Eric Clapton • Joe Bonamassa • Watkins Glen • Dave Mason • Cyril ...

Eric Clapton • Joe Bonamassa • Watkins Glen • Dave Mason • Cyril NevilleEric Clapton • Joe Bonamassa • Watkins Glen • Dave Mason • Cyril Neville

Issue 79 • U.S. $6.002013 • $8.00 CAN

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FeaturesFeaturesFeatures8 Chris Robinson: 8 Chris Robinson: 8 Chris Robinson: Betty’s S.F. Blends, Volume One Betty’s S.F. Blends, Volume One Betty’s S.F. Blends, Volume One

by John Lynskeyby John Lynskeyby John Lynskey

12 Behind The Scenes of Eric Clapton’s 12 Behind The Scenes of Eric Clapton’s 12 Behind The Scenes of Eric Clapton’s Give Me Strength: The ’74-’75 Recordings Give Me Strength: The ’74-’75 Recordings Give Me Strength: The ’74-’75 Recordings with Bill Levenson with Bill Levenson with Bill Levenson

by Brian Robbinsby Brian Robbinsby Brian Robbins

20 Joe Bonamassa: Into the Limelight20 Joe Bonamassa: Into the Limelight20 Joe Bonamassa: Into the Limelightby Tony Sclafaniby Tony Sclafaniby Tony Sclafani

Special NotesSpecial NotesSpecial Notes26 Photo Session: Sidney Smith & the 26 Photo Session: Sidney Smith & the 26 Photo Session: Sidney Smith & the Allman Brothers Band Allman Brothers Band Allman Brothers Band

32 Watkins Glen Remembered:32 Watkins Glen Remembered:32 Watkins Glen Remembered: A Conversation with Bunky Odom A Conversation with Bunky Odom A Conversation with Bunky Odom

by John Lynskeyby John Lynskeyby John Lynskey

36 Dave Mason: The Road Behind... and Ahead 36 Dave Mason: The Road Behind... and Ahead 36 Dave Mason: The Road Behind... and Ahead by Paul Antonelloby Paul Antonelloby Paul Antonello

48 Cyril Neville Cooks up Some Magic Honey48 Cyril Neville Cooks up Some Magic Honey48 Cyril Neville Cooks up Some Magic Honeyby Leslie Michele Derroughby Leslie Michele Derroughby Leslie Michele Derrough

DepartmentsDepartmentsDepartments7 Editor’s Notes7 Editor’s Notes7 Editor’s Notes

42 Compact Dreams: Exposing the Gold In a 42 Compact Dreams: Exposing the Gold In a 42 Compact Dreams: Exposing the Gold In a Mountain Jam of CDs Mountain Jam of CDs Mountain Jam of CDs by Tom Clarkeby Tom Clarkeby Tom Clarke

46 In Tune: Documenting Up & Coming 46 In Tune: Documenting Up & Coming 46 In Tune: Documenting Up & Coming Musicians Musicians Musicians by Jamie Leeby Jamie Leeby Jamie Lee

52 HTN 6-pack: 52 HTN 6-pack: 52 HTN 6-pack: North Mississippi Allstars, Humble Pie, North Mississippi Allstars, Humble Pie, North Mississippi Allstars, Humble Pie, Black Sabbath, Drive-By Truckers, Buddy Guy, Michael Lee Firkins Black Sabbath, Drive-By Truckers, Buddy Guy, Michael Lee Firkins Black Sabbath, Drive-By Truckers, Buddy Guy, Michael Lee Firkins

58 CD Reviews: 58 CD Reviews: 58 CD Reviews: Emmylou Harris, James Maddock, Buffalo Emmylou Harris, James Maddock, Buffalo Emmylou Harris, James Maddock, Buffalo Killers, Jared James Nichols, Kettle of Fish, Los Lobos, Jack Johnson, Killers, Jared James Nichols, Kettle of Fish, Los Lobos, Jack Johnson, Killers, Jared James Nichols, Kettle of Fish, Los Lobos, Jack Johnson, Hard Working Americans, Jim Weider’s Project Percolator, Joe Pitts Hard Working Americans, Jim Weider’s Project Percolator, Joe Pitts Hard Working Americans, Jim Weider’s Project Percolator, Joe Pitts Band, The Todd Wolfe Band, Gregg Allman Band, The Todd Wolfe Band, Gregg Allman Band, The Todd Wolfe Band, Gregg Allman

Chris Robinson - Michael StewartJoe Bonamassa - Jeff Katz

Dave Mason - Dino PerrucciCyril Neville - Leslie Michele Derrough

Chris Robinson Cover photo - Paul Natkin

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www.dixiepeach.com

F E A T U R I N G

Ira StanleyLEAD AND SLIDE GUITAR

S P E C I A L G U E S T P E R F O R M A N C E S B Y

Lee Roy ParnellJack Pearson

Etta Britt

“Blues With Friends”

ON SALE NOW

F E A T U R I N G

DIXIE PEACH

cdbaby.com • iTunes • amazon.comON SALE NOWON SALE NOWcdbaby.com • iTunes • amazon.comON SALE NOW

Blues With

Too Much TroublePork Chop BluesNight RideComing Home TodayDon’t Want To WaitBottle Hymn of the RepublicTrouble With LoveIt’s Crying TimeWait A MinuteRick’s Shuffle

Special Guest Appearances by:LEE ROY PARNELL • JACK PEARSON • ETTA BRITT

1. TOO MUCH TROUBLE | 5:05(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)Ira – slide | Lee S. – middle solo

2. PORK CHOP BLUES | 4:13 (Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)Ira – intro & 1st solo | Jack – 2nd soloLee Roy – 3rd solo 3. NIGHT RIDE | 4:50(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)

Jack – solo guitar 4. COMING HOME TODAY | 5:22

(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI) 5. DON’T WANT TO WAIT | 5:03(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)Lee Roy – slide guitar | Etta - vocals

6. BOTTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC | 4:24

(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)Ira – 1st slide | Jack – 2nd slide | Lee Roy – 3rd slide

7. TROUBLE WITH LOVE | 5:20(Paulus-Peachsongs BMI)Etta – vocalsIra – solos with Scotty – middle & end solos

8. IT’S CRYIN’ TIME | 5:24(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI) 9. WAIT A MINUTE | 4:06

(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)Ira – intro & 1st solo | Scotty – 2nd solo

10. RICK’S SHUFFLE | 2:44(Stanley-Peachsongs BMI)Ira – solos & slide with Lee S – 3rd solo

PRODUCER IRA STANLEYASSOCIATE PRODUCER STEVE BENSONMIXER BUD SNYDERAT SPIRIT RANCH STUDIOS

SARASOTA, FLORIDAPRO TOOLS EDITING MARK CAPPSRECORDED AT INTUITIVE RECORDING

ARTISTS’ STUDIO DAYTON, OHIOAND LRP STUDIO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

MASTERED AT RODNEY MILLS MASTERHOUSE

ATLANTA, GEORGIACOVER ART RICK GARCIAGRAPHIC DESIGN RIKKI POULOSwww.dixiepeach.comwww.facebook.com/DixiePeachBand

© Copyright 2012 Big Shew Records

DIXIE PEACH

IRA STANLEY | LEAD & SLIDE GUITARS, VOCALS

STEVE BENSON | DRUMS/PERCUSSION, VOCALS

TONY PAULUS | KEYBOARDS & GUITAR, VOCALS

MIKE ROUSCULP | BASS, VOCALSSTEVE WILLIAMS | KEYBOARDS, VOCALSFRIENDS

LEE ROY PARNELL | GUITAR, VOCALS

JACK PEARSON | GUITARETTA BRITT | VOCALSSCOTTY BRATCHER | GUITARLEE SWISHER | GUITARSTACEY STANLEY | KEYBOARDS

DAN CONNAUGHTON | BASSLARRY VEST | BASS, VOCALSTONI VEST | VOCALSDAVE BENSON | VOCALSMICHAEL LOSEKAMP | VOCALS

HORNS ON “PORK CHOP BLUES”

GARY KING | TROMBONEMICHAEL GREENE | BARITONE SAXMATT QUINN | SAXOPHONEBRADY HAGEN | TRUMPET

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© Copyright 2012 Big Shew Records

DIXIE PEACH

Ira Stanley – lead & slide guitars, vocals

Steve Benson – drums/percussion, vocals

Tony Paulus – keyboards & guitar, vocals

Mike Rousculp – bass, vocals

Steve Williams – keyboards, vocals

FRIENDS

Lee Roy Parnell – guitar, vocals

Jack Pearson – guitar

Etta Britt – vocals

Scotty Bratcher – guitar

Lee Swisher – guitar

Stacey Stanley - keyboards

Dan Connaughton – bass

Larry Vest – bass, vocals

Toni Vest – vocals

Dave Benson – vocals

Michael Losekamp - vocals

Horns on “Pork Chop Blues”:

Gary King – trombone

Michael Greene – baritone saxMatt Quinn - saxophone

MANY THANKS to the following friends and family for their support: Rick Gembar • Lee Roy Parnell

Jack Pearson • Etta Britt Bud Snyder • Scotty BratcherLee Swisher • Jeff Carlisi Johnny A • Rob Weil Steve Dobo • Lisa Vinciquerra

Dave Benson • Mike MantiaRob Haney • Mick Montgomeryall the guys at the Gibson Custom Shop

Stan Hertzman • James Higgins our friends at the Rock HallMark Kaiser • Toni & Larry VestMike Losekamp • Dan Connaughton

Gary King • Mark Capps Rodney Mills • Antoinette Follett Kip Meyer * Rick Garcia Rikki Poulos • Marla Benson • Stacey

Stanley • and all our families and music-loving friends. A SPECIAL THANKS to our parents for letting us play loud

rock & roll in our homes.

“From the very beginning of the Chris Robinson Band, the main thing is that I always want to be confident about the material we present. At the same time, I’ve always been very anti-corporate throughout my entire career. I think that as we live in this day and age, music has become even more status-driven, and there is a lot of pretense about it. People like to talk up the role of the artist or the musi-cian, but it doesn’t really add up with their actions and/or their work. So for me, the real quandary regarding the Chris Robinson Brotherhood was that I didn’t want to do it in any way that I would have done it before. I didn’t want to start with a record deal, but if that’s the case, how do you get your music out there? What do you do? So I looked at the Grateful Dead world, and being part of the Grateful Dead family has had a big influence on me. I was like, ‘OK, we need to start our mythology now.’ We’re going to have this band, and it’s not going to be just a side project – if any-thing, that is what the Black Crowes have turned into. The CRB is now the meat of the matter for me, if you will.” Thus stated Chris Robinson about the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, the group he formed in 2011 and has nurtured ever since. Joined by guitarist Neal Casal, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, drummer George Sluppick and Mark Dutton on bass, the CRB hit the road hard and heavy and has not looked back since, gaining a following one show at a time. As Chris explained, “So the idea came about that people in this kind of concert culture really listen to the live stuff and are truly interested in what the band sounds like. So in 2011 we booked nine weeks in California to get things started. It was like Tuesday and Wednesday nights in little clubs – we hardly played any weekend dates, and we put 13,500 miles on a van just in California. We had no road crew − it was nothing but us and Brian our tour man-ager, which was very important as well, because it helps you build the temple every night, brick by brick. Like for me as a guitar player, I wanted to learn from the ground up how to set up my own gear and got through what everyone else had gone through earlier in their career. “The other part of the quandary was, ‘What are the expec-tations for this band?’ There were no interviews, there were no photographs − you had to seek it out and see if you liked it. That tour was the galvanizing factor in why this band be-came so tight, and it also gave us a safety latch, if you will, in that you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew before you know what’s happening. Within a few weeks of us being a band, being on the road and playing together three hours a night, it all clicked for us. We realized that there was only progression for us − as musicians and as friends, as songwriters and as a unit.” In 2012, the CRB took the next step in their progression as a group and recorded two outstanding studio albums − Big Moon Ritual, released in June, and The Magic Door, which followed three months later. Both recordings capture what the band does best: long, bluesy psychedelic jams from Casal, built around esoteric lyrics, Robinson’s distinc-tive vocals and soaring harmonies. “We ended up taking the energy of our road shows from

that first year right into the studio,” Chris recounted. “That opened up a lot of cool possibilities – to me, the future is interesting musically because I think it is going to be more of a connoisseur-driven thing. I mean, why make music that is watered down? Why would you dumb it down? To make money? To make it easier on the audience? The answer is ‘No.’ As a matter of fact, we need to get heavier and deeper into what we are doing. I think that is where the real reward comes down for us artistically. The rewards are also found in the little culture that the Brotherhood is – not just for us, but for the audience as well. Everybody is part of something at a unique period of time − they are there for the birth of our psychedelic rock band. That is the mentality that we want to keep going. It’s a genuine, homespun thing. We don’t want to depend upon outside influences – the band will grow exponentially as it is supposed to. People overuse this word, but our band is an organic thing that we are in the midst of.” Chris also pointed out that “Our music gives us an open-ended opportunity to experiment, and there is another cool aspect to that. All of us − with the exception of Adam − are in our forties, and in my case I’m getting into my late-for-ties. We’ve all been doing this for years and years and years – we’ve been on lots of sessions, made records and done monster tours. I think we use my name because it allows us to skip a few places in line here and there, and that’s cool, but no decisions are made without all of us discussing them.” One of the keys to the sound of the CRB is the ever-evolving relationship between Chris and Neal Casal, and as Chris put it, “I think what people are seeing is a real progression in the songwriting, the playing and in the direc-tion of where we want to take this. A lot of that comes from the relationship that Neal and I have developed; originally, Neal and I were collaborating a little bit, but now as we have progressed, our songwriting is now about 50/50. I write a part, he writes a part − it is an awesome collabora-tion, and it is exciting.” Another aspect to the Chris-Neal relationship is the step-up in Chris’ role as a guitarist. While Neal is one of the most-respected lead players in the business, Chris is taking on larger guitar responsibilities, adding an important nuance to the group. “I think the best part of it for me − coming in kind of late in the game − is a perspective thing,” stated Chris. “My sound is very unorthodox when compared to the guys who sat around and learned all of Eric Clapton’s licks, or people who grew up studying the blues. When I’m surrounded by so many talented players, I have to find some other kind of musical dialogue that fits, because I am not a flashy player – I don’t have a lot of licks and chops. This band, however, allows me to be very expressive, and that is one thing I can bring; the sound I’m into brings a different color palette. Neal is so encouraging to me – he al-ways has time to talk about guitar playing. The other thing is I have put in a lot of work into my guitar playing, a lot of woodshedding, man. Getting to play three hours a night, an hour at soundcheck, playing in the hotel − you rack up the

Singer/songwriter Chris Robinson is a very busy man these days, and very happy about it. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood has just released a quadruple live album, Betty’s S.F.’s Blend, Volume One, which captures the band at their psychedelic jamming best. While on a break from a just completed run with the Black Crowes, the legendary frontman took a few minutes with HTN to talk about the CRB and what the group means to him at this stage of his career.

