Welcome to BluesRow

Blues fans can be roughly divided into two groups: those who loves blues-rock, and those who don’t. If you’re in the second group, steer clear of this album. But if you’re in the first, get this album.

Joe Bonamassa is a blues-rock guitarist with chops to burn. He’s famous for being the ex-wunderkind who played with BB King when he was 12, played with the children of Miles Davis and Robby Kreiger later in his teens, and now serves up a relentless brand of guitar-based blues-rock. From all accounts, he is happy to play medium-sized venues and has no plans for rock guitar world domination. He also sincerely pays tribute to the blues greats and works to turn on the next generation to the blues. But he’s not letting that keep him in a box. As he says in the liner notes, “There is much discussion these days on what is or is not blues; so much so, many albums suffer from an almost apologetic sound. In an era where it is best to play it safe, I chose to take a risk as a reminder to all that the boundaries are still wide open and there are no rules.”

So if you know that ahead of time, you’ll be ready for this album. Joe describes it best when he says, “We concentrated on heavy music in a blues style.” Heavy music? I haven’t heard that term for a while. What’s it mean? Probably different things to different people, but knowing Jason Bonham (son of late Led Zeppelin guitarist John Bonham) plays drums on this CD will help you figure it out.

The album has a nice mix of all kinds of styles, including two slow blues featuring Joe’s guitar pyrotechnics, gritty vocals, and even strings (could have done without them, I think). There’s some acoustic Delta style blues, traditional blues, even a Sonny Boy Williamson song (Your Funeral, My Trial), which introduces a blues harp 12-year-old phenom named LD Miller. Maybe Joe believes in karma and is thinking of how he got his start due to the generosity of BB King. Anyway, this kid can really play the harp. Looking forward to hearing more of him!

There’s even an old Zep tune, Tea for One, featuring Doug Henthorn of the Healing Sixes. It’s languid, trippy, and definitely Page/Plant-worthy.

And for those guitar geeks, Joe lists his vintage guitars and amps used on the CD. A big list!

In conclusion, if you like your blues served up guitar-god style but with a healthy respect for the blues masters, you will love this album.

Flatted Fifths: 4.5 out of 5

Genre: Blues-rock

Nutshell Review: Breathing new life into the Page/Clapton blues genre.

I was in Chicago for a conference and had Friday night free. So naturally I was up for blues in the best blues city on the planet. I had to choose between seeing Michael Burks at Buddy Guy’s or Magic Slim at Kingston Mines. Slim won.

The Mines is a club that features great blues, excellent food, and as they say, “loud talking.” And the sign says, “Dancing Aloud”. There are two stages, so you get at least two acts an evening. What’s not to love?

As a lot of clubs do, they feature an acoustic act early in the evening, so we were treated to a nice set from Nigel Mack. Trading off between his old Martin and his older National steel resonator (1929!), Mack delivered a tasty set of standards ranging from Muddy Waters and Junior Wells to some nice original stuff. I especially enjoyed his simple but classy slide work on the reso. Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he headed for Chicago (the subject of one of his original songs). When asked how someone from Saskatchewan ended up playing the blues, he said, “If you grow up on the prairies and survive the 40 below zero winters, you understand the blues.”

Next on the north stage was Linsey Alexander’s Blues Band. He had added a sax player and a new guitarist since I saw him in February, and I thought the band sounded better this way. Linsey did his usual act, complete with blistering solos and his trademark walk through the crowd, singing to the best-looking females in the audience “up close and personal.” He isn’t called the Hoochie Man for nothing, lacing his in-between song patter with all kinds of colorful language that I can’t report in a family blog like this. He did ask if there was anybody underage in the house before he started his set!

But the highlight of the night was the headliner, Magic Slim. Slim is a large man with huge hands who doesn’t play the guitar so much as attack it. Playing his Fender Showmaster through his Bassman amp, he gets a sound I can only describe as “distorted twang”. Because he uses a thumb pick and another pick on his index finger, his sound has a distinctive snapping tone as he rages up and down the fretboard. His backup band, the Teardrops, was totally in the groove. The end result? Some ferociously hard-rocking blues delivered by one of the real originals in the field. If you ever get a chance, catch his act (it’s a lot better than what I’ve heard on his albums). I’m glad I was there to witness this.

The audience had people from all over: Texas, California, PA (me), Belgium, England, Holland,and France. I met a very nice couple from Paris named Eric and Veronica, so this is a shout out to them. It was a pleasure meeting you guys, and I hope you enjoyed your evening of blues in the blues capital of the world.

Can’t wait to get back!

Shemekia Copeland bemoans the guitar hacks that have taken over blues today. Blues started as hollers and songs in the fields, so she’s got a good point. If you’ve ever heard a really good blues singer (and she’s one), you know there isn’t much that can shake your soul better. Read the whole article here.

Yes, you read that right. The guys who did “Over Under Sideways Down”, “For Your Love”, “Heart Full of Soul”, and “Shapes of Things to Come”. The same band that had three lead guitarists who later went on to a measure of success, named Clapton, Page, and Beck. This current incarnation has two of the original band, and this interview is a fascinating look at rock history. They’re very clear on their blues influences, too. Who knew?

BB gave an emotional farewell concert at the  Montreaux Jazz Festival Monday night. How’s this for a list of musicians who joined him onstage: Gladys Knight, Barbara Hendricks, Randy Crawford, Leela James, John McLaughlin, Stanley Clarke, Joe Sample, George Duke, and David Sanborn.  I know, mostly jazz people. Well, it is a jazz festival, after all. Read the article here.

