David Egan -- "David Egan"

David Egan is a piano playing, blues singing man from Shreveport Louisiana, and this cd is his best in a career that spans 30+ years.

This is David Egan's third release, following 2003's "Twenty Years of Trouble" (Louisiana Red Hot Records) and 2008's "You Don't Know Your Mind" (Out Of The Past Records).

Egan wrote all 12 songs. The band is Egan on piano, electric piano, organ, and vocals backed by Joe McMahan on guitar, Ron Eoff on bass, Mike Sipos on drums, assisted by guest artists Dickey Landry (bari sax), Bruce MacDonald (guitar), Lil' Buck Senegal (guitar), Buddy Flett (guitar), Mike Dillon (congas, percussion), and Roddie Romero  and Caleb Elliott on backing vocals.  

Egan cruises smoothly through these songs, telling his stories with a wonderful warm touch on the keys and a relaxed voice that is a salve for your soul. It is wonderful music-making throughout--everybody on this cd plays beautifully. Just to hear Lil' Buck Senegal and Buddy Flett laying down some guitar wizardry, along with Dickey Landry's sax on "Call Your Children Home"--my favorite track here, and by itself, worth the price of admission. And there are six or seven other songs here that are every bit as good. If you find yourself ailing in the spirit, this cd can seriously help minister to you. Strong contender for my list of top 10 of the year.

Buy it. You won't regret it. You can buy it at http://www.davidegan.net

Janet Ryan -- "Mama Soul"

Two things before I get started--first, I apologize to you, dear readers, for not posting any reviews for the entire month of August. I am now so far behind that I can never die. I fear I may never catch up, but let's get busy and see what happens. Second, and this really needs to be said, I am tremendously grateful to the promotions people. The fact that I have about 30 cds waiting to get reviewed is a great testimony to those of you who continue to believe in me.

Ok, enough about me. Let's talk about Janet Ryan's latest release "Mama Soul." On this cd she sings the blues just right, like the great soulful blues singers she learned from as a teenager in Chicago. Over the years on the road Janet and her band, Straight Up, played all over the East Coast--and now, as of August 2012, she has landed in Texas. This cd is from CSP Records, and is mostly produced by Jimmy Rogers & Paul Osborn. THe cd was mostly recorded in Garland Texas. Here her band includes Ray Chaput on guitar, Dennis LeBeau on bass, Joe Elliott on keyboards, and Billy Klock on drums. Several tracks feature members of the Dallas-based band Crosscut: Jerry Sartain on guitar, Terry Vieregge on bass, Chuck Mabrey on keyboards, and LaVell Jones on drums. (Crosscut has a new cd out too, but I haven't heard it yet.) Several songs feature horns, which are used to good effect. Five of the songs are written by Ryan and the rest by members of the band with one exception--a fabulous cover of Sippie Wallace's "Woman Be Wise," which features terrific piano by Joe Elliott.

But the best thing about this fine disc is Ryan's singing, which is awesome throughout. Her voice can belt the blues when that is needed, and she has a soulful croon when she needs it. I especially like "Mr Misery," on which Ryan's vocals tell a powerful story over great organ work by Chuck Mabrey and a really strong guitar (one of the best solos I've heard this year) by Jerry Sartain. Other great songs include "What Was I Thinking," with great horn work, and "He Burned That Bridge," with sweet piano by Mabrey and fine trumpet by Steve Howard.

Mama Soul is an apt title for this release. Janet Ryan belongs near the top of female blues singers out there. You can buy this cd at csprecords.com 

            

Buddy Guy -- "Rhythm & Blues"

I am not going to write a long detailed review of this--you can read about it in too many other places. It is Buddy Guy, one of the top 4 or 5 guitar players of the past 50 years. He's a six-time Grammy winner, a 28 time Blues Music Awards winner, and he got Kennedy Center Honors. He is in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. He was the first to receive the Great Performer of Illinois Award. (Ponder that for a second--Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Magic Sam....all the greats that played in Chicago over the years, and the first award goes to  Buddy Guy. Good job Illinois.) He got a Billboard Music Awards' Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement. He just turned 77 years old, so there won't be too many more cds coming. And on this set he is still at the top of his game, with a great set of musical guests helping him out. Buddy truly knocks this one out of the park.

Think of it this way--if somebody 26 years old came out with these cds, this release would be the talk of the blues world. Buddy will be feted for this, and he deserves every accolade. He has made over 50 other albums, and this one is easily in the Top Ten of his long career.

Buy this as soon as you can. You'll never regret it. Listen to it often. Available wherever you can buy cds.   