8 9HittinTheNote.com Facebook.com/Hittin The Note Magazine

by John Lynskey

photo by Rhiannon B

radley

hours, and I just love it. It’s exciting to me to be able to con-tribute in a meaningful way to the musical conversation.” When the decision was made to cut a live album, the CRB already knew who was going to record, engineer, mix and produce the record – the one and only Betty Cantor-Jackson, who had made her mark while recording and engineering for the Grateful Dead from the late-60s into the ’80s. Deadheads have special affection for the soundboard recordings she made for the band. “Betty Boards” have always been among the most-coveted tapes for Dead col-lectors. Chris explained how the CRB crossed paths with Betty, and how she became an vital part of the Brother-hood: “In May of 2011, we were in Berkley playing at Wavy Gravy’s birthday party and it was a fantastic event, of course – Wavy’s birthday parties are always amazing. After the show I met Betty; she came up to me after our set and she said, ‘I love this band − that was incredible! Whether you like it or not, I want you to know that I am recording your band!’ Of course I knew who Betty was and what she had done with the Dead, so we were very flattered. Our friendship began to blossom and she would come to our shows, and she actually started taping some shows in 2011. She told us at one point, ‘In all sincerity, I haven’t felt like this about music since Jerry [Garcia] passed − I just love your whole scene.’ To be honest, to have someone say that

to us who had that kind of access to Jerry and had such an intimate relationship with the music and the whole Grate-ful Dead scene meant the world to us, and we knew we had something special with Betty. When we decided to release a live album, there was no doubt that Betty was going to be in charge of the project.” The 19 tracks that make up Betty’s S.F.’s Blends were culled from the 96 songs the CRB performed during a five-show stint at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall last December, and this quadruple vinyl album captures the free-flowing vibe and groove that defines a Brother-hood concert. All the hard work and many miles on the road paid off, as the group pushes the limit on the already wide parameters of their sound. There are five cuts off of Big Moon Ritual and The Magic Door (including “Star or Stone,” “Tulsa Yesterday” and “100 Days of Rain” ), four CRB tunes that have yet to be released on an album (the provocative “Meanwhile In the Gods” is one), three songs from Chris’ New Earth Mud-era, two lesser-known Crowes recordings (“Roll Old Jeremiah” and “Tornado”) and a plethora of cover songs (Dylan’s “Crash on the Levee” and “Do Right Woman” from the Burrito Brothers are two that made the cut). These combine to make for a riveting listening experience from start to finish. When asked about the compelling song selection and wonderful sequencing of tracks, Chris responded: “Let me tell you – we didn’t do that. That was all Betty. That was the whole deal I made with Betty: I said, ‘Listen: I have the idea for the record, but I want you to curate this.’ She agreed, and by the way, we didn’t hear anything. Betty doesn’t send MP3s, man – she is old school, and that is the way we like it. Betty made all the calls – we had no say in the matter, and she didn’t ask. This is her thing, and that’s why the album is called Betty’s Blends.” As Chris noted, “Trust was a big part of making this record. Betty has such great ears, so it was easy to trust her. It’s funny. [Grateful Dead bassist] Phil Lesh didn’t know we were working with Betty, and when he came to one of shows, he asked, ‘Is that Betty Cantor?’ I told him yeah, it was, and then he gave me his Professor Lesh look, with one eye cocked, and simply said, ‘Best ears in the business.’ I said, ‘Don’t I know it, man!’ After meeting her, there was never any doubt in my mind of what this album could be.” One of the most enjoyable aspects of Betty’s S.F.’s Blends is the wonderful musical presentation of Robinson’s lyrics. Chris has written songs for the CRB that are loaded with poetic imagery − think Robert Hunter meets Jack Kerouac, with a dash of Bob Dylan. “In the jamband world, I think there are a lot of players who are good musicians, but com-position isn’t really their forte,” Chris said. “That’s cool, be-cause it is about getting high and having a good time with your friends. Clearly I understand that. When I was young I was all into blowing my mind and going to see the Grateful Dead as much as I could, so I understand what that kind of communal feeling is. In this day and age, man, we live in one of the most anxiety-ridden eras in history. Whether it is the brutalization of our planet or the plight of the oppressed

masses in our world, hatred, fear, racism − music plays a role in combating those things, and music allows us to find solace amidst all that. “That is why I am writing all the time. I need to express my feelings about what is going on. My whole entree into music was lyric writing. I decided not to go to a university, where I thought I was going to write a novel, teach litera-ture and become a decrepit old guy with bad teeth, wearing a sweater with holes in it! Writing was always my interest; I found my way to being a singer, I found my way to becom-ing a performer, but the very initial thing was the lyrics. Again, when we talk about this day and age, where kids want to go on American Idol and it’s all about ‘Like me; oh please like me. Vote for me please!’ That was never part of my inner dialogue. As a matter of fact, being a musician in the ’80s in Atlanta, the only social class that would have me was the freaks and weirdos. Poets, junkies, transvestites, artists, historians and dropouts represented what I found interesting about life. I was never interested in posh things or safe things. Now times have changed, of course; I’m a husband and a father, so my life has a lot of focus there, but I’ve always felt that writing songs for me is, in a sense, like a bat with radar. I was such a dyslexic child and my brain is wired different, so, for me, the world I lived in in terms of literature and poetry was a world away from the normal adolescent stuff. The songs I wrote as a kid are very angry songs, more charged and edgy. Where I am now, my songs are more introspective − as they should be. I like the

imagery, I like the lushness. I want people to be able to sort of wrap themselves up in them and find a meaning. I want to stay away from clichés, and I want to be as expressive as possible with the language. The whole thing is to have this canvas where these songs can unfold and these stories about life and love and loss and joy can be told. ‘Star or Stone’ is a great example of that – it was about the first thing I wrote for the CRB. The whole idea of ‘dreams burn-ing on the side of the road’ − anybody who has lived long enough can understand what that is like.” Chris disclosed that the band’s next record “is going to be called The Phosphorescent Harvest, and we are very, very proud of it – we really look at it as our first serious record. That one will be out in April, and we can’t wait to see where we will go from there.” In summation, Chris stated, “The CRB is very impor-tant to us, and it is special to me to have this come about twenty-odd years into my career. We are very humble and blessed to be doing this. Whether people liked it or not, we would feel that way. This music we make is divinely human. It is something that is part of the vibration of our eternal past and our eternal future. It is where the finite and the infinite all coalesce, and it is a beautiful thing.”

(www.chrisrobinsonbrotherhood.com)


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The new Give Me Strength: The ’74/’75 Recordings box set focuses on a period of Eric Clapton’s ca-reer that is often overlooked: the 1974-’75 run that produced the 461 Ocean Boulevard and There’s One In Every Crowd studio albums, along with the live E.C. Was Here. Coming on the heels of Clapton’s heroin-fueled, three-year, self-imposed post-Layla exile, the 461/Every Crowd/E.C. trilogy is truly the soundtrack of Clapton’s reemergence. While 461 Ocean Boulevard received its share of attention over the years (just the cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” alone was enough to ensure its status as a classic FM radio album), There’s One In Every Crowd and E.C. Was Here frequently fell through the cracks – until now. Produced by Bill Levenson (whose impressive list of accomplishments includes the recent historic Duane Allman Skydog box set), Give Me Strength digs deep in the vaults and proves its point with a wealth of treasures. The collection explores the relationship between Clapton and the “Tulsa Gang” (bassist Carl Radle, Jamie Oldaker on drums, and Dick Sims on keys), along with keyboardist Albhy Galuten and guitarist George Terry – one of E.C.’s all-time best picking partners. Packed with numerous previously-unreleased tracks and full, unedited performances, Give Me Strength sheds long-overdue light on this point in Clapton history. Bill Levenson was kind enough to take HTN behind the curtain, providing a look at the birthing process of Give Me Strength … which was, as we will see, a true labor of love.

by Brian Robbins

Hittin’ the Note: Bill, did you feel at all a need to vindicate this period of Clapton’s music? Once you’ve been labeled “God” – as Clapton was in what began as graffiti on a London subway wall and grew into an ev-erlasting cultural statement – everything you do from that moment is viewed under a microscope. It seems, though, that this particular chapter of Eric’s story has taken some critical heat over the years.

Bill Levenson: I think what I came up against right from the start wasn’t a vindication of the music or the artist − it was the vindication of the There’s One In Every Crowd and E.C. Was Here albums. When people talk about this era, they invariably talk about 461 Ocean Boulevard – it was a hit record. It’s part of the trilogy of that era: Layla, 461 and Slowhand – those are the three that keep getting refo-cused on, and for good reason. They have hits on them, and they’re really good records.

So when you were approached about doing this …

I was asked to do a 40th anniversary version of 461 Ocean Boulevard. I said I’d love to do the project. I love the era, but I didn’t think just looking at 461 was going to be nour-ishing enough. That’s where the concept of the 1974-’75 recordings came about. Once I started it, I realized we were on the right path – it was fun to do, it felt good, the music was willing, the tapes sounded great and it never felt forced. You know, you have to edit yourself: you have a palette to work with – but as long as you acknowledge that palette, it’s actually a lot of fun to do … short of making deadlines and budgets! (laughs) Sometimes the records that fall in between don’t get the attention that they deserve, however. The “vindication” − or the concept going forward once we started − was to use 461 Ocean Boulevard as the anchor. It was the starting point of Eric reclaiming his career after a couple of years on the sidelines. 461 didn’t need an argument other than making a good transfer of it and finding a few more interesting, viable pieces that would raise the understanding of the record to another level. From there the idea was to present There’s One In Ev-ery Crowd and E.C. Was Here in their best light – to have people hear them as a unit of three albums, to have a better understanding of this ’74-’75 arc. Arcs are strange things – these days, arcs are 10 years long, you know? Artists release records in much longer cycles – they’re not in the studio like Eric was in ’74-’75: a record in April/May; a record in September; a record in June – bang-bang-bang. You don’t see that kind of prolific activity anymore. Or rarely, anyway. What this project gave me was the ability to take the focus off of 461. Obviously, that’s the draw – and 2014 will be the 40th anniversary of its release – but we were able to step right into There’s One In Every Crowd, which is my favorite of the three records. That sounds like blasphemy, doesn’t it?

It’s OK; you’re safe with me!

Well, I actually happen to like There’s One in Every Crowd a lot. I understand why it’s overlooked – there’s no big hit on there, and the cover was probably not the most striking. I think most people don’t realize the business of the business – There’s One In Every Crowd and E.C. Was Here were cut out in 1976 because RSO Records left Atlantic and went to Polydor. There was a housecleaning of product, and when those records got cut out, they didn’t come into print again for a decade. People think that they were cut out because they weren’t good or they weren’t selling, but they were cut out because distribution stopped on the Atlantic side. When RSO reintroduced 461 back into the market in 1976, they jerry-rigged it by adding “Better Make It Through Today” because they felt it was the only song off There’s One In Every Crowd worth salvaging – leaving that album and E.C. Was Here on the shelf until the mid-80s. This was my chance to settle that score and to put the focus back on these two records. The beauty of the There’s One In Every Crowd exploration was we were able to reintroduce every single outtake from the sessions for that record. And the live E.C. Was Here was an interesting process, because the original album only had six tracks.

To tell you the truth, it always felt to me that there had to be more music from that tour that deserved to be heard.

It’s a record that people have always really liked when they listened to it. They love the guitar tone. They love the interplay. They love the choice of material − but the record was rushed. It was actually issued twice, back-to-back − first with “The Sky Is Crying” on it, which was withdrawn almost immediately and replaced with “Further On Up the Road,” and “Further On” became one of the benchmark songs on the record. The original E.C. Was Here is won-derful, but it’s brief. This time was a good opportunity to revisit those six concerts and draw out of it an expansive two-CD set that, I think, tells a much more thorough story. It gives you the full arc from July ’74 to June ’75 for those six shows. And then just to add something to the soup, we have the full set of multi-tracks from the Freddie King sessions that Eric and the band recorded in August of ’74. Plus, we were able to include a previously-unreleased Surround Sound mix of 461 Ocean Boulevard by Elliot Scheiner in the pack-age, along with the original quadraphonic mixes of 461 and There’s One In Every Crowd that were done back in ’74 and ’75. I think it’s as complete a project as we could do, given the time, the budget and the practicality of keeping it to five discs.


photo by Sid Smith


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I think a lot of people are going to be slapping their foreheads when they hear this music and saying, “How did I miss this the first time around?” – aside from all the archival material that no one has heard prior to this.

I agree, I agree. And you know what really makes this package hold together? John Lynskey’s liner notes. John had some wonderful interviews with band members Albhy Galuten, Jamie Oldaker and George Terry, along with en-gineer Karl Richardson. The final result was a great essay that ties together everything we tried to accomplish, touch-ing on things so that if you’re not sure why something is there, John puts it into perspective. Couple that with the imagery from David Gahr’s 461 photo shoot − which quite honestly was the only signifi-cant photo shoot from that era – and I think it’s a really nice package. When someone takes this home for Christ-mas and sits down with it for however long it takes, I think they’re going to get a lot out of it.

This period of Eric’s music is often referred to as him embracing JJ Cale’s sound – which is accurate – but to me it’s more a case of the Tulsa gang’s presence and about them wrapping themselves around him.

That expresses itself on the “Getting Acquainted” bonus tracks on 461. That’s exactly what they were: the guys came into Miami from Tulsa, set up in Criteria Studios and said, “Let’s see what we’ve got.” And they would jam – but they weren’t blues jams − they were Tulsa jams. They had riffs, they had rhythms and if you listen to the “Get-ting Acquainted” tracks, you can probably spot the genesis of songs like “Motherless Children” – that’s where the riffs came from. Those tracks are the perfect example of what you just mentioned: they wrapped themselves around Eric − he gave them room, they gave him room, and you can hear it.

Absolutely – and they’re not cutting on each other. There are no egos, no sharp edges.

And it was all recorded in a very short period of time. For 461 they started in the studio on April 18th and by May 10th they were done. In three weeks, they went from “Let’s get acquainted and see how we feel” to having a 10-track record.

How would you describe Tom Dowd’s production style as far as knowing when to let things roll and when to reach in and nudge the rudder?

Tom was happy to just sit back and capture the moment, but he also was smart enough to know when to speak up and give direction. I think Tom had Eric’s respect and

the other players’ respect … I don’t think he ever played it hard-handed, but when he did speak up and directed, I think people listened. Tom was a musician himself and he was very comfortable in the musical language, so I think he had ideas about arrangements and was able to commu-nicate them. If you look at Tom’s record from that period, all of his albums are very musical; he brought a musicality to his projects.

Even though the vibe of 461 and There’s One In Every Crowd is much more laid-back than Layla, the music itself almost feels raw in terms of live takes and fewer overdubs.

And there are imperfections in there, too, because Tom was OK with imperfections. He was more about the feel … and that’s old-school producing from the ’50s and ’60s. Those great old records that he worked on aren’t immacu-late (laughs). But they certainly are musical and they sure do feel good – and the same can be said for these records. There are things that, if we were doing this today, we’d fix this or re-do that – but it all adds to the flavor. And it makes them very real.

Yvonne Elliman’s presence − and later on, Marcy Levy’s – break up that “boys club” vibe that Layla had. Layla was focused on a woman – Eric’s aching love for Pattie Boyd – but it was constructed by men.

These albums are different that way.

You know, I’d forgotten how close together Layla and 461 Ocean Boulevard were done: three years and change, which is a hiccup nowadays – but back then it was an eternity in many ways. The two records were recorded in the same studio and had the same producer, but as close as they are, they’re very different as well. It’s an interesting dichotomy. And one of the reasons is just what you said: having Yvonne − and then Marcy − changed it up a little bit.

Do you think it’s fair to say that – next to Duane Allman − George Terry was one of Eric’s best co-pilots as far as blending and weaving and chal-lenging Eric in a good way?

Oh, I’d agree with that whole-heartedly. On songs like “Gambling Woman Blues” – the Freddie King track − where you have George in the left channel, Eric in the right and Freddie in the center, you can really hear the interplay between them. The way we spread it out gave everybody room – you can get a sense of what George Terry was capable of doing. Technically, he was probably as good a guitarist as anyone who’s played with Eric. George’s intonation, tech-nique and creativity are pretty unbelievable … but because he’s playing with Eric Clapton, he knew where the line was, even though he was given the room. On the studio records, George’s contributions are un-believable, but they’re just short of stealing the spotlight. George Terry played a really good role for Eric. I think Eric needed the support early on – but by the time the arc closes, I think he had gathered all of his strength and all of his abilities that were put on the back burner in ’72 and ’73. Eric comes out of this era a much better guitarist for playing with George Terry.

After 461 Ocean Boulevard the setting moves to Kings-ton, Jamaica, for There’s One in Every Crowd. Marcy comes in, but we have the same core band on hand.

That’s right − and we still have Tom and Karl. Think what changes, however: the studio, the environment; and now they were on top of the world with a hit record. I suspect that Atlantic wanted another record, so they went in and made the most of it. It’s an interesting mix of materi-al. It didn’t come together the same way that 461 did, where you had the “Getting Acquainted” jams and growing from there – they had songs. They went in with songs to work on. It’s a much more straightforward session: they tracked down in Jamaica; they came back to Criteria and mixed … and they mixed right up until the end of the year. According to Albhy, the last song was “Opposites,” and they actually mixed it on New Year’s Eve.

I love the interplay between the guitars on “High.”

“High” was originally an outtake from the sessions for the second Dominos record that never happened. They made a song out of it for There’s One In Every Crowd. I sort of liken it to the way that Jimmy Page would put together a Led Zeppelin track – where every guitar part had its place. They were sort of doing that on “High,” only not as layered – it’s more organic. Every note counts on these records.

Next comes the live album, E.C. Was Here − and for anyone jonesing for the guitar hero Eric, here you go. I sense so much confidence in the band listening to the tracks on the Give Me Strength collection. There’s a difference between confidence and cockiness, which I think is best summed up by Eric’s yelling out the key changes as they work their way up the neck on the “Ramblin’ On My Mind/Have You Ever Loved a Woman” jam. Not everyone would be comfortable enough with themselves and each other to call out “D!” “E!” in that setting.

I think you have to take into consideration, too, that they went out on the road in July of ’74 with no expecta-tions – they were just happy to be out there. It got bigger than any of them anticipated, and by the end of June ’75, there’s a whole different dynamic going on. They’re slicker, they’re more well-rehearsed – they’re playing at a different level. They coalesced into a great band within

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a year, and you can feel the confidence growing show-by-show.

Were there any surprises for you as you put together the bonus tracks?

I’d actually visited these tapes twice before – once many years ago and then again in 1995 for the Crossroads II box. This time around, I wanted to find more material that sort of rounded us out a bit. We were reviewing the tapes from July 20th and there was this natural progression of “Presence of the Lord” into “Crossroads” and “I Shot the Sheriff” into “Layla” and “Little Wing” − and they were fabulous. I said, “Wow – how did we miss those last time? That’s exactly what we’re looking for!” “Sheriff” was stunning to me because it’s molded off the album version, but it’s better: they’re building on it – they’re excited to be playing it and you can hear it. Those tracks made everything else work.

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I’d never heard anything from the Freddie King Burglar sessions with Eric, Tom, and the band prior to this.

Freddie King is interesting: he had three records on RSO, the first of which was Burglar, and only the song “Sugar Sweet” was issued while Freddy was alive − if you

blinked you missed it. “Keep Me Mama” and an edited version of “Gambling Woman” Blues” were revisited after Freddy died, mixed for the 1934-1976 compilation. Here you have the full 22-minute version of “Gambling Woman Blues” and you hear it as a fly on the wall, just the way it went down. And for reasons I don’t know, “Boogie Funk” just never got used at all until now. So the fact that these are all together is really the first time that speaks to these as a session rather than spread over different records.

