Big Joe Fitz -- "This Is Big"

I know this is a bit of a detour for me--an indy disc that came out in 2010 which I should have jumped on a long time ago, but for various reasons I missed it then. Please forgive me, Big Joe! This is a very fine disc--if you missed it, too, then let's get caught up! Big Joe Fitz is a New-York-area based blues singer and dj at WDST over the past twenty plus years. On "This Is Big" Big Joe is backed by his jumping band, the Lo Fi's: Big Joe on vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica, Jumpin' Jack on piano, Mark Dziuba, Pete Hop, and Billy Hunt on guitar, Robert Bard and DeWitt Nelson on bass, (Bard is also listed as producer) and Tim Whalen, Phil Nestor and Steve Brown on drums. These guys play a disc full of smooth rich and deep blues. Big Joe's singing reminds me of John Hiatt--he knows how to sing with soul and taste and "put a song over." The songs are all covers, but they are NOT all safe choices--Fitz tackles Ray Charles' "Hard Times," Howard Harlan's "The Chokin' Kind," Eddie Vinson's "Kidney Stew," Delbert McClinton's "Leap of Faith" and Jerry Ragavoy/Mort Shuman's "Get It While You Can" best known in the version by Janis Joplin. These are not necessarily songs I might look forward to hearing by this or any other middle-aged guy, you know? But Big Joe plunges in, backed by a very good band, and he makes everything work out--even better, he actually makes these songs jump and move! My favorite here is the Doc Pomus/Dr John "Imitation of Love," on which Mark Dziuba, Tim Whalen, and Robert Bard make a beautiful creamy smooth groove for Big Joe to sing above. A fine song, part of a fine cd. Big Joe has been singing these blues all over New York & New Jersey for a long time, and his voice and his taste and this band all combine to make "This Is Big" a very worthwhile listen for any blues lover. There is a quote from Duke Robillard on Fitz' website, "I really like your version of "You Mean Everything To Me". Good Work!"

How could anything I say top that? You can buy this disc or individual songs at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/BigJoeFitz

The Duke Robillard Band -- "Low Down and Tore Up"

This is another fine disc from the great Duke Robillard and his band, their 18th release on Stony Plain Records. The players include Duke on guitars and vocals, Bruce Bears on piano, Brad Hallen on acoustic bass, Mark Teixeira on drums and vocal. This time around the core band is assisted by DRB alumni Matt McCabe on piano and Sax Gordon on tenor and baritone sax. Everything is engineered/mixed by Jack Gauthier. Dick Shurman wrote the liner notes. The music here is simply wonderful, honest, and deep, featuring songs by Pee Wee Crayon, Eddie Jones, Dave Bartholomew, Sugar Boy Crawford, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Eddie Taylor, Jimmy McCracklin. It's like Duke & the band are trying to re-create a great jukebox that might have been in a Chicago club circa 1951--track after track that captures everything that went into that authentic, raw and real blues sound of the 40s and 50s.

This is an absolutely essential part of every blues lover's library. Actually, every Duke Robillard disc is terrific, guaranteed to be worth the price of admission. His 2006 cd, "Guitar Groove-A-Rama" was a Grammy nominee, as was 2009's "Stomp! The Blues Tonight," and he won the Best Traditional Male Artist at the IBC in Memphis last year. This guy is not coasting--he is still making great discs, touring, and creating great blues every time out. Go buy this cd. You'll love it. Play it for your friends. They'll love it too!

You can buy this disc at http://www.stonyplainrecords.com

Maria Muldaur -- "Steady Love"

Maria Muldaur is an American musical treasure. There are few out there who have as extensive a history--maybe Dr John or Bob Dylan, both of whom have shared a stage with Maria over the years. Maria has now made 38 records, a magnificently broad collection, including a few records of children's music, some Jazz, some Big-Band swing, some Bluegrass, way too few R&B, and some wonderful Gospel. I have loved Maria's music for thirty years--I wish she might have recorded with Ray Charles, and I still hope that she might make some music with Dolly Parton. A wonderful singer, a song stylist, an honest and real voice.