The F & G Band -- "Pass It On"

This second release by The F & G Band is a big success! Following on the heels of their 2011 cd "Grease Up Yo' Strutt" (which was in my Top Ten list for that year) this disc features a new lead singer--Sandra Taylor, the daughter of Sam 'Bluzman' Taylor. Edlene Hart moved to Atlanta in an amicable separation from the band, but Sandra Taylor stepped in. With her father's blessing from The Beyond, Sandra seems born to sing the blues--and she sings great on every song here. The songwriting team of Suzanne Foschino and Sly Geralds--the F & G in the band's name--still remain, this time with a batch of new original songs. And so does that funky, slinky, supremely musical band--Sly Geralds on bass and vocals, Tom Foschino on drums, Chuck Russell on guitar. Guest artists include Tim Mitchell plays organ (7 songs) and rhythm guitar (two); Anne Harris from the Otis Taylor Band, plays fiddle on "I'll Find My Way Home; "jazz guitarist Dave Parker lays down a delicious guitar part on "Love...And Other Unfortunate Things;" and Gregory Harrison adds the second vocal on "Let Yo' Feet Stink." My favorite song? "Untie That Knot," which starts out with BB King style slow guitar break, and Sandra's vocal sounds like a younger Koko Taylor. 

The F & G Band is most truly a band, in the most musical sense of the word. They can play any kind of blues, and on this release they pretty much do--fast blues, slow numbers, blues about relationship, about life, about circumstances, both modern and traditional, some laced with gospel, some laced with rock, some laced with a touch of country. Every member contributes to the music this band makes--Sandra sings Sly and Suzanne's great songs with heart and soul, Tom is a great drummer to dance to, and Chuck's guitar work is a blessing. The music on this cd will heal whatever ails you.

"Pass it On" touches on all edges of the blues genre, pushing the envelope just enough to keep things exciting, at the same times as remaining traditional yet fresh.  There is no doubt that this is a blues album to it's core, and you will definitely feel the roots entrenched solidly in blues...but you will hear the newness shining through as well, with each song being a new experience in itself. It is an interesting journey through this American based music, from traditional roots and swampy slide guitar blues and swinging shuffles, through the funky sound of Stax, touching on gospel and even flirting a bit with country.  Reflective and personal, this  is The F & G Band at the peak of their musical influences, including the songwriters, Suzanne Foschino and Sly Geralds. Each song is a story in itself, an individual experience, some a message and some a lesson...some just a tribute.

This is a really good cd--you can buy it at www.fandgmusic.com

 

Ruff Kutt Blues Band -- "That's When The Blues Begins"

The Ruff Kutt Blues Band is several things--a band with all-star players, from Texas, made up of people whom I have great love and respect for.

Let's start at the beginning. I fell in love with Finis Tasby's voice when I first heard it on Kirk Fletcher's cd "Shades of Blue" (Delta Groove, 2004). That was also where I first heard Janiva Magness, but that story will wait for another article. Shortly after that I stumbled over The Mannish Boys' cd "Lowdown Feeling" (Delta Groove, 2008) where Finis sings on three tracks. Ever since then I have been a fan of Kirk Fletcher and The Mannish Boys aggregate, and seeking Finis Tasby's name on liner notes for cds. I just love the way the man sings--he has a swinging delivery and a passion that helps sell every song to my ears. Well, this cd is the last one Finis Tasby will sing on. He had a debilitating stroke in December 2012.  

Luckily, this is a very fine cd to go out on. The band is top-notch, seasoned pros everywhere. Zac Harmon is on guitar and vocals, and Anson Funderburgh plays guitar and produced the cd, James Goode plays bass and wrote or co-wrote all the songs, with Wes Starr on drums, Ron Jones on sax, Gentleman John Street on keyboards, Steve Richardson brings harmony vocals, and Eric Przygocki plays upright bass. When you have that level of talent in the studio, the results almost have to be terrific--and this is a great one. Things start out with "Deep Elam Blues" and from that strong beginning all the way through to "When A Bluesman Goes To Heaven" the listener is taken on a wonderful ride through the blues.

The Ruff Kutt Blues Band has made two great cds--this one and 2011's "Mill Block Blues." In my own selfishness I'd love for them to keep on, but if because of the loss of Finis Tasby's singing voice this is all we get, I give thanks for the music they have made. In my mind, the Ruff Kutt Blues Band is already a true Texas treasure.

You can buy this cd at http://vizztone.com/ One dollar of every cd sold will be donated to the Finis Tasby Medical Fund. 

Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch -- "Tell You What"

"Tell You What" is the second release by Jason Elmore & Hoodoo Witch--it follows and builds on their debut, 2010's "Upside Your Head." The band came together in 2008 in Dallas, Texas, and they have been building a following every since. I really liked "Upside Your Head"--I thought Elmore had the potential to become a big-time guitar player, and I liked his singing voice. This time out, both Elmore's guitar playing and singing are out of sight--and "Tell You What" is a huge leap forward.