That’s another example of what this collection is. This isn’t just a repackaging – it’s bringing some lost music to light. Or maybe I should say misunderstood music.

You know, the term “Southern rock” is sort of overused … but if you are going to use the term, this record fits right in there. It’s not a “British blues record” or an “American blues record” or a “superstar guitar record.” It’s a good musical record that you could put right there alongside of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker … anything of its day. Give Me Strength is right in there at the top of the heap, and it was an enjoyable project to be a part of. (www.ericclapton.com)

16 HittinTheNote.com

If Joe Bonamassa isn’t a household name, well, that’s sort of been by design. “I’ve been primarily underground for my whole career, which is quite frankly the way I prefer it,” says the 36-year-old musician while on break during a recent sojourn to Nashville to co-write songs. “I’ve never been on The Tonight Show − I’ve never been asked. I was on Letterman as a guest musician in the band a couple of years ago, but I’ve never been asked to play any-thing in the mainstream.”

by Tony Sclafani

The New York-bred guitar prodigy emerged in the 1990s around the same time as fellow six-string wun-derkinds Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Derek Trucks. But he’s received only a fraction of the publicity those players have gotten, even though he’s released almost twenty solo or collaborative albums and played alongside such big-time guitar-slingers as Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Warren Haynes. Besides his own aversion to playing the fame game, a major reason for Bonamassa’s low profile is that his music has been categorized under the esoteric blues um-brella rather than in the more popular jam band camp. As such, you won’t catch him playing large outdoor venues with Tea Leaf Green, Umphrey’s McGee and the like: “We take the summers off. People ask, ‘Why do you do that?’ I say, ‘Let the kids fight it out at the festivals – I don’t want to get muddy.’” He also believes the uptown image he’s cultivated for himself – sunglasses and suits – has also put off potential listeners. “Some people have this precon-ceived notion about me,” he explains. “The reason I wear sunglasses is because I’m really light-sensitive.

Spotlights make my eyes tear up to the point where I can’t see. I wear a suit because, quite frankly, I think it’s my job to look the part. But based only on a pic-ture, people will prejudge your personality, and they think I’m too cool for school or that I think too much of myself. I’m the most self-deprecating guy in the world. I’m spending a week in Nashville, and I mean, the guy I bought Starbucks from today can probably outplay me in a heartbeat. I’m just a lucky guy who has been able to figure something out and find an au-dience. There is no best or worst. Music is just 100% a matter of opinion.” But things have been changing lately for Bonamas-sa. His name is starting to become as recognizable to the public as it’s been to guitar aficionados. The three albums he recorded as part of the now-defunct hard rock band Black Country Communion exposed him to a more mainstream audience. So did the pair of al-bums he did with Los Angeles-based songstress Beth Hart. In August 2013, he began hosting an online radio program about guitars and their players, The

Pickup, which is at www.thepickupradio.com. Most important of all, Public Television has taken to airing some of his concert DVDs, like the recently-released Beacon Theatre: Live from New York and An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House. There’s nothing like continuous exposure to millions of TV viewers to bring in new listeners. It’s probably not a coincidence that Bonamassa’s last studio album, 2012’s Driving Towards the Daylight, was his most successful, reach-ing number 23 on the Billboard album chart. “The initial success for me started over in Europe,” Bonamassa explains. “But thanks to the lovely folks at the Public Broadcasting System, a lot of my DVDs are constantly on TV in some way, shape or form, during a pledge drive or something like that. They’re very supportive of my music. All of a sudden, we found ourselves doing our biggest show ever not in Europe, but here, which is strange because we’ve been doing basically arenas over there for two or three years. We came to Denver during this past tour run and it was the biggest crowd we ever drew. “We serve up a family show,” he continues. “It’s

something where the lyrics are not offensive and you don’t have to worry about anyone taking off their clothes. You don’t have to worry about anything other than maybe too many notes. That’s the most danger-ous it gets around here. We don’t get overtly political. My job is that I sell an escape. There’s plenty of ways to get bad news. So my job in the time they’re in the venue is to bring an escape. You forget your prob-lems, you turn off your phone.”

A New Day Yesterday

Fame probably wasn’t on the young Bonamassa’s mind when he first picked up the guitar. That’s be-cause he was just a tyke when he started playing. It came naturally since his parents ran a guitar shop and his family was musical. “Even before I had a real electric guitar when I was like three or four I had a plastic guitar and I just loved it,” he says. “I loved records. I loved looking at pictures of guitars. Not a lot has changed. I always knew that’s what I wanted


Warren Haynes is a big influence on my singing.

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to do. I would jam along to records but I wasn’t really interested in the book work. I subsequently went back and taught myself all the adult chords. I kind of know how to use them but I cheat − I listen to the song first as opposed to reading the chart. But it was the most fun just sitting in my room jamming along with records trying to mimic the sounds I was hearing. I’d listen to Cream’s Wheels of Fire, grab a Les Paul from my dad’s guitar collection and a small Silver-tone amp and play at a low volume and figure out the tones and try to get into the guitar player’s head.” Bonamassa was around thirteen when he first joined the fledgling blues rock group Bloodline as lead gui-tarist. It was a hell of a gig for a kid musician, since the ensemble was made up of the sons of legendary rock and jazz musicians and guaranteed to get press. The group, which featured Berry Oakley, Jr. on bass and Miles Davis’ son Erin on drums, released its first and only album in 1994 when Bonamassa was seventeen. By then Bonamassa had decided to leave school and pursue music full time. “I was tutored,” he says. “My mother said, ‘Nobody likes a dumb guitar player.’ I’m like, ‘OK I get that.’ So basically from eighth grade to my senior year of high school I was pretty much tutored. That was easy and it wasn’t too

taxing because we’d only tour in the summertime and be holed up in northern California writing for the rest of the year. I was in that band six and a half years. It took us three years to get the record together.” Although Bloodline disbanded shortly after hitting the modern rock chart with “Stone Cold Hearted,” Bonamassa’s time in the group gave him a chance to learn about the music business and make some im-portant connections. One such connection was War-ren Haynes, whom Bonamassa counts as a big influ-ence. “I’ve known Warren probably since I’ve been fourteen or fifteen. He produced a couple of tracks on the Bloodline album and wrote a couple of the tunes. As far as singers, Warren Haynes is a big influence on my singing.” Honing his singing chops became important when Bonamassa decided to forge a career as a solo artist. His first two albums, A New Day Yesterday from 2000 and So, It’s Like That from 2002, show him finding his voice, literally and figuratively, mixing hard rock with his bluesy lead lines. His next two albums, Blues Deluxe (2003) and Had to Cry Today (2004), lean more heavily in a blues direction, as their titles might suggest. But it was with You & Me that Bonamassa says his career really began to take shape. The 2006

effort was produced by Kevin Shirley, who had worked with Journey, Iron Maiden and Rush and tops the previous efforts with its crackerjack energy and sizzling six-string licks. “I kind of go pre- and post-Kevin Shirley when it comes to my albums,” he says. “On the first four or five we were kind of wandering around trying to find a direction. When I did my first one, which was pro-duced by Tom Dowd, he was very, very patient with me to let me kind of find my footing. I wasn’t really ready to record an album. But we got through it and luckily we were able to survive and kind of went on to do some other stuff. And then in 2005, I met Kevin Shirley and we started You and Me in Vegas in late 2005. Over the years we’ve made seven or eight stu-dio albums and four or five DVDs. It’s been a great relationship.” The Shirley-Bonamassa combination bore both artistic and commercial fruit. On the musical front, the pair began to explore acoustic and roots music on albums like 2010’s The Ballad of John Henry and 2011’s Dust Bowl. Although Bonamassa’s al-bums have always been big hits on the blues chart, he finally cracked the Billboard Top 200 album chart

in 2007 with Sloe Gin, which hit Number 184. Each album since then has charted higher than the last and his latest live album, An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House, from March 2013, was his first live release to crack the Top 100, ultimately charting at Number 52. Over the years, Bonamassa has also broadened his musical palette by playing with a surprisingly wide variety of artists. Vince Gill pops up on Had to Cry Today; Brad Whitford of Aerosmith can be heard on most of Driving Towards the Daylight, and B.B. King guests on Black Rock. Bonamassa says having such a legendary musician voice support for his music helped boost his confidence early on. “I met him when I was around twelve. He’s al-ways been a really good friend of mine − a friend to me in the sense that he would give me advice and a stage and a platform to play on. Obviously, I’m not the only guy he’s done that for – he’s done that for myriad of us younger guitar players. And now there’s a whole other generation of kids playing the blues, and that’s encouraging. That’s what B.B. King wants; that’s the reason he would give you that stage to sit in on. It’s because he wanted the music to carry on for


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another hundred years and the only way to do that is to encourage young people to play it. There really is room for everybody. The more active the scene is, the better it is for everybody, because it really is a scene. You can’t just have the lone wolf out there or this one woman carrying the torch. You gotta have the whole scene.”

From Acoustic to Funk

What has come to define Bonamassa’s career re-cently is his versatility. The mellow An Acoustic Eve-ning at the Vienna Opera House came on the heels of the albums of blazing, ’70s-styled rock he did with Black Country Communion that featured Jason Bon-ham’s pounding drums and Glenn Hughes’ aggressive bass and vocals. It was also released around the time of his second collaboration with Beth Hart, Seesaw. Like the first album the pair did together, 2011’s Don’t Explain, it was a record filled with re-workings of blues, R&B and swing-era tunes. That’s a lot of musical ground covered in a short time frame. “I’ve always had these kinds of multiple influence

stuff going on, even historically with my records,” explains Bonamassa. “They’ve been almost painfully eclectic. If I was to criticize my own work, I’d be like ‘Just pick something, for Godsakes!’ Warren Haynes was an influence, but so is Paul Rodgers, Rod Stew-art and B.B. King. I’m an equal opportunity thief. I reserve the right to steal a lick from anybody! There are a lot of influences. Lately, I’ve been getting into Mike Bloomfield.” Bonamassa’s records at this point are becoming stronger because of their diversity of sound, not in spite of it. Like Neil Young, Elvis Costello and even Bobby Darin, he’s taken his love of different types of music and used it to his advantage. This is no-where more evident than on Seesaw. On the opener, the standard “Them There Eyes,” both his tone and style are reminiscent of twangy leads the great James Burton played on records by Elvis or Ricky Nelson. No one would ever connect the guitar on the track with the frantic, distorted leads Bonamassa brought to the Black Country Communion albums or some of his own records. “I’ve learned a lot of guitar over the years,” he

continues. “I’ve been playing thirty-two years. I took lessons from the late Danny Gatton. He was kind enough to teach me some guitar. The thing he taught me was to listen to as much music as pos-sible and try to be as eclectic a guitar player as you possibly can. Listen to everything from stone cold country to heavy rock to real rock ’n’ roll − which is like Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps and Buddy Holly. So with me, you get these odd back-to-back pairings. You get Black Country Communion and you get the collaboration with Beth Hart. And, you know, all I’m trying to do is play the right part for each band. I wasn’t trying to show off or anything. I just thought, ‘Well, this band is like a ’70s throw-back rock band, and then this other band is like a ’60s soul band.’ So all you do is just grab a different guitar and amp and have a blast.” On both Seesaw and Don’t Explain, Bonamassa and Hart sound so natural together you wonder why they didn’t come together sooner. “The whole thing with Beth started when she opened up for us in Lucerne, Switzerland,” Bonamassa says. “I’d heard of her for many, many years, ever since the ’90s. We

kind of shared a label over in Europe, which was the Mascot Label Group. So I’d heard of her and listened to a few albums. And I think I caught a gig in London. But I really got to see her full-on in Lu-cerne. She sounded to me like a cross between Steve Marriott and Tina Turner − and I had just happened to purchase the full Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out collection, which had Ike and Tina Turner as the opening act. I had put the Ike and Tina on the iPod through my little Bose speakers and I heard this voice and I was like, ‘Holy shit − it sounds like Beth Hart!’ Back in the ’70s, Ike and Tina were do-ing these amped-up soul tunes and I got to thinking: what would happen if we did this same playbook? That’s kind of how the whole thing started. We’ve now done three projects together − two albums and a DVD.” If that’s not enough variety for one career, Bonamassa has recently dipped his toes into the liquid grooves of retro ’70s funk, playing on the self-titled debut record by the instrumental groove ensemble Rock Candy Funk Party. Besides Bonamassa, the band is made up of drummer Tal

Bergman, guitarist Ron DeJesus, bassist Mike Merritt and keyboardist Renato Neto. “I’m actually just an invited guest on that record,” he says. “The drummer, Tal Bergman, who is in my solo band, had been doing these jams at the Baked Potato club in Los Angeles. It’s something everybody does for fun; we don’t take it too seriously. Tal and I came up with this deal and said, ‘What would a record of all of this stuff sound like?’ We used Herbie Han-cock and the album We Want Miles by Miles Davis as a template, and we just made a record. We made a record in like twelve days – wrote it and recorded it. It’s not for everybody, but it’s certainly a lot of fun. It gives me the opportunity to play over adult chords and the musicianship in the band is pretty great. So that’s been a real win and a super amount of fun for everybody.” The many facets of Bonamassa’s career are cap-tured on his newest live DVD set, Tour De Force – Live In London, which was released in October, 2013. The four-disc package shows Bonamassa playing in a bunch of different styles in as many settings. He performs with a three-piece band in the small, 200-seat London Borderline and plays both acoustic and electric sets (the latter with his full band) at the expansive Royal Albert Hall. In between, he performs a short acoustic gig at the Hammersmith Apollo and plays an old-timey blues-themed set with a horn section at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Each night’s performance offers a unique selection of songs, some of which he never performed live previously. In all, there are over sixty songs performed, all of which were recorded in the space of a week or so. Says Bonamassa: “We taped it, so we did four different shows on four different nights with four different bands and four different set lists. We did an entire review of my career from soup to nuts − everything from the three-piece stuff to the acous-tic stuff. It’s actually five different bands, because we split the night at the Albert Hall. It was a lot of work, to be honest. It was the most work I’ve ever done. But I’m excited for people to hear it. It is seven-and-a-half hours of music. I don’t expect people to listen to it in its entirety ever − maybe in small doses. It’s one of those things that you get the merit badge and you say you did it, thank you very much.” And for his next move? Bonamassa will be co-writing songs. Late this past summer he trekked to Nashville to collaborate with songwriters on com-

positions slated to be on an album he’s set to re-lease in 2014. Among his collaborators is Jonathan Cain, the Journey keyboardist who co-wrote some of their biggest hits. “We’re doing a bit of writing down there this week and it’s been fun,” Bonamas-sa says. “I haven’t co-written songs probably for ten years. I’m getting totally back into it, I think it will be kind of fun. It’s for a different flavor for the next album. Who knows? I mean, you run out of ideas after fifteen or sixteen of these things.”

(www.jbonamassa.com)

Music is just 100% a matter of opinion.

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Sidney Smith first picked up a camera at the age of fifteen, and he has never put it down. The New Orleans native quickly gravitated towards shooting pictures of rock stars, and by 1970 he had become the “unofficial official” photographer at the Warehouse, the famed Big Easy venue that was often referred to as the “Fillmore East of the South.” Among the acts Sid photographed were Led Zeppelin, the Dead, Bruce Springsteen, George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and countless others, but Sid formed a close per-sonal relationship with the Allman Brothers Band. He shot them whenever they played New Orleans, and the group was so impressed by his work that in 1973, Sid was asked by the ABB to move to Macon, GA and become the official photographer for the band and their label, Capricorn Records. Here is a very special Photo Session, as we look at the best of Sidney Smith’s lens work with the Allman Brothers Band. To see more of Sid’s outstanding catalogue, please visit (www.rockstarphotos.net)

Photo Session: Photo Session: Photo Session: Sidney Smith & The Allman Brothers BandSidney Smith & The Allman Brothers BandSidney Smith & The Allman Brothers Band

•The Certified GoldR classic from 1971 expanded to 4 CDs!

• All 4 shows as they happened!All 4 shows as they happened!

• Mixed under the supervision of Peter Frampton & Jerry Shirley!

• 15 unissued performances, including an entire never-before-released set!

www.omnivorerecordings.comwww.facebook.com/omnivorerecordingswww.facebook.com/omnivorerecordings

Hittin’ the Note: The seeds of July 28, 1973, were planted in the spring of 1972. Take us back to that time period and explain how conversations got started between the ABB and the Dead about doing some shows together.