Anyway, this cd marks Maria's return to the music of New Orleans. She sings a beautifyul set of songs with passion and spunk and taste, backed by an "A List" of New Orleans musicians: Dave Torkanowsky on keyboards and musical director, Shane Theriot on guitar, Johnny Allen of the subdudes on bass, drummer Kenny Blevins from John Hiatt’s all-star backing band, The Goners, on drums. There's also an impressive set of guests, including New Orleans traditional jazz’n’funk drummer Shannon Powell, local guitar ace Cranston Clements, an appearance on slide guitar by Rick Vito, an appearance by "Mighty" Mike Schermer on guitar, backing vocals by daughter Jenni Muldaur, Jolinda Kiki Phillips and Yolanda Windsay, and horns by Jimmy Carpenter and Ian Smith, all wrapped together in the final mix by veteran producer (and multi-Grammy winner) John Porter.

Especially notable on this disc are Maria's covers of Bobby Charles' "Why Are People Like That?" and Henry Glover's "Rain Down Tears." Either of those are, alone, worth the cost of the entire cd. And no other singer I know could cover Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Somebody To Love" and make it live and cry like she does here.

An A+ project all the way. You can buy this cd at http://www.stonyplainrecords.com

Sugar Ray & the Bluetones -- "Evening"

Sugar Ray & the Bluetones have been around as a group since 1979, and in that time they have made a bucketful of great music. Sugar Ray's last cd, 2007's "My Life, My Friends, My Music" was terrific, earning four nominations for Blues Music Awards. This time out, Sugar Ray is back with the Bluetones, which means it is chock full of great playing and great songs by great musicians having a ball. Sugar Ray Norcia leads on vocals and harmonica. "Monster" Mike Welch is filling the guitar chair. Michael "Mudcat" Ward is on bass and Neil Gouvin is on drums. Anthony Geraci is on piano. There are twelve songs here, including nine originals and three covers--and the originals are all terrific, especially Welch's "Hard To Get Along With" and Norcia's "I Like What You Got." The covers are "You Know My Love," written by Willie Dixon and known best by the great Otis Rush, and MItchell Parish & Harry White's "Evening," known best by T-Bone Walker or Jimmy Rushing, and Johnny Young's "I'm Having A Ball." My favorite song here is "I'm Certain That I'm Hurting," which has some hot guitar by Monster Mike, a great piano turn by Anthony Geraci AND cooking vocals and a harp solo by Sugar Ray.

Sugar Ray's vocals may be an acquired taste to some blues lovers, but after 20+ years I say "Let the man sing." Me, I enjoy the way Sugar Ray sings. His harmonica playing is relaxed and spot-on throughout. On this new disc, everything is tight and right, with a heaping dose of Sugar Ray's blues soul, but without even one second of anything stiff or old fashioned. A very welcome addition to the blues library.

This cd was released on Severn Records on October 18, and you can buy it at: http://www.severnrecords.com/

Lil' Cliff & the Cliffhangers -- "The Lovin' Kind"

Lil' Cliff & the Cliffhangers are a harmonica-based blues & R&B band based in metro New York. They have been bringing their unique blend of blues/swing and R&B for over 20 years in New York & New Jersey. The band were International Blues Challenge finalists in 2006, and in 2008 they released their first cd, "God Bless Women," (Shankbone Records). This is their second disc. Members of the band are Lil' Cliff Bernard on harp and lead vocals, Richard Street on double bass and vocals, Dennis Phelps on guitar and vocals, and Frank Patterson on drums and vocals. Also playing on this disc are Manny Focarozza on keyboards, Jack Licitra on accordion on three tracks, Sweet Suzi Smith on backing vocals on three tracks, Tex Sax on saxophones on three tracks, and John Abbey who edited "Spank That Monkey." Eight of the fifteen tracks are originals, written by Lil' Cliff or Richard Street, and they are wonderful songs, complete with robust harmonies and stomping spiritual fervor. The covers are done in the Lil' Cliff style, and they are stand outs, jumping out of the speakers with high energy and joy--including a ripping harp workout on Big Walter Jacob's "Up The Line," a beautiful take of Doc Pomus' "Lonely Avenue," a take of Leiber & Stoller's "Three Cool Cats" with Richard Street on lead vocals, and a lively, joyful bass heavy take of Willie Dixon's "Twenty-Nine Way (To My Baby's Door)."

