged blues with not a little nod to jazz and are writing some really cracking material which suits their style so well.

Disparate influences are manifest, such as the positively Indian/oriental guitar intro to the title track “Still” which then breaks into a fine driving funk session  with some more great guitar from both Jules & Marc. Of the new tracks “Northside” alternates between a delicious slow and bluesy tempo which will delight the diehard blues fans and ably demonstrates the breadth of ability in this band before breaking into a funky chorus and then back again to the slow tempo stuff before we are back to a real up-tempo funkfest of guitars which is followed by a delicious slow slide guitar interlude. This number has everything – lovely as is the rest of the CD.

If you don’t know funkydory, do yourself a favour and find out about this really fine band of talented and gifted musicians who are taking the scene by storm. Badger your local venue to book them, buy their CD and enjoy their success. This is a very exciting debut disk which should have a wide appeal.

Janiva Magness – Do I Move You? – NorthernBlues Music – NBM 0033 – 11 tracks

Now when this beautiful and talented lady released her CD, “Bury Him at the Crossroads”, a couple of years ago, she was met with almost unanimous praise and deservedly so. And so it cannot fail to be with this new offering from a lady who has the voice and skill to belt out a number with the best of them but also to deliver a song with control, poise and conviction. 

The 11 tracks offer great variety such as “I Want You To Have Everything” which has an almost Motown feel to it, or “Don’t Let Your Memories”, a beautiful acoustic track written by Jeff Turmes who also plays lovely guitar on this track, or the superb Chicago style “Workin’ on Me Baby”, dirty guitar and drums – oh I love this! Or try the title track, a wonderful mean & moody version of Nina Simone’s “Do I Move You”? Oh yes Janiva, you certainly do! With shimmering Hammond, moody keyboards, sparing guitar and the sort of laid back rhythm that can only lead to sex, this is an absolute gem!

Janiva is in a swing mood with Colin Linden’s song,  “I Give Up”, one of several numbers which have some lovely  sax from Jeff Turmes (he gets everywhere). “Stealin’ Sugar” has a lovely ‘old’ feel to it with a bar room piano some lovely slide guitar and a great foot tapping rhythm

The CD closes with a great rollicking version of the classic and oft covered “A Man Size Job” which  Janiva makes all her own here.

With this relaese, NorthernBlues Music once again demonstrate their commitment to bringing some of North America’s finest artists to the listening public. The CD is produced jointly by Janiva and Colin Linden who is behind many of the label’s releases and features some wonderful guitar from special guest Rick Holmstrom as well as a top class band. Delbert Clinton said of Janiva that she “sings with a rare conviction. She will not be denied”. This is a really excellent CD which should bring this very talented lady a great deal more very well deserved exposure.

Little Toby Walker – Toby Walker plays well with others

A new CD from Toby is always going to be a bit special and this is no exception. The fact that Toby plays well is indisputable but usually he plays solo. This CD sees Toby with a number of guests and only two tracks have him on his own. And what guests! Bob Margolin is a real life legend through his years of playing in Muddy Waters’ band and subsequently with many of the great names in the Blues firmament. Two of their three duets see Toby on his trusted Martin whilst Bob plays some lovely electric guitar that adds a whole new dimension to Toby’s vocals. Mind you the outstanding track of the three for me is “Beefsteak When I’m Hungry” which features Bob on slide giving it the Muddy Waters’ treatment.

Add to this the harp playing of Bob “Hootch” Paolucci and George Christ, the lovely bass work of Tom Griffith, Larry Sribnick and Ernie Sykes and Buddy Merriam’s mandolin all serve to bring further dimensions to Toby’s work whether it be one of his lovely covers such as Blind Boy Fuller’s “She’s Got Something There” (a lovely pairing of slide guitar and harmonica), the heartfelt “Nine Hundred Miles From Home” (a great version of this old number featuring some more great slide plus bass and mandolin) or Toby originals such as “Been on the Job Too Long”, a song which cannot fail to ring bells with all wage slaves, “You Got Something On The Side”! or the Piedmont style instrumental “Turner’s Retreat”.

The CD also sees Toby performing songs co-written with Tom & also with Martha Trachtenberg, who provides vocal harmonies on one track, and it offers the listener a superb showcase of the great talent that is Little Toby Walker – just listen to the last track, a beautiful instrumental working of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” that brings tears to the eyes! So the CD more than lives up to its title and truly does what it says on the tin! Another wonderful collection from Toby and one which should have pride of place in your collection under ‘O’ for outstanding!