Bunky Odom: I must say that back then, the Dead didn’t trust anybody outside of their camp − they just didn’t. The only exception to that was Bill Gra-ham, and the reason that they liked him was because Bill Graham made things happen. The Dead knew that the stage was going to be right, the sound was going to be right − everything was going to be right. The connection between the Dead and the Allman Brothers was Bill Graham – he had them share the bill at the Fillmore East in 1970, and that went well, so the two camps did have some communication and a relationship. In the spring of 1972, Sam Cutler and I started talking about the Dead and the Brothers doing something together. Sam represented the Dead and I served as the representative for the Allmans; no one else − not Phil Walden, not [Dead manager] Rock Scully − was involved in our conversations. They wanted to know more about how we operated and to get to know us better, so I made three or four trips to San Francisco, and then Sam came to Macon one time, and we started putting some tentative dates together. Eventually we decided to do two shows. As Sam said, these would be a trial basis, to see how it worked. We booked a date in Houston and a date in Athens, GA, for the third week of November, 1972. Then on November 11, [ABB bassist] Berry Oakley died in the motorcycle crash. I called Sam and told him what had happened, and so the Dead went on and did the Houston gig alone, and the Athens date was cancelled. Time passed, the Allmans replaced Berry with Lamar Williams and went back on the road, and then in early 1973 Sam and I started talking again. I went back out to San Fran a few times, Sam came and spent time in Macon, and things started to take shape. It was not an easy process, because the Dead really were paranoid about everything. I don’t know if it was because of the drugs they were doing or what, but it was like pulling teeth. I must tell you, on my first trip to San Francisco, I was afraid to drink the water, I was afraid to eat the food − we had heard so much about them dosing everything that I was paranoid! But you know what? Never, never ever have I enjoyed such a great bunch of people − once they got to know you, the Dead were just super peo-ple. I also got to know Bill Graham a little bit better,

and that helped to move things forward as well. So word got out that the Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead were going to work some dates together, but where had not yet been deter-mined. Now one thing that people need to remember is just how huge the Dead were in the Northeast in the early ’70s – say, from D.C. on up. They were as big as the Beatles up there, and I’m not exaggerat-ing. The Allman Brothers Band were just beginning to get that big up there – they were huge in New York City, and it was starting to spread, but the Dead was already huge in the entire region. What Sam and I decided to do was to play two dates at RFK Sta-dium in D.C., and then play the racetrack at Watkins Glen, NY. My job was to concentrate on Watkins Glen, which would be handled by Shelly Finkel and Jimmy Koplik, two promoters who had worked with the Dead before in Hartford. We got all the details together, and I was all set to make my last trip to San Francisco and finalize things for Watkins Glen when Phil Walden told me that he would not accept the date unless the Allman Brothers Band closed. I told Phil that insisting on the closing slot could be a deal breaker, and that closing isn’t necessarily the best slot to play any way. I told Phil that you want to play from 5:30 to sundown; af-ter sundown, people are just too fucked up. Phil blew up and just wouldn’t listen to me, so I had to go out there and tell them we insisted on closing. I sit down at this table with Sam, Shelly, Jimmy, Rock Scully, Bill Graham, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh − they’re all there. We start talking about Watkins Glen, and Shelly and Jimmy suggested adding Leon Russell to the date, but Sam and I insisted that the Band should be added to the bill – that is who we wanted. We all agreed that Bob Dylan should be asked and he could come if he wanted to, which he didn’t. So when it came to promo posters and the like, the Allman Brothers Band had the alphabetical advan-tage, so we were listed first, and that was fine. Then they started talking about putting up relay towers so the sound could reach the entire crowd, and that shit was over my head any way, so I just deferred to them on that. Then playing time came up, and I was like, “Fuck this; what am I going to do now?” Then fucking Garcia says, “We’ll take the first six hours to test the P.A. out!” So problem solved! The Dead would open, the Band would play second and the Allman Brothers would close, just like Phil wanted, but I was really nervous for a moment there!

Who had the idea to make the soundcheck on July 27 open to the public?


by John Lynskey

photo courtesy of John Lynskey

This July marked the 40th anniversary of the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, NY, where a Guinness Book of World Records crowd of 600,000 gathered to hear the music of the Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead and the Band. This festival truly was one for the ages, and defined the “friends and family” vibe of the early ’70s. Bunky Odom, Vice-President of Walden Artists and Promotions, handled the arrangements and logistics for the Allman Brothers Band at Watkins Glen, and he met this enormous challenge head-on. Bunky was used to dealing with complex issues. He had been hired in 1969 by Phil Walden, founder of Capricorn Records and manager of the ABB, because Bunky’s reputation as a problem solver was well-known in music industry circles. Working behind the scenes, Bunky helped the Allman Brothers Band on its road to success, but he was front and center at Watkins Glen. For the first time, Bunky reveals how the Summer Jam came about, which is just one of the many stories he will share in his forthcoming book.

We had no choice. I mean, it wasn’t like you were at a stadium and you could control things. There were so many people there already – there was absolutely no other choice, and it was the right call. It was basi-cally a free concert, because each band did at least an hour-long soundcheck. The whole thing was just so huge that if Shelly and Jimmy hadn’t announced that it was a free concert there could have been a serious riot. They had already sold 150,000 tickets, which was a tremendous amount − I don’t know if anybody sells 150,000 tickets to a single event any more. So I got up there three days early just to see what was going on, and it was a beautiful drive over to the Finger Lakes region. We stayed in Horseshoe, NY, which was about ten miles from Watkins Glen. Things were going OK, running smooth, and that is when Shelly Finkel said that it was going to have to be a free concert. I looked at Shelly and asked, “A free concert? How are you going to do that?” He said, “We’ve got enough tickets sold to make it a free concert and still pay you,” but they didn’t really have solid numbers on ticket sales. Now, the Grate-ful Dead’s contract and our contract were favored nation contracts, which meant we could look at what they made and vice versa. We were both guaranteed

$117, 500, which was an amazing amount for 1973. So then Phil Walden gets up there and I tell him about the free concert. I told Phil that I didn’t know exactly how many tickets they had sold, and that is when Phil exploded and said, “Goddamn it, we ain’t fucking playing − we’re going home.” I told Phil, “Hold on now – we can get this thing worked out.” I went and told [ABB roadie] Red Dog and [road manager] Twiggs Lyndon, “Listen − we’ve got a fucking problem here, just a huge problem. Don’t ask me what it is, but be ready to take everything fucking thing off the stage and put it in the truck, because we could be going home.” About that time Jimmy and Shelly come out to the stage, so we get in the back of a limousine to talk. Things went OK, although there were a few problems on financial de-tails and ticket sales that I can’t go into here, but it’s the music business, you know? I was able to assure Phil that we were going to get paid, so he agreed to let the band play. Now at that time we had no idea that that Watkins Glen was go-ing to be the largest concert that had ever happened. I didn’t realize it until I got back to New York after the show and I saw the newspaper headlines talking about the size of the crowd. Only then did I realize how monumental that weekend had been in music history.

Let’s talk about the logistics of having 600,000 people at a show in 1973, which meant no cell phones, no bottled water, no ATM machines. How did you guys deal with that situation?

For starters, each band had a helicopter. I was in charge of our helicopter, and the backstage area was big enough that a helicopter could easily land there. The band was staying in Horseshoe, and helicop-ter was the only way you could get around – you couldn’t drive anywhere. I mean, traffic was backed up for at least ten miles – people would just pull off on the side of the road and walk. You couldn’t move, you couldn’t go anywhere without a helicopter. The situation was actually pretty good backstage. The food was good, communication was good, and we had the helicopter. All of us were impressed by how well 600,000 people behaved. Somehow, Shelly and Jimmy did a great job providing all those people with water, and they made food available. Keep in mind that this wasn’t a three or four day concert – it was one day, and then everyone was gone.

What was it like to look out from the stage and see that many people?

It was incredible, just unbelievable, to see 600,000 people. It reminded me of a wave of human be-ings – just wave after wave, like you were looking at the ocean. You saw nothing but waves of people, stretching out everywhere, for as far as the eye could see. It was a sight I will never, ever forget. When you get right down to it, the real story of Watkins Glen was the 600,000 people out there. One out of every 350 Americans was at Watkins Glen, and 30% of the kids between the ages of 17 and 24 living from Boston to New York were there. That is just mindblowing, absolutely mindblowing.

How did the band handle playing in front of such an enormous crowd?

I think they handled it very well – they were excited more than nervous about the size of the crowd. Of course, I don’t think anybody in any of the bands understood what kind of history was taking place that day. Who could comprehend that? We didn’t think about Woodstock, we didn’t think about setting any attendance records − nothing like that. We just wanted to get the date done − that’s all. All the bands got along really well that day, which really helped. I remember hearing a conversation backstage between Dickey Betts and Jerry Garcia where Garcia said the Allmans were the better band and Dickey told him no, that the Dead was the better band, which was nice to hear.

What did you think of the Grateful Dead?

The Dead helped the Allman Brothers develop in a very hip section of the country that we didn’t com-pletely understand in the South. What the Dead was doing musically was original and very creative; if you compare the Dead and the Allman Brothers, the difference is that the Allmans added blues to the mix. That is why the Dead’s music meanders more than the Allman’s − the blues serve as an anchor for the Allman Brothers.

Talk about getting out of there after it was all over.

I didn’t leave for two days, because we couldn’t leave. There’s no airport up there, so we just had to wait until we could get back to New York and catch a plane. Watkins Glen really is in the middle of nowhere. There is nothing around there. What I remember about getting back to New York is that I slept for 24 straight hours!

What did you learn from Watkins Glen?

I learned that you could do business with the Dead, but they couldn’t be pushed. Money wouldn’t move them; more than anything, they wanted to know who you were and what you were all about. Once they knew you, things were great, but until then, they were tough to do business with.

Would you consider organizing Watkins Glen to be your greatest accomplishment with the Allman Brothers Band?

I think my greatest accomplishment was just getting them to the gig!! Seriously though, I think the Love Valley Festival was a major accomplishment, but that is another story for another time.

Bunky does indeed have plenty of stories yet to be told, all of which will be included in his book, which should be released sometime in 2014.


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Hittin’ the Note: Talk about your musical influences when you were growing up in Worcester.

Dave Mason: I listened to any instrumental group that I could find. The Ventures and Hank Marvin and the Shadows – Hank was their lead guitar player. That was the music I loved when I was 15 or 16, and that really influenced me. I truly enjoyed listening to lead guitar playing, and I knew what I wanted to do.

Traffic was where you had your first big success, but you also had a pretty tumultuous tenure in that group. Now, all these years later, you are putting together the “Traffic Jam” tour. Tell us about that decision. Well, I think Traffic is a band with a legacy that is worth perpetuating, and I thought that at this point it would be nice to revisit the period of time that I was with them. That was the first two studio albums, and the Welcome to the Canteen live album, and I might throw in a few things that were done after I left. It’s going to be fun, but it’s not going to be a note-for-note reproduction. I don’t want to do that, and I don’t think the essence of Traffic was about playing like that. Even in some of our more structured songs, there was always room to improvise on the solos. This is Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam, so I am going to do the songs that people will recognize from my time in the band. I’ll improvise, of course, but I think I will stick pretty much to the original arrangements. Now, I’ve been doing some of these songs already, includ-ing “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “You Can All Join In,” “Forty Thousand Headmen” and I’ve got a more up-tempo version of “Pearly Queen” as well. I’m going to add some tunes that I hadn’t done in years, so the Dave Mason Traffic Jam should be a lot of fun. The guys in the band are very excited about it, and I’m looking forward to what we can do with these songs. There is not going to be a Traffic reunion, but this tour is going to be very enjoyable for the fans − and for me.

Looking back, why did you think things didn’t work out with Traffic?

I think a great deal of it had to do with the fact that I was so young and I didn’t know how to deal with the success after the first album came out. Then I contrib-uted five songs to the second album, including “Feelin’ Alright,” but things just were not good in the band; Steve [Winwood] wanted to go in a different direction.

That was when I decided to head over to America and see what I could do on my own.

Let’s talk about some of the famous people you have played with over your career. How did your friendship with Jimi Hendrix develop?

I met Jimi Hendrix when I was in Traffic; we were all in an after-hours club in London, and Jimi and I just sat down and started talking. This was about the time that “Hey Joe” had come out, so it was probably late 1966 or so. We hit it off pretty well, because he was familiar with Traffic and what we were doing, and I loved his playing, of course. After that, Jimi and I would hang out as often as we could. It helped that we were record-ing in Olympic Studios in London and using the same engineers, so that allowed our paths to cross. It was a very small scene in London back then – everyone knew each other. It wasn’t like America, where there was there was a Nashville scene, a New York scene, L.A., Chicago, Philly, Atlanta, New Or-leans, Detroit − in England, there was one scene, and that was London. It was very cool, because you were bound to run into somebody every night you could jam with or hang out with.

What was it like recording with Jimi on the Electric Ladyland album?

I wasn’t there for the entire sessions; I sang on “Cross-town Traffic” and played 12-string acoustic on “All Along the Watchtower.” For “Watchtower,” it was me, Jimi and Mitch Mitchell on drums; that is how the track was laid down. I don’t remember exactly how many takes it took − maybe something like 25 − but it was just me and Jimi sitting across from one another, me with the 12-string and him with a six-string acous-tic, and Mitch Mitchell. It took me a while to get the timing down on the intro to “Watchtower,” and then Jimi put the bass part on and then he added all the lead stuff. You know, Jimi played most of the bass on Electric Ladyland. He wanted to get the album done, so it was just quicker and easier for him to play the bass parts himself.

How did your relationship with Delaney and Bonnie get started?

I first met Delaney and Bonnie when I came to Amer-ica in 1968. Gram Parsons took me to the Palomino

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason has been playing music for almost fifty years now and is still going strong. Dave spent some time with HTN, reflecting on his storied career, which has included stints with Traffic, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton and solid solo projects. Dave has ambitious plans for his next tour, which will revisit songs from his time with Traffic. Please enjoy this conversation with Dave Mason, as he looks back while moving ahead.


by Paul Antonello

photo by John Zom

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Club in North Hollywood, and that is where I first saw them. They were just a great band, man. When I moved to America in 1969, I started getting more involved with them. I played lead guitar for them on the tour they did with Blind Faith, and that is how Eric Clapton came to play with them. They had a big hit with my song “Only You Know and I Know,” and we had a great time together.

Speaking of Eric Clapton, tell us about your time with Derek and the Dominos.

I had played with all the “Dominos” in Delaney and Bonnie − Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle and Jim Gordon − before Eric had even met them. One of the reasons that I moved back to England was to work with Derek and the Dominos and cut some songs with them. I actually did play one show with the band, but due to circumstances, I eventually headed back to America. Eric went on to take a new direction with the Dominos and ended up making a classic album with them.

Reviewing your career, is there anyone you wanted to play with that you never had the chance to?

Off the top of my head, I would have liked to have done something with Bonnie Raitt; she is someone I’ve always admired, and it would be cool to work together someday.

How about any of the old blues guys?

No, not really. I’m not a blues player. I use blues licks in what I do, but there are guys who are much better blues players than I am.

You wrote “Feelin’ Alright” when you were nine-teen years old. Tell us the history of the song and how it has evolved over the years?

I wrote that song when I was in the Greek Isles, and it attests to my desire to write songs that are timeless! (laughs) It just keeps going, but it would have never been the hit it became if Joe Cocker had not recorded it, of course, so thank you, Joe! I would have liked to have heard Ray Charles do it – that would have been cool. “Feelin’ Alright” has been very, very good to me.

(www.davemasonmusic.com)

photo by Dino Perrucci

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Creating music therapy programs for teens and young adults with serious illnesses.

www.tylersmusicroom.org

using the power of music to heal

Music Never Stops: The Tyler Seaman Foundation supports music therapy programs. Our �rst project is “Tyler's Room,” a space for teens and young adults at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

The rock ’n’ roll literature world did not need another book about the iconic Grateful Dead. What it did need was a biography about the group’s lesser-heralded members and their roles and influence on the band – its dedicated archivists and fans who have their own place in the Dead’s storied history, personal narratives from some notable Deadheads and timely information on all the musicians and jam bands that exist today because of the Grateful Dead. Add to that some surprises and you have what Tony Sclafani delivers in his insightful, unique and revealing biography, The Grateful Dead FAQ. Sclafani offers plenty for well-read Deadheads and still more for normal folks who want to know more without having to take A Long, Strange Trip with Dennis McNally or draw their own conclusions from looking at the photos in the Dead Family Album. In FAQ, the images, informa-tion and texture of the times in which the band thrived are woven together neatly and backed with extensive research and personal accounts that add up to an imperative read for anyone interested in so significant a cultural history. Sclafani, a respectable Deadhead himself (if there is such a thing), is not shy about offering his opinion on everything from favorite shows and albums to the not-so-favorite. He

is straightforward in his assessment of what role certain members played and in what ways they may not have been a positive piece of the puzzle. He sets the record straight on certain albums and recordings and offers an honest ac-count of the Dead’s history and its impact on the rock ’n’ roll universe. Perhaps best of all the book reminds us in some ways the Grateful Dead and its music are as alive and well today as ever. Sclafani delves into splinter groups that have either remaining members in them or fronting them, such as Ratdog, Further, Donna Jean Godchaux Band, the Seven Walkers and Mystery Box as well as bands that pay tribute to the Dead, including Dark Star Orchestra, Crazy Fingers and New Riders of the Purple Sage. A whole new generation of Grateful Dead-influenced music and bands has been born over the past twenty years and the message is that the music will never stop and the Golden Road is wide open. What makes this book different and better than most of its kind? The foreword is by Mark Karan, lead guitar-ist for Bob Weir’s Ratdog and a former member of the Other Ones. It is told from many different perspectives and it has many voices aside from Sclafani’s, but it was penned and guided by a true Deadhead who happens to be a talented writer. It gives Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay and husband Keith Godchaux some well-deserved credit for their role in the band (by the way, the Donna Jean Godchaux Band is phenomenal – a must hear). It turns on old Deadheads and young aspiring ones to some great bands and music that are out there now. As a biography it isn’t overdone, but it is complete in its scope and volume. It has some really cool photographs and album art mixed in nicely that make it a fun book to pull off the shelf. It tells of a Grateful Dead history that seems to have run parallel to the one most of us are familiar with. FAQ is jamband-packed with little-known facts and trivia that will enlighten even the greyest of Deadheads. It includes a list of must-have bootlegs that will likely inspire a Deadhead scavenger hunts that will last decades more. Aside from its variety, what makes The Grateful Dead FAQ so valuable is that it is laid-out extremely well and flows easily from chapter to chapter. And let’s face it, it is a biography about the greatest jam band there ever was or will be, a story told by those who were there and heard the songs that filled the air and watched the moon go down in honey. Having read and seen just about everything out there on the Grateful Dead, I can assure you this book is one of the best accounts of the group and its music and members. It is also one the most entertaining. Sclafani achieved what he set out to do, which was to reveal the band’s past, present and future − all three clearly on solid footing. Four skulls out of four for Sclafani’s work!