The playing is silky smooth, and the baritone vocals by Lil' Cliff take center stage by storm. The harmonies are a wonderful addition to the genre. With a few more releases and some promotion, these guys could be right up there with Roomful of Blues.
This disc will certainly help get them in that direction. It is a fun, energetic jump-style disc, a full step forward from "God Bless Women." Completely delightful.

You can buy this disc at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lilcliffandthecliffhange

Shane Dwight -- "A Hundred White Lies"

Shane Dwight has made the best cd of his decade-long career. Writing and playing his way through a divorce at the Rock House Studio in Franklin TN with Kevin McKendree, Shane plays great guitar and sings better than I have ever heard him. Backed by Delbert McClinton's touring band--McKendree on keyboards, Rob McNelley on guitar, Lynn Williams on drums, Stephen Mackey on bass, along with the McCrary Sisters and Bekka Bramlett on exceptional background vocals. Shane wrote 11 of these twelve tracks, along with a rocking bluesy cover of the Dylan/Secor song "Wagon Wheel" that just might make you forget about the Old Crow Medicine Show's otherwise fine bluegrass version. The title track is in that wide and deep vibe of Moreland & Arbuckle or JJ & Mofro, and the rest of these songs will remind you of Keith Richards, The Faces, Leon Russell, Waylon Jennings, Albert Collins ..... do you get the idea that this disc pretty much blows me away? Everything here is smoking! My favorite song here is "True Love's Gone," which is a strong contender for Bruce's song of the year. "A Hundred White Lies" is the Saturday night companion to the Sunday morning disc by Mark T. Small that I reviewed last Saturday. Give it a listen and you'll know what I'm babbling about.

This cd is on R-Tist Records, and you can buy it at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/shanedwight6

Mark T. Small -- "Blacks, Whites & The Blues"

This Mark T. Small cd is a small gem of acoustic guitar fire. If you are a fan of Mississippi John Hurt or Mississippi Fred McDowell, or the country music of Doc Watson or Leo Kottke, or any well-played acoustic guitar music this is musical nirvana.

Mark has been playing guitar for over 40 years. He started out in Massachusetts, playing fiddle tunes on the guitar in the styles of Doc Watson and Norman Blake, which led in 1981 to Mark joining a Newgrass Band called the Brown County Band. In the late 80s Mark started his own Chicago style blues band, The Lonesome Strangers, and they played the New England club circuit for over a dozen years. In 2000 Mark began to pursue a solo career, focusing on combining the fast clean flat picking bluegrass style and the soulful acoustic guitar blues music from the early 1900-1950s. This is Mark's third cd, after 2009's "Screamin’ & Cryin’ the Blues"(which hit # 19 on the National Living Blues Charts), and his 2007 self-titled debut disc.

This cd only one original Small song, "Boogie Woogie Guitar Man," but he sparkles as he plays a bounty of well-chosen covers, and plays them very well. The opener will sell you on the whole disc--Muddy Water's "Trouble No More" with a full-blooded guitar and a fabulous funky rhythm. Highlights include the Billy Smythe, Scott Middleton, Art Gillham "Hesitation Blues," the traditional song "Old Gray Mare," a beautiful presentation of Scott Joplin's "Solace," Mississippi Fred McDowell's "A Few More Lines" and a very nice acoustic take on Roy Hawkins & Rick Darnell's "The Thrill Is Gone." The entire cd is acoustic with one exception--an excellent cover of John Lee Hooker's "Bang Bang Bang Bang."

All in all, a very listener-friendly disc, chock full of beautiful guitar work. This is one of those "invite 'em" discs--play this cd for your friends who say they don't like blues. 45 minutes later you'll find a new blues fan.

This cd is an Indy release. You can buy this cd at I-Tunes.