Hadden Sayers "Hard Dollar"

Hadden Sayers is a Texas-based blues guitarist, songwriter and singer. He was born in Nacogdoches, TX and was raised in Sugar Land. Following college Sayers began his “blues internship” with legendary BB King rhythm section “Silent Partners,” then he joined Bluesman Lucky Peterson’s touring band. After his stint with Lucky Peterson, Sayers returned to Houston, TX to concentrate on writing songs. It was there he began a 3 year association with regional sensation Miss Molly and the Whips making his recording and songwriting debut on her first 2 releases: “Miss Molly” (EFM 1992) and “In the Garden” (EFM 1993). Sayers began work on his own in late 1993 and the Hadden Sayers Band was born...touring the globe and going on to create 4 more albums of searing blues-rock.

His 5th cd, Hard Dollar, is the best of the bunch. Let me tell you, if you loved those great albums that John Hiatt made way back in the day -- "Slow Turning," "Bring The Family" -- then you are in luck because Hadden Sayers channels those great albums on Hard Dollar. That is high praise indeed. Hard Dollar was produced by Sayers using his touring band consisting of Tony McClung on drums, Mark Frye on bass and Dave DeWitt on Hammond organ. Sayers writes all the songs, and plays acoustic and electric guitars and sings. Special guests include Phil Clark on harmonica and baritone sax and Doug Kahan on bass guitar on "InsideOut Boogie," and Ruthie Foster adds vocals on "Back To The Blues." Every song on this disc is worthy of blues radio play--fine playing, good singing, smart lyrics. "Take Me Back To Texas" gets things started with a bang, and "All I Want Is You" has a great opening Elmore James slide riff, and "Back to the Blues" is a very fine duet with Ruthie Foster. Thereafter every song is just great--there are no weak links. Sayers writes a few words about each song on the inside cover. My favorite song here is "Room 155." Sayers says it is written in honor of Sean Costello. After you buy this cd you may find that you're listening to it all the time.

Hard Dollar comes out June 21st on Blue Corn Music/IODA/SonyRed.

Steve Dawson "Nightshade"

Steve Dawson has made himself a national treasure in his native Canada, and his singing, guitar playing and song writing are all top-notch. In addition to his own work, the five time Juno award winner has produced albums by other luminaries, including Jim Byrnes, Kelly Joe Phelps, Old Man Luedecke, The Sojourners, and The Deep Dark Woods, as well as bringing the award winning Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project to fruition. Dawson should be much better known than he is in the US--he reminds me of Ry Cooder, and this record reminds me of Cooder's "Into The Purple Valley, " both in the subject matter of the songs and the virtuosity of the playing.

"Nightshade" is Dawson's fifth solo release. All the songs are Dawson originals, except "Gulf Coast Bay," written by Walter Vinson. As always, Dawson's guitar work centers each song. The instrumental work on “Nightshade” is certainly the most nuanced and gut wrenching of his career to date. From the weissenborn that drives “Fairweather Friends” to the pedal steel that defines “We Still Won the War” or the 12-string slide guitar on “Darker Still”, “Nightshade” like all of Dawson’s recordings offers a veritable musical feast for string aficionados. Banjos dance through “Side of the Road” (a song that was inspired by the life of bluesman Skip James), and snatches of acoustic melodies can be heard from time to time, but given the serious tone of many of the songs, Dawson wisely opted for a harder more electric sound this time out. And Dawson is backed by some of the best players in the business. Frequent collaborators Chris Gestrin (keys) Keith Lowe (bass) and Geoff Hicks (drums) lock in from the first note to sympathetically complement the twists and turns posed by this challenging music. Acclaimed singers Jill Barber, Jeanne Tolmie and Alice Dawson each add great backing vocals.