(www.backbeatbooks.com)

The Grateful Dead FAQBy Tony SclafaniBackbeat BooksReviewed by Adam Scholer

41Facebook.com/Hittin The Note Magazine

wood and strings and the enchanting voice of Carol Young make instrumen-tal excursions like “Ride & Sway” and story songs such as “Forever Mine” uncommonly incredible experiences. Richly produced and widely varied in texture, this album from the Green-cards delivers another resounding case for permanent residency. Welcome! (TheGreencards.com)

The title TIME4ME2GO barely fits on the Tennessee plate bolted to the ass end of the ancient pickup loaded with their instruments on the cover of Tim & Myles Thompson’s fourth album. Likewise, the breadth of the music contained therein seems to sur-pass the capabilities of two men. But this father and son guitar, violin and vocal duo play every intricate compo-sition without overdub, just as they do when they dazzle audiences live. Pop

sensibilities drive headlong through newgrass imagination and gypsy jazz nirvana. They’re progressive in the same acoustic field as Chris Thile. “In Another Life” will no doubt prick up the ears of Nickel Creek fans. Har-monies soar and voices blend in such unison on “Time For Me To Go” that you’d think they were one. They’re masters of their axes, yet excel in the power of restraint. There’s not much more to ask for from this type of across-the-board charming music. Fantastic.(TimThompsonGuitar.com)

Like crisp air through the pines, all the incredible and welcoming aspects of the Adirondack Mountains intensify the songs of Vinnie Leddick. Tracing in the footsteps of the singer/song-writer pioneers, Leddick infuses into his tales a gamut of emotion, turn-ing everyday thoughts into inspiring moments. Heaven Help Me pulses with heart and conviction, and “On the Road to Lake Placid” particularly shines. Leddick brilliantly weaves his inner views into sights of the charm-ing places that dot the panorama from Schroon Lake to the home of the 1980 Winter Olympics. He finger-picks exquisitely on “Empty Space,” which ensures tears for any parent. At a dime a dozen for this kind of thing, Mr. Leddick is worth at least a small fortune.(VinnieLeddick.com)

Greg Trooper stays true to himself and his listeners by playing to his considerable strengths on Incident on Willow Street. A magnetic, folk-im-bued rock sound with the occasional Gaelic lilt completely distinguishes him, as does his point of view from his home in Brooklyn, NY. Relation-ships long ago became Trooper’s forte. His warm, snappy turns of phrase are all so very relatable. Who at one time or another hasn’t longed for a “Mary of the Scots in Queens,” or knew the lunkhead Irish Brian who ended up with her? Could anyone not be taken by the circumstances of the union in “Everything’s a Miracle,” or feel for them as they light out for hope in “Steel Deck Bridge?” As always, a bevy of skilled musical vets fleshes out these songs to perfection, particu-larly Larry Campbell, who makes a considerable impression on a variety of stringed instruments. Concise little Polaroids of life don’t come much more charming than these.(GregTrooper.com)

Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe belongs in any serious bluegrass fan’s collection. The pivotal 1976 album found fiddler Baker paying spirited tribute to the father of bluegrass, with whom he spent 25 years. Now, Gram-my-nominated banjoist Noam Pikelny loses himself in the album on Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe. Pikelny, a founding member of mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile’s madly inventive Punch Brothers, plays note-for-note renditions of the twelve Monroe instrumental standards with all-star accompanists Mike Bub, Stuart Duncan, Ronnie McCoury and Bryan Sutton. Their performances flicker with assurance, reverence and style. Moving between jaunts, break-downs, ballads and waltzes, the moods created flow like honey and an ex-ceedingly blissful musical experience in any setting. (CompassRecords.com)

Bold sophistication and outdoorsy naturalness conspire to polish a deep luster into the music of The Green-cards. Settled in Nashville by way of Austin (and with seeds in England and Australia), the aptly-named band appears to have evolved in a backward fashion. Although still considered progressive bluegrass, their affinity it seems for early Fairport Convention and other European folk music makes a huge impression on Sweetheart of the Sun. The amazing prowess of founders Kym Warner on a variety of

The Blasters’ Dave Alvin and others regularly tap Rick Shea for his string work. Less known is the fact that he’s a gifted tunesmith. Sweet Bernadine moves along like desert dust pierced by sunbeams, each of its songs casting unique shadows and light. Acoustic guitar and accordion drive the up-front “Mexicali Train,” Shea singing in a voice that soothes as much as it catches on a barbed wire. “Mariachi Hotel” opens battered, swinging doors to mysterious spaces, Shea all-envel-oping on guitar and mandolin over spare drums and bass. “Gregory Ray DeFord” tells of a desolate existence with melancholy, intensified by the voice of Nicole Gordon. Then the atmosphere becomes charged with Tulsa-style rockabilly for the shaken “Shake it Little Sugaree,” solidifying this Southwestern feast − reminding of the old Tom Russell − as flawless. (TresPescadores.com)

Pete Anderson’s been known for his Telecaster twang and tons of tone ever since he began with Dwight Yoakam, at his day one. Birds Above Guitarland flies consistently high, and always lives up to the ingenuity of its title. Blues, jazz, country, funk, cabaret and barroom melt together naturally − and sometimes dramati-cally − within the same song. Loose as a goose is the order of the day, but “Big Money” − about the ultimate takedown − shakes an extra fine, salsa-dyed tail feather. Subtle hints of Texas and Louisiana spice the open-air, real blues of “Empty Everything,”

and then a herky-jerky beat, greasy organ and juiced chicken pickin’ clas-sify the distinguished “Fix It Man.” But the best may be Bekka Bramlett’s interpretation of the rockin’ “Rock in My Shoe,” although Anderson does sing in an appealing tenor, besides showcasing his astonishing guitar chops, nonstop. Highly recommended as one of the year’s best, by far.(PeteAnderson.com)

Fifteen minutes and forty six sec-onds. That’s all it takes to become devout about Memphis’ supreme Lucero. Cody Dickinson produced the four songs on Texas & Tennessee, an EP that beams out beautiful and rare combinations of rock ’n’ roll, deep soul, country strains and elusive stabs of punk brashness. “Breathless Love” captivates through a sweltering mel-ody and guitarist Ben Nichols’ raspy, anguished voice, the sweet toots of horns and tiny killer strikes of piano keys sealing the deal. Nichols wrote the song, but it sits squarely in the Dan Penn and Eddie Hinton realms. The title song says “Texas & Tennes-see,” but there’s enough Springsteen in its roots and juice to make it Jersey. Squeeze box, shakers, and that broken voice drive “The Other Side of Lone-some” like a wagon train with a herd. Then it’s over, way too soon. A huge find.(LuceroMusic.com)


Noam Pikelny

The Greencards

Tim & Myles Thompson

Vinnie Leddick

Greg Trooper

Rick Shea

Pete Anderson

Lucerno

songs − each a real, infectious, com-pact song − are dynamite. The organic nature, crying horns, ringing piano, emotional voices, toe-tapping beats and wonderful culture will inspire something positive in everyone. That’s undeniably guaranteed to be it!(LegacyRecordings.com)

In case you missed it…the legend-ary blues composer, singer and pianist Roosevelt Sykes recorded The Origi-nal Honeydripper − and that he was! − at Ann Arbor, MI’s, Blind Pig Café in 1977 at the age of 71. Arkansas-born, Sykes took to the road at 15, playing raunchy barrelhouse for the men at levee, turpentine and sawmill camps. Here he proves himself acutely effervescent at all manner of ragtime and country blues, six years prior to his passing. Performer and audi-ence alike hoot and holler constantly. Sykes’ fingers brought rolling waves of thunder and lightning, his voice a series of raspy, snap-to-attention com-mands. But there were also as many playful winks. Joy envelops “Honey-suckle Rose,” but risqué humor makes no apologies during “I Like What You Did.” Sykes − like so many − deserves vast appreciation.(BlindPigRecords.com)

What is it about blind men and the blues? Enhanced feeling, naturally. That so few people know about Bryan Lee is a crazy mystery. Eccentric in ways befitting his New Orleans home and blind since childhood, Lee convinces through astonishing performance and easy acquaintance. Crescent City swamp makes a funky home in the soul of Lee’s blues, yet he trips fantastically outside that ter-ritory on Play One for Me. His gor-geous rendition of the George Jackson weeping beauty “Aretha (Sing One for Me)” opens the album and signals the special qualities within. Lee’s a guitar disciple of the three Kings, obvi-ously, and he learned his lessons well. Bobby Womack’s “When Love Begins (Friendship Ends)” screams the Stax years of Albert King via its arrange-ment and Lee’s biting guitar. The tight Severn all-stars, including Fabu-lous Thunderbirds guitarist Johnny Moeller, set the pace perfectly. The T-Birds’ Kim Wilson even tears it up on harp for the excellent take on Howlin’ Wolf’s cover of Willie Dixon’s “Evil.” Engulfed in fire all the way.(SevernRecords.com)

Florida’s Sean Chambers and his crew of superb players called up the spirits and blew the roof off The Rock House Sessions in the countryside of Music City. Long years of slugging it out and a magnificent set of songs did the trick for him this time. Chambers rips savagely at his guitar, but does so with discerning intonation. As a

singer he’s as forceful as he is musi-cal. The songs? Well, the amazingly adaptable Gary Nicholson and Tom Hambridge (who also smacks the shit out of the drums) lit their Southern roadhouse torches to get the “Healing Ground” broiling and the evil “Just for the Thrill” stomping. But “Since I’ve Been Down,” by Nashville’s the Paramours, offers up the most explo-sive thrill in that realm. The song’s paint peeling intensity rivals clas-sic Pat Travers or Blackfoot, which Chambers recently took part in the revival of with founder Rickey Med-locke. Chambers’ customary Chicago/Texas/Delta specialty proves ideal for the original blues “It Hurts to See You Go” as well as Ten Years After’s steaming and charging “Choo Choo Mama.” Stevie Ray Vaughan’s key-board man Reese Wynans produced and gave the whole thing a crystal clear, front and center wall of sound. The Rock House, indeed! (SeanChambers.com)

Point me to a smokin’ blues party that tops a Roomful of Blues show and I’m there, as soon as I rock, bop, grind, sashay and swing through 45 Live a good forty-five more times. Only the duly esteemed get to cel-ebrate forty-five years in such grand style. For three nights in a small club in the tiny state of Rhode Island where they make big blues, Room-ful knocked it out of their hometown park with hot little numbers from

across their timeline. Magic Sam’s “Easy Baby” electrifies as much by singer Phil Pemberton’s huge tenor as it does from the rising and falling of the world famous Roomful horns and Chris Vachon’s tearing guitar solo. That glorious tune sets up the relent-less big beat of “That’s Right!” and then the old time rockin’ and rollin’ of “Crawdad Hole,” which Roomful originally cut with Big Joe Turner in 1983. Perhaps the finest of the set is Count Basie’s “I Left My Baby,” a cabaret blues with the horns shooting streams into the heavens as the band walks the walk and talks the talk. Des-tined to forever stand the test of time.(Alligator.com)

Lone Star guitar star Anson Fun-derburgh kept a low profile following the passing of his Rockets partner, the eminent singer and harp player Sam Myers. But lately Funderburgh’s


Sean Chambers

Roosevelt Sykes

Roomful of Blues

been more active than ever before, slipping his unique style that blends Texas twang and Chicago sear into a variety of projects. 4 Jacks features Funderburgh with singer Big Joe Maher, steady bassist Steve Mackey, and the ever-present and amazing Kevin McKendree finessing the piano and B-3. Their real-deal Deal with It rocks, rolls, swings, and oozes the blues. Every song − especially the funky cover of Percy Mayfield’s shrewd and funny as hell “I Don’t Want To Be President” − is a keeper. With Funderburgh piercing the podium all around him, Maher shines in one of his finest moments, even get-ting in some sly stumping for “Mayor Maher.” And just wait until yer ass gets a load of “Ansonmypants.” It’ll be shakin’ ’til the cows come home. 4 stars!(EllerSoulRecords.com)

Heavy humidity seems to press down like a soaked woolen blanket when Tony Joe White sings. His voice simultaneously soothes and stirs up an ominous air. Now 70, White’s long been considered the designer of swamp-rock, and his authorship of the classics “Rainy Night in Georgia” and “Polk Salad Annie” even predate that distinction. In a word, Hoodoo explains his music. The blues are at its root, and the mystic backwaters of Louisiana permeate its soul. Cut live to tape, White’s latest album presents nine under-the-skin-exciting new songs, a feat even for a man half

his age. His acidic, squawking guitar (early Mark Knopfler, anyone?), the drummer known as Cadillac, and the bassist who goes by The Troll stir up one thick, heady brew after another, belying the simplicity of the setup. Unambiguous allegory reigns. A spec-tral graveyard encounter and a freight train beat make up “The Gift.” The strangely shuffling “Holed Up” paints the picture of a broken, isolated soul in an Airstream strewn with junk, and “9 Foot Sack” depicts the arduous ex-istence of White’s youth in a tight-knit family of nine, working a cotton farm as one, absorbing love and the blues. Everyone is highly advised to absorb White’s special blues.(YerpRoc.com)

A visit to New Orleans without tak-ing in a Preservation Hall show merits a voodoo spell − return trip encrypted. Likely unpainted since its 1961 incep-tion as the place to sustain the NOLA jazz tradition, the mysterious façade of the Hall opens a portal to the past, where funky, tremendously joyous music takes over for a time. The Pres-ervation Hall Jazz Band plays sitting on chairs, the patrons in rapt attentive-ness and jubilance on cushions at their feet and wood risers in the rear. The place is tiny. And dark. But the music takes you away to the brilliant heav-ens. That’s It! is the first all-original PHJB album, culled from a series of November 2012 performances at the Hall and produced wonderfully by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. The

4 Jacks

Tony Joe White

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

45Facebook.com/Hittin The Note Magazine

Bryan Lee

In Tune:In Tune:In Tune:Up and Coming Musicians and the Sounds They MakeUp and Coming Musicians and the Sounds They MakeUp and Coming Musicians and the Sounds They Makeby Jamie Leeby Jamie Leeby Jamie Lee Fuller Condon is an unassuming man upon introduction. He is tall, thin and understated in both his appearance and his presence. Hunched over a double bass, though, his musical personality emerges, and his talents become obvi-ous. As one half of the Two Man Gentle-men Band, he and partner Andy Bean have received critical acclaim for their jazz, swing and old timey music, but when I met him recently, it was in a dif-ferent context. The bassist was sitting in with Charleston, SC’s Cane Creek String Band on a deck stage. And this wasn’t just a one-off – Condon is making it a habit in his adopted home, taking the stage with other local upstarts like Big John Belly. His love of music is clearly apparent, and he is spilling this love into the local scene selflessly.