17^th February 2006

Mike O’Leary – Vagabond Devil & the Whore EP - No label - 6 tracks – 28.38

Anyone who has attended any of the “open mic” nights locally will be very familiar with the powerful presence that is Mike O’Leary, perhaps most familiar for his own composition, “Politician Blues”. Mike has now produced a beautifully packaged CD featuring six original songs with at very intriguing title.

Mike’s song writing clearly comes from the heart and his songs have a degree of anger flowing through them, whether they be railing against perfidious politicians – we know all about them given the current shenanigans – “Politician Blues”, ruing the passing of the years – “Wild Blue Yonder”, warning the ladies off   – “Trouble”, a number that stands out for me as it is a rather slower tempo than the others and features some lovely guitar work, how the World is going to hell – “Model Neighbourhood” and “Dirt City”, the home of cheap beer & whisky and a number from 1997, “Slain” which sees Mike in solo acoustic mode but with some ethereal choral backing, most effective and some gorgeous distorted guitar in the background.

In general the material is very much as described, “Rock n’Blues” and on the heavy edge of that genre and so may be a bit “in your face” for some but with the two aforementioned more laid back tracks, there is certainly some choice here. 

Recorded at the Sound Magic Studios by Steve Tsoi and backed by the Missionaries – The Captain on drums, Keith Sargent on lead guitar and John T on bass and BVs – Mike can be proud of this CD. It reflects him and his songwriting well and is a good introduction if you do not know him. For those that do, I am sure they will want a copy to enjoy at their leisure.

Also published in Blues Matters!

The Spider and …….. The Nightflies – 14 tracks – 62.17

At last! The full album from this great band formed in late 2004 which brings together four highly experienced and talented musicians, Mark Sibley, vocals & harp, Kevin Webb, guitar, vocals & keys, Andy Bostock, bass and Wayne Bronze, drums. With 14 tracks, all originals from Messrs. Sibley, Webb and Bronze in various combinations or not as the case may be, six of which we have already tasted on the Pre Release Album Sampler which was produced on a very restricted basis in 2005, this really is a CD worth waiting for and which can only win the band more fans and deservedly raise their profile towards the level they richly deserve.

With three band members involved in writing the material, there is a fine variety of songs including a lovely reworking of the band’s first recorded track, “Delta Moon”, which appeared on the “Essex Delta Blues….A Sampler CD” as did “No Prince Charming” a Mark Sibley solo composition which appeared on the same CD as the swansong of his former band Gator Blues and is a great example of his wonderful way with words!

Kevin Webb’s guitar work is a joy to listen to, hinting at a wide range of influences and demonstrating his own great talent, whether it is with the early 60s sounding “Hungry For Your Love”, the Spanish flavoured opening to “Delta Moon”, the slow & moody “Hitman”, the light and deft touch in the break in “No Prince Charming” or the straight ahead rockers like “Lucky Man” or “Between God & the Devil” or “Nightfly”.

As always, Mark’s vocals are delivered with his usual attack and excellent phrasing whilst his harp is never flashy but always just right, listen to “I Don’t Know” for some beautiful playing. Wayne & Andy sit behind Mark & Kevin and keep the show on the road superbly.

For me a particular feature of previous work by both Mark & Kevin has been the clever and thoughtful lyrics and we are treated to some gems on this CD whether it be the desperation of “Want You Gone”, the wry wit of “No Prince Charming” which contains the line “It’s just my moth ain’t attracted to your flame” or the track which I have been playing loads and which deserves wider, commercial recognition, “(Staying Alive On) The M25” with its insanely catchy chorus.

All in all a superb debut CD from a band which should be on every venues’ must have list, which should be on Festival bills all around the country and a CD which should be in your collection.

Also published in Blues Matters!

Oblivion Road – Bad Town Blues – Bad Moon Records

Things have been a bit quiet recently on the bad Town Blues front and now we know why! They have been working hard on this their second CD, and boy was it worth the wait! 15 all original tracks totalling in excess of 75 minutes music and such a variety of material including some surprises about which more later.