This is the best Dawson release so far. I look forward to the next one. Steve Dawson is building greater stature with each cd. You can buy this cd at http://www. www.blackhenmusic.com/

Johnny Rawls "Memphis Still Got Soul"

One Blues Music Award nomination means you made a good song or cd; two BMA nominations means you're good. How good does that make Johnny Rawls? He has received five BMA nominations for his past three releases. After being nominated for the Soul Blues Album of the Year award in 2009 for "Red Cadillac" Rawls won the Soul Blues Album of the Year award for "Ace of Spades" in 2010. I have been listening to Johnny Rawls since 2007s "Heart and Soul" and he just keeps delivering the goods, making good soul-blues every time out.

"Memphis Still Got Soul" may be his best cd yet. The new album features 10 original songs, plus a testifyin' take on "Blind, Crippled and Crazy," a song best known for the version recorded by Rawls' musical mentor, O. V. Wright. Like Rawls' previous releases, "Memphis Still Got Soul" re-creates the soul drenched Stax-Volt sound, and like those great old records the lyrics are true-to-life poetry delivered with sincerity. The playing and singing on this cd is top-notch.

This cd was recorded at two sessions, at Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo Texas and at Soul Tree Recording in Helena Montana.
The band at the Texas sessions includes Dan Ferguson on keyboards, Andy Roman on saxophone, and Richie Puga on drums, all alumni of The Rays, a band Rawls discovered in 1999 and subsequently produced for his own Deep South Soul Records label.

Among the many highlights of "Memphis Still Got Soul" are the title track, which salutes the musical heritage of Memphis; the Curtis Mayfield/Impressions feel of "Give You What You Need;" the deep soul sound of "Take You for A Ride;" the autobiographical "My Guitar;" the soon to be live show fan favorite "Blues Woman;" and the funky blues-driven "Burning Bridges."

This is a great release--it should continue Johnny Rawls' string of BMA awards. Winning soul blues. This disc is out now--you can buy it at http://www.catfoodrecords.com

Al Basile "The Goods"

Here's a good cd that I don't want you to miss out on! Al Basile may be the best musician out there that you've never heard. Think of him as the current version of Southside Johnny back in the 80s--that underground artist that you just had to be hip to. Al Basile is that same artist now--a great singer, a great songwriter, a great cornet/trumpet player, front man with a great band--and once you're "in the know," he will be an indispensable part of your catalog.

This is Basile's seventh cd since 1998, following 2009's "Soul Blue 7" which reached # 12 on the Living Blues chart. He puts them out on his own label, Sweetspot Records, on his own schedule, with stellar sidemen. This time out features friend Duke Robillard on guitar and production, Basile on vocals and cornet, Doug James on horns, Bruce Bears on keyboards, Mark Teixeira on drums, Brad Hallen on bass, and special guests The Blind Boys of Alabama. Every song is intelligent, each lick is right on the money, and the lyrics tell the kind of stories worth hearing over and over. I like the opener "The Price (I Got to Pay)" which showcases the horn section and features sharp lyrics; and the crackling good piano-driven "Mr Graham Bell;" and the gospel-ish "Pealing Bells," which sounds like Basile has listened to Daniel Lanois' swampy roots-rock production with Bob Dylan. And there's even an original Christmas song! I especially enjoy hearing Basile and this great band with The Blind Boys of Alabama doing "Lie Down in Darkness (Raise Up in Light)" which sounds great, has a great message, and needs to become a modern classic.

This is a very strong release--even in a year with a lot of really good releases, this one is high in the running for Bruce's top 10 of the year! You can buy it at: http://www.albasile.com

Rory Block "Shake 'Em On Down"

This cd is subtitled "A Tribute to Mississippi Fred McDowell" and it is a joyous celebration of two masters of the acoustic guitar blues--Mississippi Fred McDowell and Rory Block. This time out Block brings to vibrant bubbling life seven of McDowell's songs, along with Sonny Boy Williamson's "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" and 4 Block originals that sound like they should belong in the McDowell catalog. This disc is part of Block's on-going project "The Mentor Series," a collection of, as she writes in the liner notes, "tribute albums to the masters who I had the priviledge of meeting face to face." Like Block's previous Mentor sets, one lifting up the music of Son House and one lifting up the music of Robert Johnson, this one is flawless and fabulous and spot-on. The singing and playing are up to typical Rory Block perfectionist standards, which means 99.5% of the guitar players out there can't touch it. This time out I'm not lifting up any individual songs--just buy this disc and listen to it, and you will soon love it. You may find that you need the other tribute discs as well. All three are highly recommended. Rory Block is a musical treasure.