I met Dave Jordan in the early part of this century when he was playing bass and fronting his funk outfit Juice. In fact, my first published piece of music writing was a review of a performance by the New Orleans-based band. While Juice disbanded years ago, Jordan continues to refine his songwriting as a solo artist; he is certainly coming into his own and is deserving of broader recognition as an emerging, must-hear artist. If your curi-osity is piqued, you have to look only as far as his recent release, Bring Back Red Raspberry, to understand the depth and breadth of Dave Jordan. The follow-up to 2010’s These Old Boots, Bring Back Red Raspberry clearly illustrates Jordan’s songwriting

and performance prowess. He enlivens straight-ahead rock songs with Cajun seasoning that is tasty, but with plenty of characteristic burn. “Good One” breathes bayou heat steeped by a touch of zydeco fiddle, and “Dontcha Come Running” is a love song with plenty of soul. But the brightest star in this collection is the album-closing “Baby Be Cool,” a polished, hook-heavy gem that encompasses all of the things that make Jordan’s music so damn good. It is mellow and heartfelt, road-worn and earnest, and it is one of the many reasons that Bring Back Red Raspberry lingers heavy like summer humidity on the Mississippi River. (www.davejordanmusic.com)

Listening to Hidden Masters is akin to boarding a souped-up DeLorean and blasting back to the mid-60s. The tightly wound psychedelia begs the term “throw-back,” except that the trio sounds so natural weaving the Technicolor rock songs that inspire thoughts of buxom go-go dancers amid lava-lamp light shows. Hailing from Glasgow, this trio of Scots − David Addison, Alasdair C. Mitchell and John Nicol − came together at the start of this decade, and they have wasted little time making their mark with a sound that is clearly versed in the United States’ ’60s scene. Of This and Other Worlds, Hidden Masters’ debut, documents their heady, concise compositions and expansive, LSD delivery. If you can imagine a shape-shifting mix of the Byrds and an early incarnation of the Grateful Dead,

you will have a good idea of the sound. Keep an ear out for traces of the Zom-bies’ “Time of the Season” on “Per-fume,” and other not so obvious nods to bygone eras. It is familiar, yet utterly en-ticing. Hidden Masters are unapologetic in their embrace of early influences, and songs like “Nobody Knows We Are Here” and “Grey Walls Grey” can stand strong amid those classics. Of This and Other Worlds is a headphone trip back in time, but it’s one worth taking, given who’s in the driver’s seat. (www.facebook.com/hiddenmasters-music)

The Deadly Gentlemen are gentler than they are deadly, and in fact, they bound up their warmth and agreeability in a mellow stringed party that straddles bluegrass and newgrass with youthful charm. Although you may just be hear-ing about this band of pickers, there is more to their story than meets the eye. Greg Liszt, who attended college at Yale and earned a Ph.D. from MIT in mo-lecular biology, has toured with Bruce Springsteen and plays in the chamber bluegrass unit Crooked Still. Dominick Leslie was deemed a mandolin prodigy before age 16, and Mike Barnett took his fiddle on the road with Jesse McReyn-olds when he was just 15. Bassist Sam Grisman is the son of the legendary David Grisman, and learned the ways of bluegrass from his father. Rounded out by the heavy metal–inspired guitarist Stash Wyslouch, this is one tight collec-tive that hits the sweet spot again and again. Roll Me, Tumble Me, the band’s third album, is proof-positive of the scope of the group’s abilities. They are crisp and

brisk, imbuing their stringed frolics with a catchy spirit that plays out in the out-standing “I Fall Back.” “Beautiful’s Her Body” and “It’ll End Too Soon” boast an inspiring optimism in composition that is impossible to shake. When the group, in harmony, sings “Years from now, when I’m so very gone, know that I did my best, so carry on” on the latter, it resonates in earnest. These guys em-body an uplifting spirit that is infectious. (www.deadlygentlemen.com)

Ghosts Along the Brazos have been making a name for themselves around their hometown of Austin, TX, racking up four Austin Chronicle Top Ten music awards, including Best New Band. It’s not surprising, given the threads of Americana that bind their expansive sound. The quintet shifts effortlessly from rock to country to folk and blue-grass without a hint of hesitation; it is a natural flow from the quintet of Greg Harkins (vocals/guitar), Katie Holmes (vocals/fiddle), Kristopher Wade (bass/vocals), Connor Forsyth (keys/banjo/vocals), and James Gwyn (drums/vo-cals). They ply a sound that is certainly emotive and full of harmonious twists and turns. From old timey to folk to honky-tonk, the group delivers a wholesome amalgam on When It Rains It Pours. And its laid back nature emanates from its garage recording vibe. The album opens with a simple question – “Are we rolling?” – from there, it is easy to confuse this studio recording with one culled from the live setting. The energy is vibrant, the performances intrigu-ing, and the compositions solid. From the Beatle-esque “I’ll Get Home” to the rousing “Beaver Stew,” this quintet plays with unbridled joy. But this is no hobby – they are brimming with talent and clearly take their passion to heart.

And this is what makes Ghosts Along the Brazos so damn enjoyable. (www.ghostsalongthebrazos.com)

If there is any benefit to the shiny plas-tic mainstream country that plagues the radio waves today, it is its ability to il-luminate those songwriters who practice true country music. Take Cale Tyson, for example. Born and raised in Texas and now living in Nashville, Tyson’s style is brimming with heartbreak that he exorcises with six strings and twang-a-plenty. There’s plenty of Hank Wil-liams Sr., Townes Van Zandt and Justin Townes Earle in his guitar case, and despite the desperate themes that crowd each composition, he plays his way to salvation. For his High and Lonesome EP, he took to a studio in Nashville with a handful of first-rate players, including Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart), keys player Tyson Rogers (Don Williams), John McTigue (Brazilbilly) on drums and Mike Rinne (Caitlin Rose and Andrew Combs) on bass. What he has delivered is a seven-song set of potential standards. He croons amid reverberating pedal steel on the fittingly antiquated “Honky Tonk Moan,” waltzes with ele-gance on “Lonesome in Tennessee,” and crafts airy isolation with the stripped-down “Long Gone Girl.” Through it all, Cale Tyson proves that he is the real deal, a country player who embraces the genre’s rich tradition and shies from the over-processed and eternally dramatized mainstream. (www.caletyson.net)

Quincy Mumford may be only 21 years old, but don’t let his age fool you. He has performed over 400 shows, and these days, he is making a name for

himself and his band, the Reason Why, riding the groundswell created by his fifth album, It’s Only Change. Sincere and soulful best describe this song-writer’s approach, and he does it with a remarkable polish and a sunny disposi-tion that recalls contemporaries like Jack Johnson and G. Love and Special Sauce. Jazz, R&B and ska? You will find these undercurrents pulsing throughout, and Mumford has surrounded himself with a talented collective made up of Karlee Bloomfield (keys), Brian Gearty (bass), Mike Zdeb (guitar) and David Vossel (drums). It’s Only Change is a rich showcase of the strengths of Quincy Mumford & the Reason Why. “Change” is aged, mature, and deliberate in both the well-honed instrumentation and the tone in Mumford’s voice. “When You Get Back” is gorgeous and heartfelt, “A Hard Place” boasts an empower-ing bounce, and “Time Won’t Wait” keeps pace with a guitar bristle that is intensified by its contrast to Mumford’s silk-smooth delivery. It is impossible to ignore the well-formed compositional arrangements on It’s Only Change, not to mention the outstanding production quality. These ten tracks have been spit-shined and are beaming, to say the least. It wouldn’t be surprising if this album came with sunglasses. (www.quincymumford.com)

There is something pleasing about seeing young players joined onstage by someone like Fuller Condon. More importantly, it is wonderful that he is stepping out onto the small stage with developing players and, judging by sights and sounds, having a grand old time. Music is a universal language, and for some, it’s tough not to talk. Sure, The Two Man Gentlemen Band is taking a bit of a break, but the Charleston music scene is lucky that Condon is eager to grab his bass and join the party.

Dave Jordan


Quincy Mumford

Hidden Masters

The Deadly Gentlemen

Ghosts Along the Brazos

Cale Tyson

There is something pleasing about

Hittin’ the Note: You just turned 65; what still excites you about making music?

Cyril Neville: To me, music is a human force, and that’s what I was hoping for in the music that was on this record. It’s not just rock and roll or rhythm and blues − it’s joy and soul as well. It was a spiritual experience for me do-ing it so I hope that’s the same thing that happens for the people listening, that they have the same type of hearing experience from it. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I’m still here, because of this gift. And that’s the way I treat it.

How did you decide what songs you wanted on this album?

Well, the list started off much longer than just twelve songs. The blues stuff basically was first on the record because that’s the basis for everything, for all the stuff I do − blues and gospel. And then I got to explore the rock edge a little bit, too. It’s something that I used to get a chance to do every now and then with the Neville Broth-ers, and, recently I got a chance to do it again with my son Omari’s band, Rejected Youth Nation. Matter of fact, he is the one that turned me on to Rush. He was rehearsing “Working Man” with his band and he told me, “Man, this is you. Why don’t you try adapting this to your style?” And when I first heard it, the first thing that came to my mind was that I could never sing that high. But it turns out that’s one of the finest songs on the record, and I got a real charge out of doing it. I thought I may as well explore this rock edge a little bit more, so I did that Warren Haynes song, “Invisible.” I had a chance to dip in every little musical element in my musical gumbo that I wanted and we ended the whole thing with a reggae song. I have to say it came out like it did because of the musicians that was on it and the pro-ducer, David Z. I had waited a long time to get to work with him and he brought in “Something’s Got a Hold On Me.” The minute that I heard it, I was like, “Yeah, I got to do this.” I was blessed to have Mean Willie Green on drums, Carl Dufrene on bass, my nephew Norman Caesar on keyboards, and I had Cranston Clements on guitar, who is all over this record in so many different ways. We came up with a lot of the arrangements together and that was the kind of experience it was. Everybody was eager to do it, everybody had fun and every track on that record is a first take. That record was done in three days. The second day that we were in the studio we had Allen Toussaint come in and do his parts, and there was no overdubbing or noth-ing. Allen was sitting down at the piano, just playing along with everybody else. That’s how much fun everybody was having. The other part of this was getting a chance to stand in the studio and watch these cats doing what they were

doing and watching how much fun they were having. We were intending on a few of those songs fading out but about a week into the mixes, David called me and said, “Man, there is no way taking any of this stuff off.” So all of those endings and all of those stretches on the ends of the songs, that’s some stuff that originally wasn’t supposed to be there. But it was such great musicianship that we just left it like it was. I’ve been knowing Cranston just about as long as I been knowing Willie Green but this is the first time we really got a chance to write songs together. He and I wrote “The Blues Is the Truth,” and you can hear from his guitar work on this record that Cranston definitely is one of the finest guitar players that New Orleans has ever produced, in any style, in any form. That’s him soloing on “Another Man,” and just about everything on there is him, except the Wal-ter Trout song, which is “Running Water” − that’s actually Walter playing guitar on it.

Why did you call your album Magic Honey?

I am so glad you asked. That song is written about the best friend I ever had in my life, my queen, my wife, Gayni-elle. I know I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now if it wasn’t for her being in my life. Having said that, it was one of those situations where we needed one more song. I’d went through everything in the book that I knew would fit on this particular menu that I was preparing. So I had to go walk out in the woods over there by the studio and come up with something. I had already kind of toyed with this idea about this magic honey thing. That term came from Jimi Hendrix in “Who Knows,” where he’s talking about this lady and that’s been rolling around in my head ever since I heard that song. To make a long story short, I grew up listening to the radio with my aunts and my mom and it was all blues and rhythm and blues and I always said that I wanted to one day write and sing and perform the music that would make people feel the same way I saw them feel, react the same way I saw them react, and make them feel the same way that music made me feel. So this song is a throwback to me seeing my aunts and my mom react to Wynonie Har-ris and how I realized that he wasn’t really talking about churning no butter! (laughs). When they realized that I really dug it and I was listening and that I figured it out, it was this big burst of laughter and these hugs and ev-erything that came from that. So that song basically is the way I feel about my woman’s love. It’s magic honey.

The Royal Southern Brotherhood is a big part of your life now. How did you get involved with these particu-lar musicians?

Rueben Williams from Thunderbird Management manages all of us individually. Somebody was having a conversa-


by Leslie Michele Derrough

photo by Leslie M

ichele Derrough

When your surname is Neville, you thrive on funky soul-based harmonies. But to the youngest of New Orleans’ own Neville Brothers, the name symbolizes family. “I am very tribal, very family ori-ented,” Cyril Neville explained. “That is what life is about for me.” And his musical family was just as important when he went into the studio to record his recent solo album, Magic Honey. “That group of people that was in the studio with me, we may not have the same blood running through our veins but that is very much so my family.” Although Neville’s current gig is in Royal Southern Brotherhood and he still plays with the Voice of the Wetlands alongside Dr. John and Tab Benoit, he found time to stir up a gumbo of songs with some of his oldest friends: “Nothing happens be-fore it’s time.”

tion with him and saw that myself and Devon Allman was part of his roster and the cat said, “You never wondered why didn’t the Neville Brothers and the Allman Broth-ers ever do anything together?” Rueben said that set the wheels to turning in his head. He got on the phone and asked us to think about putting a group together. And it was me, Devon Allman and Mike Zito. At that point, I had never met Devon, and Mike Zito had done some stuff with the Voice of the Wetlands and he and I wrote a song together called “Pearl River,” which won the Blues Music Awards Song of the Year in 2010. So we got together and started trying to see if we could write songs together because that’s what any career is going to be based on. We started doing it by email and thankfully with technology today you don’t have to be in the same place at the same time to create stuff together. We put a couple song ideas together and then I think it was around Jazz Fest time and we were all in New Orleans so we rented a studio and we banged out a couple of things with just the three of us, did that for a couple of days and we came up with some pretty good ideas. Then it was time to get a rhythm section and make this a real band and see if we could actually turn these songs into a CD and a show. We were lucky enough to wind up with Yonrico Scott on drums and Charlie Wooton on bass. And the good thing is our voices just automatically blended. The other good part about this group is that nobody’s

individuality or personality is lost. It’s a beautiful, beauti-ful trip that we’ve been on because we haven’t stopped since this thing started. We did this Blues Festival in Norway and really got to see the seeds that we planted the year before when we were over there when the band had just started. The first time we went over there, the record wasn’t even out yet. But to go back and then see that the audience has grown really recharged our batteries. And while we were in Norway, we got in the studio and wrote six new songs for the next record.

Do you remember the first time you saw the Allman Brothers Band play?

Yeah, I was in Macon, GA, doing the first recording I ever did, with the Meters, and it was produced by Allen Tous-saint. We were doing it in this studio in Macon that Phil Walden and Otis Redding had done a lot of their stuff in. On this particular day we had wound up the project early so we had some time to burn. So Phil Walden said that there was this function going on in the park not far from the studio and there was a band playing that he thought we probably would dig. I was like, maybe twenty or twenty-one years old at the time. So when I’m on my way to the park, the picture I had in my mind was that I’m about to see a band full of these older black cats that were laying it down like it was supposed to be laid down. When I get closer to the park and I’m hearing the music, that’s exactly


photo by Leslie M

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what I hear, the blues. And I hear it being played correct and it’s hitting me like it’s supposed to hit. Then we turn the corner and walk into the park and there’s this rainbow audience; different shades of people. And then I look up on stage and the first thing I see is this cat behind a B-3 organ, blonde hair flying all over the place (laughs) and the next thing I see is they got two drummers. And I see Jaimoe and he got an earring in his ear. Trust me, the next day I had an earring in my ear (laughs). And seeing the look on Phil Walden’s face, it was a look of satisfaction, like, didn’t I tell you? This must have been like 1969 or 1970, and that was one of the hippest experiences of my life and that’s how long this connection between the two families has been going on.

What has been your greatest inspiration to make music?

Well, I feel like I was really blessed to grow up where I grew up at. Not just in the city of New Orleans, which is very special in itself, but the home that I came up in where I was blessed to have the opportunity to interact with some of the greatest musicians that New Orleans ever produced right in our living room because that’s where my brother Art’s band rehearsed. And these great cats were in his band; I’m talking about on any given day there was like John Boudreaux on drums and other times it was Leo Morris, or it was Smokey Johnson. All of these cats were at some time or another in my living room. So at an early age there was no doubt in my mind

what I would be doing the rest of my life. So I would say that my first and biggest inspiration was my brother Art. I had other inspirations growing up at that time in the ’50s in New Orleans but Art was the first person in my family whose voice I heard coming out of that magic box called radio. Art’s stuff was being played right along with Fats Domino and Little Richard and Larry Williams, all of them big cats that were basically on Specialty Records and kind of set the tone for what New Orleans music was going to be for a long time. He was right in the middle of all that. The first gigs that I went on, the first band I played in, was Art Neville & the Neville Sounds. They had some other young cats from the neighborhood that wound up playing in that band like Zigaboo and George Porter Jr., and Leo Nocentelli, and that band later on changed into the Meters. The thing that really inspired me more than anything else − other than getting the chance to inter-act with all those other musicians − was to actually go on those gigs and to actually be in places that I knew I wouldn’t be able to go in if it wasn’t for Art. And then going to places where he wasn’t playing with the band, where it was just him and the piano. That was powerful to me; that just Art and a piano could do that to an audi-ence. So I would say Papa Funk Art Neville is still my biggest inspiration.

(www.cyrilneville.net)

NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS: WORLD BOOGIE IS COMINGSongs of the South Records – All ison Hersh

“ROOTS MUS IC” For their seventh studio album, World Boogie Is Coming, the North Mississippi Allstars made a conscious decision to go back where it all began, digging deep into the gritty roots music of the Mississippi hill country. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickson joined forces with guest artists like Lightnin’ Malcolm, Duwayne and Garry Burnside, Kenny Brown, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Sharde Thomas and Chris Chew to create seventeen sassy, funky, playful tunes brim-ming with creative energy. The newly-invigorated band tackles blues standards like Willie Dixon’s “My Babe” and the traditional “Rollin ’n’ Tumblin” and performs a bevy of new tunes. Electric guitars blend with two-string coffee can did-dley bows, fuzz tones and fife and drum accompaniment. It’s a heady mix, but it really works. “We’re after a kind of primi-tive modernism, hill country blues for a new generation,” Luther explains. The Dickinson brothers recorded most of the CD at their own Zebra Ranch Studios in Coldwater, MS. As a result, World Boogie Is Coming has a decidedly down-home feel, as if it were created on a front porch at twilight as fireflies twinkled in the distance. World Boogie Is Coming is the rare album that’s truly larger than the sum of its parts. The tracks on this CD combine to create a richly textured sonic landscape infused with a powerful sense of place. Inspired by their Southern heritage and the memory of their late father, Memphis music icon Jim Dickinson, Luther and Cody create a dense sonic tapestry that’s steeped in the blues and infused with con-temporary musical influences reminiscent of Beck or Moby at their best. The album, whose title is borrowed from one of Jim Dickinson’s signature phrases, has plenty of commanding guitar riffs and outstanding guest performances. The brothers re-united with former tour-ing partner Robert Plant for “JR” and “Goat

Meat,” two high-energy songs that kick-start this party. The former Led Zeppelin frontman lent his hammer-of-the-gods-style harmonica to World Boogie, meeting up with Luther and Cody to record at the leg-endary Royal Studios in Memphis. Plant’s only request? He wanted to play his harmonica in the key of A. With a familiar wail that recalls the iconic intro to “When the Levee Breaks,” Plant fires up the harpoon on “JR,” a propulsive instru-mental. The opening tune blends effortless-ly into

“Goat Meat,” with its

side-splitting refrain, “Ain’t fit to eat,” repeated until unbridled hilarity ensues.