The CD opens with a very funky Clive Mulcahy composition “Rock Solid” which does what it says on the tin and is an ideal opener. This is followed by the title track, another of Clive’s compositions, a lovely mid-paced track which sees him in a pensive mood reflecting upon life and the universe generally. Instrumentally, Ray Bartrip on keyboards, Adam Norton on harp and Clive Mulcahy on guitar each have a chance to let themselves go to superb effect underpinned by a lovely flowing bass line from Jamie Lawrence and interesting drum work from Reg Patten, a pattern (no pun intended) which is retained in track 3, a really very catchy instrumental called “Sue’s Blues” composed by Ray and dedicated to his lovely lady. With a lovely gospel feeling to the keyboard riff, this track is one of a number that features Ray on his beloved Hammond, a really nice feature.

A complete change of style next with Clive’s composition “Ramona Had A Baby” which features some lovely swampy slide guitar and bar-room piano and which leads on to a classic pair of Bartrip compositions, “Your Cheatin’ Ways” which features some of Adam’s lovely overblown harp and, for me, a tiniest hint of “Stray Cat Strut” with Reg using brushes and Ray on his Hammond again to lovely effect.

“The Butcher’s Daughter” appeared first on the “Essex Delta Blues…..A Sampler” CD released last year and has proved a very popular number live but for the CD the band have reworked it slightly with Clive playing acoustic slide guitar and Adam playing a wonderful “rasping” harp. Not even half way through, track 7 “Bad Town Blues” opens slowly and dramatically before breaking into an excellent mid-tempo number featuring some great guitar from Clive, some positively psychedelic Hammond (listen closely on headphones to the break at around three minutes in and take a trip!) and more smashing harp from Adam.

Track 8 is typical Bartrip boogie which should be covered by Chas & Dave although they would not make as good job of it as do Bad Town Blues. “All Dressed Up” sees Chigwell Fats pounding the ivories fit to bust and the rest of the band doing their bit to drive this great number along.

A complete change of tempo and style for the Clive composed “Quit Jivin’ Me”, a considerably slower tempo and very funky with a very slightly ‘Smokestack Lightning’ feel to the guitar and harp riff. Adam’s harp really shines in Ray’s “Next Thing You Know”, again a slower tempo number with lovely thought provoking lyrics and Ray is also involved on the next track “It Ain’t Easy To Please Me” an excellent romping r’n’b shuffle with lyrics by Adam.

“The Code”, another Clive composition has a really jazzy/soul feel to it with Jamie very busy on bass including a lovely bass solo, Clive treating us to some almost Hendrixian guitar, all in all something rather different from the guys including some almost ethereal harp from Adam.

“Something’s Wrong” from Ray is a slow and smoking number which is over 8 minutes of heaven opening with some delicious harp and then running the gamut with the band taking turns to take the spotlight. This number can only be superb played live as must be the up tempo instrumental “Supernatural Ball” again featuring some phased Hammond to confuse your brain if you listen on headphones. 

The CD closes with a big surprise which may be a shock for some, yes Bad Town Blues play reggae! Clive has composed a lovely number “Skinny Brown Girl” which has a totally tropical Caribbean feel to it and which Clive’s voice suits very well. This is great way to round off this varied, interesting, exciting and immensely satisfying album. Bad Town Blues are to be congratulated on producing a collection which is a very definite quantum leap from their previous, very good and very well received CD. Make sure you get your copy when it is released soon, you will not be disappointed.

Also published in Blues Matters!

OMAR & THE HOWLERS – Bamboozled – Live in Germany - Ruf

Whilst I have often seen the name, until now I had not heard Omar & the Howlers’ music and what a great opportunity this live CD is to put that omission right! With Omar backed by John Hahn on drums & Barry Bihm on bass, this CD absolutely brims with a live vibe and Texas energy. Barely pausing for breath between each of track which range from the rip-roaring opener ‘Shake For Me’, the swampy ‘Mississippi Hoodoo Man’, the slow & laid back tones of ‘East Side Blues’, a good showcase for Omar’s stinging & expressive guitar playing, to the Bo Diddley style ‘Magic Man’ and the John Lee influenced ‘Boogie Man’. With all the tracks Omar originals bar the final track, a raving rocking set closer, Jerry McCain’s ‘‘Rock n’ Roll Ball’ which must have had the audience going wild, this is one very fine showcase for Omar & his band and certainly one which leaves me wanting to see him live and catch more of his music. It is also great value with more than 74 minutes of music over the 15 nicely varied tracks. And congratulations to Thomas Ruf for once again giving us another cracking live CD. This definitely earns the Digital Blues seal of approval!