This cd is on Stony Plain Records. You can buy it at http://www.stonyplainrecords.com

Burton Gaar "Fried Grits & Greens"

On this wonderful cd Burton Gaar is singing and playing exactly what I needed--a Louisiana-flavored blues fest. The first time I heard this cd it reminded me of David Egan's great disc "You Don't Know Your Mind" from 2008. If you love that David Egan cd you know what I mean, and how good this Burton Gaar cd must be. I have been listening to it in the car the last week or so, and I even came the long way home from the BBQ contest this afternoon just to hear it some more. There are 15 songs, all originals, written by Burton and George Hollinshead (13) and Burton and Floyd Saizon (1) and Burton and Robert Felsonthal (1). The band is made of folks who have all worked with Burton before, and includes Tom Coerver, Robert Felsenthal, Larry Turner and Sean Brouillette on keyboards, Burton's brother John Gaar, George Hollinshead and O'dell Wilson on guitars, and Floyd Saizen on drums. They all sound great together--tight and loose, sweet and clean. I can only guess that hearing these guys play live in Louisiana must be a great treat. Burton's vocals are the key--perfectly spiced, emotive, solid. He sounds like Tommy Castro, in the best way.

I'm listening to this cd again now, and I like it even more. The best songs this time are "Sugarfied," "Strung Out On The Blues," and "That's All She Wrote." Part may be what it DOESN'T sound like--it doesn't have an ace guitar slinger that wants to slash every second of every song to ribbons to show off. It doesn't sound like they have a big budget. It doesn't sound like these guys are all 20 years old, trying to make a name for themselves. Nothing wrong with any of those things, but if you buy this cd looking for pyrotechnics or flash you'll be disappointed. It's a good cd precisely because Burton sings these 15 songs with taste and everybody plays with economy. You might find this cd on your player or in your car 5 years from now and you'll welcome it like an old friend.

You can buy this cd at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/BurtonGaar

Nicole Christian "Run Rabbit Run"

Nicole Christian is a Toronto-based singer/songwriter and guitarist. Her newest release, Run Rabbit Run, was recently voted the Best Debut Roots and Blues Album of 2010 award by the Underground Blues Network. There are 11 songs on "Run Rabbit Run," and all of them are written by Nicole, except one ("Barn Dance") which is written by Nicole and Stephen King. Yes, that Stephen King. Seems the esteemed writer has taken a shine to Nicole's work, which can't hurt anything. Some of the songs here are played solo and some are played by Nicole and the her band the Caravan--Roberta Hunt on keys, Vide on electric guitar, Alfie Smith on slide guitar and Jeremy Edwardes on harp and bass clarinet.

Christian's music is a little folk, a little roots, and a lot of bottle-neck blues. Remember the great music by The Band? Nicole Christian could be the Daughter From Big Pink. Listening to this cd is a treat--I played this cd straight through three times. There is an intelligence to her lyrics, a toughness to the music that is appealing. There is an acoustic vibe--similar to recent releases by Ernie Hawkins and Jay Gaunt--of music played for the joy of it. Highlights include "Shelter Blues" which has a cool violin and piano accompaniment, and "Lay Me Down" which reminds me of Ruthie Foster, and the title track, which has a great harp and guitar and piano thing going on and is, I think, the best song here. In a perfect world I could imagine several songs here getting radio play, some on blues radio and some on country radio, some on both.

This is an independent release. You can buy it at http://www./cdbaby.com/nicolechristian