Raw creative energy, a juke joint spirit and a genuine love

of music set World Boogie Is Coming apart. The goal here is connection, not perfection. It’s about reaching back to the past and looking ahead to the future while remaining centered in the present. Luther and Cody share their passion for swampy Mississippi blues with a new generation of listeners, showing why this music means more now

than ever, as practiced by the children and grandchildren of some of the genre’s most legendary artists. One of the highlights of this landmark album is “Snake Drive,” with its hypnotic call-and-response vocals and scratchy, time-warp ’70s-style funk. This musical mash-up is less than three minutes, but it brims with spunky, sing-along fun. “Turn Up Satan,” a rhythmic lament about a wayward woman, and “Meet Me in the City,” a romantic plea to a lover, showcase the band’s remarkable versatility and uncanny ability to blend disparate musical styles. “Granny, Does Your Dog Bite” and “My Babe” feature powerful vocals by Shardé Thomas, Otha Turner’s granddaughter. Shardé’s plaintive, sassy voice contrasts nicely with Cody’s sharp, rhythmic per-cussive accompaniment. “Jumper on the Line,” a ten-minute whiskey-infused romp, offers an in-toxicating journey through Mississippi country-funk, with vocals, guitar and drums twining together like wild wisteria vines growing alongside a rural South-ern highway. This is boogie at its best, fusing old and new sounds with a driving backbeat.An explosion of dirty, gritty blues, World Boogie Is Coming has more heart and soul than any previous North Mississippi Allstars recording. Luther’s limber slide guitar, meaty riffs and muddy vocals drive the album’s earthy sound as Cody holds down the beat expertly.

National Public Radio has called the North Mississippi Allstars “Americana music luminaries.” This CD supports this assessment, juxtaposing boogie, funk and blues brilliantly in one masterful collection. Luther and Cody Dickinson truly bring it all back home on this album. Like a swig of high-octane moonshine, World Boogie is at once bracing, soul-stirring and heart-warming. By any measure, the North Mississippi Allstars have created a musical celebration. Luckily, we’re all invited to join in on the fun.

(www.northmississippiallstars.com)

The newly-invigorated band tackles blues standards like Willie Dixon’s “My Babe” and the traditional “Rollin ’n’ Tumblin” and performs a bevy of

The tracks on this CD combine to create a richly textured sonic landscape infused with a powerful sense of place. Inspired by their Southern heritage and the memory of their late father, Memphis music icon Jim Dickinson, Luther and Cody create a dense sonic tapestry that’s

ly into

“Goat Meat,” with its

side-splitting refrain, “Ain’t fit to eat,” repeated until unbridled hilarity ensues.

Raw creative energy, a

versatility and uncanny ability to blend disparate musical styles. “Granny, Does Your Dog Bite” and “My Babe” feature powerful vocals by Shardé Thomas, Otha Turner’s granddaughter.

National Public Radio has called the North Mississippi Allstars “Americana North Mississippi Allstars “Americana music luminaries.” This CD supports this assessment, juxtaposing boogie, funk and blues brilliantly in one masterful collection. blues brilliantly in one masterful collection. Luther and Cody Dickinson truly bring it all back home on this album. Like a swig of high-octane moonshine, at once bracing, soul-stirring and heart-

52 53

HUMBLE P I E :PERFORMANCE : ROCK IN ’ THE F I LLMORE

Omnivore Recordings – Tony Sclafani

“HOTTER AND NAST IER” British supergroup Humble Pie wasn’t the darlings of rock critics and never had a big hit single in the United States. Instead, the band achieved popularity by relentlessly touring and dazzling fans at live shows with its four-cornered magic. Up front were the larynx-shredding vocals of Steve Marriott (ex-Small Faces) and the magic-fingers guitar of Peter Frampton (ex-Herd). Bringing up the rear were tough-guy bassist Greg Ridley (ex-Spooky Tooth) and boy-wonder drummer Jerry Shirley (ex-Apostolic Intervention). After two albums that were more unplugged than electric, they found their voice creating a soulful, blues-driven hard rock sound that hit an apotheosis of sorts on the 1971 double live set Performance: Rockin’ the Fillmore, which cemented their reputation as hard rock heavy hitters. But after that, the Pie (as fans called ’em) largely faded from consciousness. Part of the reason for that was the negative press. As late as 1992, the Rolling Stone Album Guide called the group “un-listenable,” and claimed that Marriott “brandished one of the most annoying voices in rock: a hectoring, sandpaper parody of black authenticity.” Happily, opinions changed as time passed and the Pie became seen as influ-ential. The group’s sound was echoed by bands like the Black Crowes and about a decade after Steve Marriott’s death at age 44 in 1991, a cult started to build. Musicians ranging from Paul Stan-ley to Steve Perry began to sing Marriott’s praises, critics in magazines like Classic Rock got on board, and Humble Pie’s work was reassessed in a more positive light. This expanded release is a product of that reassessment. Where the original vinyl release offered seven songs spread across four sides, this set delivers a whopping twenty-two tunes on four CDs.

Included are all four shows from Humble Pie’s two-night run at the Fillmore East on May 28 and 29, 1971. The sets are pre-sented exactly as they were played, with no editing or re-sequencing. Surviving members Frampton and Shirley produced the set themselves (Ridley died in 2003) and the sound is powerful and rich, hotter and nastier, steering clear of the harsh over-compression that has marred so many

CD reissues.

Fillmore was a live album in the tradition of the Grateful Dead’s

Live/Dead and the All-man Brothers’ At Fillmore

East in that it was filled with long jams of songs that mostly hadn’t been featured on studio albums. It also presents Marriott in his prime, just as those afore-mentioned albums presented Jerry Garcia and Duane Allman at their pinnacles. Critical barbs about Marriott’s sing-ing being a “sandpaper parody of black authenticity” miss the point. Like Garcia and Allman, Marriott was taking African-

American musical ideas and pushing them into unexplored territory. Had he studi-ously recreated these songs like museum pieces (as some lesser musicians did), that would have been parody − of the uninten-tional kind. To put it bluntly, the revamped Perfor-mance: Rockin’ the Fillmore kicks ass, which is clearly what the band wanted to do at its live shows. The group might not have boasted a musician as visionary as Garcia or Duane Allman, but what they did have was a “collective mind” that made their music come off as far more than the sum of its parts. And when they locked

into a groove, the result was a monstrous intensity few groups achieved. A perfect example is their cover of Muddy Waters’ “I’m Ready,” included here in four versions, each one more explosive than the next. Other bands might have had more finesse, but few rocked harder than Humble Pie. What the expanded Fillmore delivers in power, it lacks in variety. There are no new songs here, only multiple versions of songs from the original release. Most of the original numbers appear four times, like the classic opener, “Four Day Creep” and the band’s long-form cover of Dr. John’s “I Walk on Gilded Splin-ters.” This puts the focus on the group’s performance (pun intended). Listeners

can hear the different ways, for example, Frampton approaches his leads in “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” or Marriott puts across his “naughty schoolboy” ad-libbing in “Hallelujah (I Love Her So).” Anyone looking for more variety can always seek out other live CDs, like King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: In Concert Humble Pie Live or Live at the Whiskey A-Go-Go ’69. The detailed liner notes by Tim Cohan include interviews with Frampton and Shirley which touch on everything from how the band approached the songs to how they mixed the original album. If you’re looking for good old no-frills classic rock, well, you can’t do much better than this set.

(www.humble-pie.net)

rear were tough-guy bassist Greg Ridley (ex-Spooky Tooth) and boy-wonder drummer Jerry Shirley (ex-Apostolic

After two albums that were more

Happily, opinions changed as time passed and the Pie became seen as influ-ential. The group’s sound was echoed by bands like the Black Crowes and about a decade after Steve Marriott’s death at age 44 in 1991, a cult started to build. Musicians ranging from Paul Stan-

many

CD reissues.

Fillmore was a live album in the tradition of the Grateful Dead’s

Live/Dead and the AllLive/Dead and the AllLive/Dead -man Brothers’ At Fillmore

have boasted a musician as visionary as Garcia or Duane Allman, but what they did have was a “collective mind” that made their music come off as far more than the sum of its parts. And when they locked

can hear the different ways, for example, Frampton approaches his leads in “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” or Marriott puts across Need No Doctor,” or Marriott puts across his “naughty schoolboy” ad-libbing in “Hallelujah (I Love Her So).” Anyone looking for more variety can always seek out other live CDs, like Flower Hour Presents: In Concert Humble Flower Hour Presents: In Concert Humble Pie Live or Live at the Whiskey A-Go-Go Pie Live or Live at the Whiskey A-Go-Go

HittinTheNote.com Facebook.com/Hittin The Note Magazine

BLACK SABBATH: 13

Vertigo/Republic − Michael Lohr

“GRATIFYINGLY GLOOMY” Sound the trumpets of desolation and inform Homeland Security that Hell has indeed frozen over. The original Black Sabbath has reformed and released a new studio album full of doomy de-lights…oh, wait, seems Bill Ward is missing from the line-up. Well then, how about snow flurries in Purgatory instead? The many issues that have been aired between drummer Bill Ward and his Sabbath mates have been well docu-mented elsewhere, so I will not go into the specifics. The drums on 13 studio sessions were handled by the highly competent Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave fame. The touring drumming has been handled by Tommy Clufetos. So that’s that, as they say. Unlike the 1998 reunion, this one accompanies a new studio album. Titled 13, this is actually the Black Sabbath’s nineteenth studio album over-all, counting all line-ups, etc, and their first studio offering since 1995’s Forbidden. The Rick Rubin-produced disc is a bluesy, gloomy throwback to Sabbath’s early days and fits comfortably like a favorite old leather jacket. The seeds of 13 were sown in 2001, when the original lineup got together with Rick Rubin to begin work on a new studio album. Those recording sessions were put on hold so Ozzy could finish a solo record. It was not until late 2011 that they reconvened in earnest to pursue a recording that would provide Black Sab-bath with a chance to contribute a proper coda to their legacy instead of the tepid Never Say Die. The songs on 13 are truly epic. Tony Iommi’s signature tritone guitar riffs and Geezer Butler’s hammering bass are top notch. The pounding eight-minute open-ing track, “End of the Beginning,” is a calamitous, thunder-filled tune that con-

tains enough time changes to please any Rush or Prog rock fan. But the ending is a surprise as the song morphs enigmati-cally into something more reminiscent of psychedelic Cream or “Strawberry Fields”-era Beatles. The powerful guitar riff from the song “Loner” recalls the classic “N.I.B.,” and possesses just as powerful an ambiance. The bluesy, har-monica saturated “Damaged Soul” is a brilliantly broken tune. One can feel the soul

aching history emanat-

ing from the music. With “Damaged Soul,” you can sense the band’s

struggle over the years, from their beginning days

on the streets of Birmingham, England, through the past four decades of drug-fueled highs and lows. Their resilient determination to endure has never been more evident. On the “Planet Caravan”-esque “Zeit-gest” − complete with bongos, distorted vocals and Spanish guitar accents − Sabbath evokes the essence of a differ-

ent era. One can almost see the dying embers of the Summer of Love rising in the murky smoke of Woodstock’s seared afterglow. Perhaps the most commanding track on 13 is “God Is Dead?” On this one, a heavy, monolithic riff leads the listener along a precarious path, well-traveled, but fraught with peril. The song asks a question that theologians, philosophers and all manner of “wise” men have been asking since the dawn of time. Are we alone in this conscious experience here on Earth or is there an unseen hand guiding our movements? A thousand different answers can be derived from a thousand different sources, but in reality we are the sources of our own fates, and this is the message that main lyricist Geezer Butler sends. In a touching splotch of continuity, 13 ends with the same rumbling thunder and haunting church bells that that signaled the impending storm on the first track of Sabbath’s 1970 self-titled debut. For the album cover art, British sculp-tor Spencer Jenkins was commissioned to create an eight-foot tall wicker 13, which in very “Wicker Man”-meets-Guy Fawkes-fashion, was set on fire at night in the Buckinghamshire coun-tryside. The fiery glow could be seen for miles and the locals understandably were freaking out. With Doom Metal existing now as its own genre, with such Sabbath-influenced successful bands such as Mastodon, Graveyard and Baroness taking up the torch, Sabbath’s legacy as not only the progenitors of heavy metal, but the greatest band ever to play heavy metal, is most assured. 13 is an excellent crescendo for Black Sabbath’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career. What a gratifyingly gloomy, doom-laden ride it’s been. Thank you and cheers!

(www.blacksabbath.com)

mented elsewhere, so I will not go into studio

sessions were handled by the highly competent Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave fame.

lineup got together with Rick Rubin to begin work on a new studio album. Those recording sessions were put on hold so Ozzy could finish a solo record. It was not until late 2011 that they reconvened in earnest to pursue a recording that would provide Black Sab-

soul

aching history emanat-

ing from the music. With “Damaged Soul,” you can sense the band’s

struggle over the years, from their beginning days

asking since the dawn of time. Are we alone in this conscious experience here on Earth or is there an unseen hand guiding our movements? A thousand different answers can be derived from a thousand different sources, but in reality we are the sources of our own fates, and this is the message that main lyricist Geezer Butler sends. In a touching splotch of continuity, ends with the same rumbling thunder and haunting church bells that that signaled the impending storm on the first track of Sabbath’s 1970 self-titled debut. For the album cover art, British sculptor Spencer Jenkins was commissioned to create an eight-foot tall wicker 13, which in very “Wicker Man”-meets-Guy Fawkes-fashion, was set on fire at night in the Buckinghamshire countryside. The fiery glow could be seen for miles and the locals understandably were freaking out. With Doom Metal existing now as its own genre, with such Sabbath-influenced successful bands such as Mastodon, Graveyard and Baroness taking up the torch, Sabbath’s legacy as not only the progenitors of heavy metal, but the greatest band ever to play heavy but the greatest band ever to play heavy

54 55

Drive-By Truckers: Alabama Ass Whuppin ’

ATO Records − Brian Robbins

“Country Roots With Punkish Recklessness” This is the sound of four men jumping off a cliff. By 1999, the Drive-By Truckers – Pat-terson Hood and Mike Cooley on guitars and vocals, Rob Malone on bass and vocals and Brad Morgan on drums – had reached the crossroads known as “Shit Or Get Off The Pot.” The band members were in their 30s, they’d just released their second album (Pizza Deliverance), so if something was ever going to happen, it had to happen now… and nothing was going to happen unless the band themselves made it happen. That was the point where the mem-bers of the Drive-By Truckers quit their day jobs, loaded their gear into their 1988 Ford Econoline van, and hit the road. “We didn’t have the luxury of being in our early 20s and just dropping out of college or not really having anything to quit,” Patterson Hood recalled. “We already had lives going but they weren’t going anywhere. If we couldn’t make it, we didn’t have a backup plan … we just went out and played.” Over the next two years the quartet played something like 500 shows on the road, return-ing home to Athens periodically to sleep for a few days. They would usually book a local show, according to Hood, “Ba-sically so we could afford to eat at home … and probably a little bit to show off how tight we were getting.” Earl Hicks – who later played bass with the Truckers during the Southern Rock Opera and Decoration Day period – captured those Athens shows on tape, and the band handpicked some of the best moments for a live album. Originally released in limited numbers in 2000, Ala-bama Ass Whuppin’ captured the moment that the Truckers figured out how to morph their country roots with punkish reckless-ness. The original AAW masters were consid-

ered long lost – until Rob Malone (who left the band in 2001) came across a cardboard box in his attic. “You might want this,” read his text to Patterson Hood. Inside were the half-inch tapes that producer David Barbe (as much of a mentor to the Truckers as Tom Dowd was to so many artists) had mixed back in 2000. The newly-unearthed reels were given to Greg Calbi to re-master – and the result is a no-holds-barred, CBGB-meets-VFW-hall Trucker time capsule.

From Hood’s opening,

“Hey, y’all – we’re the Drive-By Truckers!” over the roar of snarling guitar

chords that usher in “Why Henry Drinks” to emcee Tim

Facok’s outro of “Please go home! Good night!” As the crowd bellows for more in the wake of Cooley’s broken-hearted-and-drunk thrash waltz “Love Like This,” you are right there. The sound is great; the performances are rough-and-tumble and real and right.