And it’s been run by the family of Jimmy (Duck) Holmes, the last person living who can play the real Bentonia blues, an acoustic blues native to Bentonia, Mississippi. Holmes studied the blues under Skip James and doesn’t want to see this style of blues die out with him. Catch it while you can, as it looks like the Blue Front Cafe is going to be added to the Mississippi Blues Trail. You can read about it here.

Interesting article here from the Aspen Times, reviewing Tab’s new CD, “Brother to the Blues” and previewing his upcoming concert there. Even though Tab swore he’d never play his Louisiana-based zydeco music, there is a bit on this new CD. But it is nice to see someone branch out from blues to another direction besides rock or jazz. Purists need not apply. Though I guess that might rule out some of the early Delta blues guys…

Castro and his band played in Long’s Park here in Lancaster, PA last night. Sorry to say I wasn’t there, though my son was. I got scared off by the rain! Anyway, a good article here.

A very positive review, complete with setlist, by someone who admits that he rarely goes to hear blues live, possibly because of the “three-chord” syndrome. All I can say is there is no other way to hear the blues BUT live. And it’s not all just three-chords. Though there’s been a whole lot squeezed into those three chords. You can read the review here.

This is from Gainesville.com. Buddy gets asked all the usual questions: how did you start playing, who are your favorites, what’s the future of the blues, etc. And of course, “Can white people play the blues?” Which, incidentally, he’s sick of answering. But it’s still an interesting read. He doesn’t so much answer the questions as use them as a launching pad for some great reminiscences. Check it out here.

If you’re going to Chicago and you’re looking for a guide, check out Karen Hanson. First off, she has a blog called Today’s Chicago Blues.
And secondly, she’s got a book coming out in July called Today’s Chicago Blues. I’m going to Chicago in July, and I’m definitely picking this one up. There’s an interview here from The Chicagoist with Karen on all things Chicago blues. A great read!

Here’s a great 3 and a half minute video of Howlin’ Wolf holding forth on whiskey, women, the blues, and not leaving your shoes behind! Looks like it’s maybe done in a TV studio in between songs. Is that Hubert Sumlin the camera pans to? The lighting is terrible, but I think it is. Thanks to the SqueezeMyLemon blog for this heads-uo.

BB granted an exclusive interview to the Associated Press last week. The highlights are here in the South Mississippi Sun-Herald.  Here’s one of my favorites, on swearing on stage: “I’ve got great-grandchildren. I wouldn’t be happy if you were saying
all the swear words around my great-grandchild, boy or girl, so why
should I say it in front of yours?”

Lots more where that came from.

Any reader of this blog knows what a huge Shorty fan I am. The Man himself is playing tonight at the Bradforville Blues Club. While I won’t be able to make the trip, and you may not either, you can read this article/interview from the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper. And the other good news is that he’s recording an album this summer for Alligator!

Do you know this man? Of course not. But Mike Matthews may be one of the key people in the world to blues guitarists. Mike Matthews is the owner of ExpoPUL, a factory in Saratov, Russia. ExpoPUL makes vacuum tubes. That’s right, the warm heart and soul of the tube amps all blues guitarists love to play.

So what’s happening? Looks like the Russian mob wants the land his factory is on. And he’s fighting back. A great story in the making. Read about it here.

The largest free-admission event of its kind kicks off today in Grant Park. They’re expecting over 750,000 visitors. Special emphasis this year is on Louisiana blues, and headliners include Elvin Bishop, the Seigel-Schwall Band, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Let’s go!

At Mississipppi Valley State College, BB King led his annual workshop on the blues, given to musicians young and old. Where do you sign up? Read about it here.

How about some free blues? 5 full mp3’s from this Chambersburg, PA based blues band. Skyla fronts the band, sings, and plays some mean telecaster blues guitar. Something for everyone here: boogie, slow blues, swing… Oh yeah!

Find it here.

Went to The Underdogs Cafe in Harrisburg on Friday night for Harpapalooza 2, put on by the Central PA Blues Society.  It was a great idea: get several of the best harp players in the area together, put on a kickin’ show, and raise money for juvenile diabetes along the way. From my perspective, it was a success all the way around.

Hosted by Nate Myers and the Aces (who also served as the house band), and supported by a rowdy and enthusiastic elbow-to-elbow crowd, the evening was a total mainline injection of the blues. I worked my way to the front and got to sit in an actual chair next to the PA rack. One thing I can say is that there’s nothing better than feeling the floor thump underneath you as the band goes through the changes. It’s that live vibe that’s so hard to capture on disc.

We heard Ronny Ray (of the Coolers), Little Freddie from Blind Joe Death, Flatfoot Sam, Mike “Fathead” Easton (from the Krypton City Blues Revue), Mike Mettalia (from Midnight Shift), and Andy “Badmouth” Barnhart, and of course, Nate Myers. Nate is a great frontman as well as a great harp player.

I’m a guitar fan more than a harp fan, but I went at the invitation of my bud Jim Phipps from Blue Light Special, who is a pretty mean harp player himself. He helped me gain more of an appreciation of the instrument as we compared tone and technique of the players.

Got to say that the one who really blew me away was Flatfoot Sam. While he may not be the most technically amazing harp player, he has a GREAT stage presence and vocal style, and led the Aces like they were his band.  Some great jump blues in the set!

Thanks to Nate and the Aces and the CPBS for putting on a great show!

Interesting article on Mac Arnold, who played bass for Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and John Lee Hooker back in the day. Nowadays he’s a farmer in South Carolina and has his band called Plate Full o Blues. Makes me want to head south and hear his stuff. Described as Piedmont-meets-Delta with a healthy dose of Chicago. Oh yeah!