The band is still a trio--Elmore on guitar and vocals, Chris Waw on bass, with Mike Talbot now on drums, replacing Beau Chadwell, who played drums on the first cd. Guests this time out include Tommy Young on Hammond B-3 and Ron Jones on horns. Jim Suhler is on slide guitar on Rory Gallagher's "Country Mile," and Kirby Kelley is on lap steel on William Bell's "You Don't Miss Your Water." Elmore wrote eight of the 12 tracks, and there are four covers: the two previous mentioned, along with Sean Costello's "Don't Pass Me By" and Buck Owens' "Buckaroo."

Everything gets underway with "Sharecropper Shuffle," a nice upbeat instrumental. "Southbound" is a heavyweight blues-rock number. "Cold Lonely Dawn" was the first song that caught my ear--an eight minute R&B ballad. It sounds great in a set of Texas blues by Anson Funderburgh and Jimmie Vaughan. "When The Sun Goes Down" is a great country-rock blues. "Bottom Feeder" is an ominous grinding number where Elmore can show off his singing, and "Dirt Ain't Enough" is a minor key slow blues with a nice touch of Jimi Hendrix in the guitar work. "Buckaroo" is another of my favorites--here the band shares the love for Buck Owens & The Buckaroos, one of the great country bands of all time. "Country Mile" is a rip-roaring triumph. Top track on the cd. Elmore and Suhler   
push each other and literally burn the house down. "Don't Pass Me By" is a fine effort, with good guitar work and good singing. "Good Foot" is a slower jazzy song, giving Elmore a chance to show his versatility on guitar. "She Fine" is a Texas swing number, well done. Elmore and company close the set with the Otis Redding, William Bell penned classic "You Don't Miss Your Water." Kirby Kelley's lap steel here is terrific.  

Everything here is smooth, swinging and energetic. The playing and singing are all first-rate. This is a great cd, and I see a great future ahead for these guys. This cd is dedicated in memory of Bugs Henderson.

You can buy this cd at most major retailers. Go to http://www.jasonelmore.net to read more about the band, see their concert calendar, or to view videos recorded live from the road.   

Robert 'Top' Thomas -- "The Town Crier"

Robert 'Top' Thomas's debut "The Town Crier" on Wild Root Records is terrific, all Florida swamp blues and delta roots. For those who might be unfamiliar with Thomas, over the past 10-12 years he has toured and/or recorded with Noble 'Thin Man' Watts, Lazy Lester, Victor Wainwright, The King Snake All Star Revue, Alex Taylor, Bill Wharton, Blue House and Mark 'MuddyHarp' Hodgson. Thomas may be best known, however, as a founding member of King Snake recording artist "Smoke-House" who recorded 4 ground-breaking cds in the 90s that defined the genre of Florida swamp blues. Their 1995 cd "Cadillac In The Swamp" was listed among the best blues cds of that year.

And now Thomas releases "The Town Crier," on which he sings lead and plays lead guitars, backed by The WildRoots rhythm section--Stephen Dees on bass, guitars, backing vocals and percussion, Billy Dean on drums--and Stephen Kampa (winner of the 2012 Florida Harmonica Championship) on harmonica. Guest musicians include Victor Wainwright on co-lead vocals on "Bad Seed," and piano and organ, Damon Fowler on dobro on "I'm A Freight Train," Brandon Santini on harmonica on "Blues Grass" and "Daddy's Gone," and Beth McKee on accordion on "The Same Thing Could Happen To You." Stephen Dees produces and arranges. All the songs are by some combination of Robert Thomas/Stephen Dees/Victor Wainwright/Bob Greenlee except the Jerry West song "The Same Thing Could Happen To You."

Thomas has a perfect gruff blues voice. He sounds a little like Watermelon Slim to me, which is a compliment. The songs are all a terrific balance of storytelling and drive. Nowhere on this cd do I hear a 6 minute pointless guitar solo--every note is played in the perfect place for the sake of the song, and time I hear one song I want to hear the whole cd, and every time I hear the cd I want to hear it again. Highlights include the title track, which features a nice "crying" vocal and guitar solo by Thomas and a really good harp solo by Kampa. Santini's harp riding over Billy Dean's drum work on "Daddy's Gone." Damon Fowler's dobro sparkles on "I'm A Freight Train."

On every song you can hear a very good band playing with joy and taste. This cd is a terrific effort. Buy this one, and watch for whatever Robert 'Top' Thomas does next.

You can buy this cd at http://wildrootsrecords.com/WildRootsMusic.htm