There’s bellow and churn with the feedback just barely held at bay (“Look-out Mountain,” “Buttholeville” “Steve McQueen” – with a sideways lurch into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps”); there’s flannel-shirted punk fury (“Too Much Sex [Too Little Jesus],” “Don’t Be In Love Around Me,” and a cover of Jim Carroll’s “People Who Died”); and there’s classic early Hood storytelling (“The Avon Lady” and “18 Wheels of Love”). The centerpiece of the album may very well be “The Living Bubba” – which Hood himself refers to as “the song… out of all the ones I’ve written, that one’s special.” “The Living Bubba” is a tribute to the late Gregory Dean Smalley, a fiery guitar-

picking pioneer of Georgia’s “Redneck Underground” movement in the ’90s. Smalley was one of those who lived to play, for whom a gig was a gig, whether it was for a fully-packed house or a dozen drunks. Smalley passed away due to complications from AIDS in 1996, but he truly lives on in “The Living Bubba.” During the final year before his death, Smalley pounded out over 100 gigs; Hood’s lyrics capture his homestretch at-titude poignantly: “I can’t die now ’cause I got another show to do.” Over the years, the various Trucker lineups have offered up Gregory Dean Smalley’s story with triple-guitar onslaughts; with a layer of keys and break-your-heart pedal steel accents. But

the ragged and raw and sweat-soaked and stripped-to-the-bones version on Alabama Ass Whuppin’ might just be the version that comes the closest to capturing the fire that kept Smalley going… until he couldn’t go any longer. There’s nothing pretty about Alabama Ass Whuppin’ – but if you want a recording that captures the heart and soul driving a band’s leap of faith, then this is a thing of beauty. The sound of four men jumping off a cliff.

(www.drivebytruckers.com)

happen unless the band themselves made it

That was the point where the mem-bers of the Drive-By Truckers quit their day jobs, loaded their gear into

at home … and probably a little bit to show off how tight we were getting.” Earl Hicks – who later played bass

Southern Decoration Day period

– captured those Athens shows on tape, and the band handpicked some of the best

From Hood’s opening,

“Hey, y’all – we’re the Drive-By Truckers!” over the roar of snarling guitar

chords that usher in “Why Henry Drinks” to emcee Tim

well be “The Living Bubba” – which Hood himself refers to as “the ones I’ve written, that one’s special.” “The Living Bubba” is a tribute to the late Gregory Dean Smalley, a fiery guitar-

the ragged and raw and sweat-soaked and stripped-to-the-bones version on Ass Whuppin’ Ass Whuppin’ comes the closest to capturing the fire that kept Smalley going… until he couldn’t go any longer. There’s nothing pretty about A There’s nothing pretty about AAss Whuppin’ Ass Whuppin’ that captures the heart and soul driving a


56 57

MICHAEL LEE FIRKINS:YEP

Magnatude Records − John Lynskey

“ROCK ’N’ ROLL IS ALIVE AND WELL” Guitarist Michael Lee Firkins is old school: a genuine, real-deal player who is all about depth, substance and delivery, not flash and glitter. Michael made his mark in 1990, when his self-titled first re-lease – showcasing his tremendous licks – sold more than 100,000 copies and garnered him Guitar Player magazine’s “Best New Talent” Award. The ’90s saw Michael put out five more albums, all of them loaded with his incendiary straight lead and slide work. Now, six years after his last release, Firkins returns with a new attitude, fresh perspective and a killer album, a roots-fusion effort entitled Yep. The break was worth it, because as Michael put it, “In that time I found out what I was capable of as a musician” – and what he is capable of is quite simply six-string genius. Backed by the considerable talents of Gov’t Mule drum-mer Matt Abts, former Mule and Black Crowes bassist Andy Hess and Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, Yep is chock full of Firkins’ stirring blues, hard-edged rock and country drawl, with nary a wasted note. Michael plays as if his life depends on it, and his vis-ceral passion is matched throughout by the master trio behind him. Abts and Hess lay down a rhythm pattern a mile wide, and Leavell delivers some of the best Hammond B-3 of his legendary career. “Chuck was very instrumental in directing everything to make sure it went down the right way, and, of course, he is an incredible musician,” Firkins stated. Yep kicks off with “Golden Oldie Jam,” and what a golden jam it is. Swinging and swaying, it has an infectious beat that grabs you right away. Michael’s guitar runs are blistering, while Matt’s drum-ming hits with the force of a freight train. Chuck’s swirling B-3 work and Andy’s throbbing bass line help make this cut set the tone for what follows on Yep.

“Cajun Boogie” is just that: the New Orleans flavor on this one shows the diversity of Michael’s music. His muscu-lar vocals compare favorably to Darius Rucker’s delivery, serving as a fitting companion to Ferkins’ strong playing. The blues emerge on “No More Angry Man,” and Michael serves up a full dose of

stinging slide work. ZZ

Top would be envious of the way the group lays it down on this number, as

Chuck’s B-3 soars along Michael’s high-flying runs.

Matt crashes, Andy booms and “No More Angry Man” ends with a pleasing slide crescendo. The hard-charging “Standing Ovation” has an element of country to it, with Mi-chael’s vocals setting the tone for this tale of lost love and glory. Michael shows off some Mark Knopfler-style riffs, and the band is locked in throughout. “There is a country twang on this one, and I wanted people to know it,” Firkins stated. The mournful “Long Day” is a lament-

ing tune, with Michael’s long, drawn-out slide licks reinforcing the somber feeling. There is an emotional beauty to this one, and it oozes sincerity from start to finish. Like many of the tracks on Yep, “Long Day” was recorded live, displaying the marvelous interplay of Firkins, Leavell, Abts and Hess. “What you hear is exactly how we played it,” Firkins stated. “They didn’t punch it in and do weird overdubs. It’s just those guys playing live together from beginning to end.” “Wearin’ Black” is a blues-soaked

number that puts Michael’s slide work front and center, and he plays with an attitude that matches the weary and worn-out from love theme found in the lyrics. At one point, he takes a run down the fretboard that will turn your head for sure. Chuck’s gentle organ intro sets the stage for the easy-flowing and drift-ing “Out of Season,” where Michael channels David Gilmour with stinging, lingering notes delivered with maxi-mum impact. “Out of Season” certainly is a real highlight of Yep. “Take Me Back” is a delightful, jaunty number that brings to mind the Delaney and Bonnie classic “Poor Elijah” − Michael taps into the spirit of

Duane Allman and plays with unrelenting zeal. “Take Me Back” is another keeper for sure. Nasty, surly blues return in spades on “Last Call,” with Abts and Hess pushing hard and steady underneath Michael’s earthy vocals. Michael slides right through the energized “No More Angry Man (Part 2)” and “The Cane” − com-plete with distorted vocals and cutting slide − wraps up Yep with a wallop. Yep provides solid evidence that Mi-chael Lee Firkins is back with a ven-geance, and that in his talented hands, rock ’n’ roll is alive and well.

(www.michaelleefirkins.com)

“Best New Talent” Award. The ’90s saw Michael put out five more albums, all of them loaded with his incendiary straight lead and slide work. Now, six years after his last release, Firkins

a wasted note. Michael plays as if his life depends on it, and his vis-ceral passion is matched throughout by the master trio behind him. Abts and Hess lay down a rhythm pattern a mile wide, and Leavell delivers some of the best Hammond B-3 of his legendary career. “Chuck was very instrumental in

of

stinging slide work. ZZ

Top would be envious of Top would be envious of the way the group lays it down on this number, as

Chuck’s B-3 soars along Michael’s high-flying runs.

how we played it,” Firkins stated. “They didn’t punch it in and do weird overdubs. It’s just those guys playing live together from beginning to end.” “Wearin’ Black” is a blues-soaked

Duane Allman and plays with unrelenting zeal. “Take Me Back” is another keeper for sure. Nasty, surly blues return in spades on “Last Call,” with Abts and Hess pushing hard and steady underneath Michael’s earthy vocals. Michael slides right through the energized “No More Angry Man (Part 2)” and “The Cane” − com

BUDDY GUY:RHYTHM & BLUES

RCA Records − Jim Kanavy

“AS DYNAMIC AS EVER” Buddy Guy is 77 years young and it shows. Many musicians only hope to be half as good when they reach Buddy’s age but Buddy keeps getting better. His singing has more passion, his songs have more depth, and his guitar playing is as dynamic as ever –occasionally unhinged but often concise and focused. Maybe working on his autobiography has given him more perspective. Maybe the secret weapon is Tom Hambridge. Hambridge plays drums and produces, but his true skill lies in writing songs for and with Buddy that ring true to Buddy’s history and character. They bring these talents to bear on their third outing together, Rhythm & Blues. At around 82 minutes, the album is divided into two discs. Disc One is Rhythm and the other is Blues. Both discs serve up a smolder-ing mix of signature Buddy Guy sounds and a host of guest appearances that have become as expected and eclectic as sit-ins during the Allman Brothers Band’s annual Beacon Theatre run. Buddy starts the album on his own, however, with “Best In Town.” It borrows from his autobiography, highlighting lessons he learned about humility and keeping your ears and eyes open. You can excel and be popular or con-sidered the best, but don’t let it go to your head. Someone else was in your shoes before you and will be after you. It’s an important message for people, musicians or otherwise. On “Justifyin’” you have to wonder how he plays that fast. He’s 77 and his solos still explode from the speak-ers − the kinetic energy will startle you. Sometimes Guy doesn’t care so much about hitting the notes – it’s more about conveying the feeling. Other times, his accuracy is spot on – and then he’ll

bend a note so far it will dip out of sight, spring back, and slap you in the face. These guitar pyrotechnics inspired Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan and a host of others. No one can capture Buddy’s feel because it oozes from his core. Buddy expresses a similar sentiment in “I Go By Feel” which attempts to convey the intangible. Buddy’s music is visceral, emotional, raw

and exposed. Some-

times he’s just showing off, and that’s OK, too! Disc One features

three of the five tracks with guest sit-ins. The first

is a fairly pointless cover of “Messin’ With the Kid” featuring Kid Rock. Kid Rock really doesn’t add anything to the song other than profanity that usually flies from Buddy’s mouth at his live shows, but it’s not a disaster. If it intro-duces Kid Rock fans to Junior Wells then I guess it accomplishes something. Keith Urban’s country twang graces

“One Day Away.” It’s a pretty ballad akin to “Skin Deep,” but if you don’t like the twang this won’t be your thang. Beth Hart’s duet with Buddy on “What You Gonna Do About Me” is a scorcher − it is easily the best vocal guest spot on the album. Hart has the power and conviction to match Buddy – her raspy voice was born for the blues. On Disc Two, three-fifths of Aeros-mith sit in with Buddy for “Evil Twin.” Unlike Buddy, Steven Tyler’s voice isn’t what it used to be, but he gets the job done. Buddy, Joe Perry and Brad Whit-ford trade licks seamlessly like they’ve

been playing together for years. It’s too bad Aerosmith doesn’t put songs like this on their own records. Gary Clark, Jr. joins Buddy on “Blues Don’t Care.” Clark is a ver-satile musician but his voice is thin and easily overwhelmed by Buddy’s powerful delivery. Buddy did not take it easy on Gary and it drove their guitar sparring to exhilarating heights. I wish they put more of it on the record. The rest of the album is vintage Buddy Guy. There’s high energy guitar playing, vocals that make you picture his grin and songs about his Mama. Buddy’s recent releases have been laced with nostalgia and Rhythm

& Blues continues the trend. Buddy reminisces about Chicago in “Take Me to Chicago,” looks back on his life in “I Came Up Hard” and reaffirms his individuality on the scorching “Too Damn Bad,” in which Buddy states, “I can be stubborn but I like doing things my way.” The evidence suggests his way is a potent mix of vim, vigor and low-down blues. He’s earned the right to do it his way and if you don’t like it, that’s too damn bad.

(www.buddyguy.net)

weapon is Tom Hambridge. Hambridge plays drums and produces, but his true skill lies in writing songs for and with Buddy that ring true to Buddy’s history and character. They

lessons he learned about humility and keeping your ears and eyes open. You can excel and be popular or con-sidered the best, but don’t let it go to your head. Someone else was in your shoes before you and will be after you. It’s an important message for people,

raw

and exposed. Some-

times he’s just showing off, and that’s OK, too! Disc One features

three of the five tracks with guest sit-ins. The first

mith sit in with Buddy for “Evil Twin.” Unlike Buddy, Steven Tyler’s voice isn’t what it used to be, but he gets the job done. Buddy, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford trade licks seamlessly like they’ve

& Bluesreminisces about Chicago in “Take Me to Chicago,” looks back on his life in “I Came Up Hard” and reaffirms his individuality on the scorching “Too Damn Bad,” in which Buddy states, “I can be stubborn but I like doing things my way.” The evidence suggests his way is a potent mix of vim, vigor and low-


Original Album Series, Vol. 2 Emmylou HarrisWarner Bros. Records U.K.by Gerry York

Emmylou Harris’ Original Album Series, Vol. 2 offers two titles unreleased on CD in the United States, 1981’s Evangeline and 1986’s Thirteen, along with Roses In the Snow (1980), Cimarron (1981) and White Shoes (1983) in one economical package. Roses brought a bluegrass flavor to her sound as future bluegrass superstar Ricky Scaggs joined Harris’ Hot Band. Scaggs’ duet with ELH on “Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn” is one of the high points of the album and, perhaps, ELH’s recording career. The traditional spiritual “Green Pas-tures,” another duet with Scaggs, remains on Harris’ setlist to this day. The next three titles show Harris turn-ing to a more mainstream pop sound. Two of the best songs on Evangeline (“I Don’t Have To Crawl” and the weary, haunting “Ashes By Now”) were coincidentally written by Harris’ current touring partner, Rodney Crowell. Waylon Jennings sings an intense duet with Harris on “Spanish Johnny,” but versions of Little Feat’s “Oh, Atlanta” and CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising” seem a bit flat. The standout tracks on Cimarron include the romantic “If I Needed You” and “The Last Cheaters Waltz,” a moving tale of barroom regret. White Shoes includes a surprising cover of disco queen Donna Summers’ hit “On the Radio” and a Celtic-sounding “Like an Old Fashioned Waltz” by Sandy Denny. 1986’s Thirteen returns Harris to what she called “basic country tunes,” like Merle Haggard’s “Today I Started Loving You Again,” but one tender surprise is Harris’ cover of Bruce Springsteen‘s “My Father’s House.” This package is a must-have!

(www.emmylouharris.com)

Ohio Grass Buffalo Killers Alive Naturalsound Recordsby Brian Robbins

Ohio Grass is Cincinnati power trio Buffalo Killers’ version of Eat It – Humble Pie’s 1973’s classic album that captured that multi-faceted band in all its glory. Just as Eat It proved that the late Steve Marriott and his gang could rock hard, roll it easy, butter the soul and roar the blues (both in the studio and live), Ohio Grass documents a number of settings that Buffalo Killers are perfectly at home in. Brothers Andy and Zachary Gabbard (bass/vocals and guitar/vocals respectively) and drum-mer Joey Sebaali show they can pull off Crazy Horse-style lumber (“Hey Girl”) just as easily as their rendition of Gov’t Mulish swagger (“Baptized”). There’s growl (“Grow Your Own”); there’s wail (“Hold You Me”); there’s some stoner Fab Four (“Some Other Kind”); there’s a bit of Muscle Shoals-flavored redneck country soul (“Move On”). Want some real-as-roti reggae? The band nails the vibe of reggae legend Scratch Perry’s long-gone Black Ark studio in “Golden Eagle.” Want to work on a nice left-arm while banging through the gears with the top down? “Good Feeling” would be perfectly at home roaring out of the dash of a ’69 GTO. Want to feed your head? “Jon Jacob” could be the work of acid-drop-ping Buddhist monks who have formed a garage band. Buffalo Killers sound real and true on every second of Ohio Grass – and the best part of all? Every one of those real and true seconds is great.

(www.buffalokillers.com)

Disconnected In New York CityLos Lobos429 Recordsby Tom Clarke

Igniting their 40th anniversary with two shows at the intimate City Winery in New York’s South Village on New Year’s Eve is one thing. Amassing an hour-long CD from the night that projects every aspect of the band is quite another. As 2012 became history, Los Lobos reflected on their past, but were anchored in the moment, kick-ing fans’ asses several blocks up Varrick Street. Playing amplified acoustic with drums and percussion as opposed to full-on blazing electric, which they’re more apt to do, was a genius decision, and the many nuances are felt deeply. Crossing thirty years of recordings, the set deftly balances the compositions and singing of David Hidalgo and Louie Perez with that of Cesar Rosas. As always, these extraordinary multi-instrumentalists blend rock, soul and traditional Mexican sounds seamlessly, and with a singular élan. The only things missing are more of the all-embracing covers they’re known for, although they do close with a rousing take on “La Bamba” that morphs into “Good Lovin’.” But the album is really all about Los Lobos. “La Venganza De Los Pela-dos,” Spanish-sung and quietly storming, excels on the heels of the delicately drift-ing and profound “Tears of God.” Following those, “Tin Can Trust” speaks of a hard reality with soulfulness that builds in stride with its sense of pride. “Gotta Let You Know” rocks like a 1960s East L.A. sock hop, and “The Neighbor-hood” takes a hard look at that same place years later with a knowing eye, and hope. That these men aren’t icons is a musical travesty.

(www.loslobos.org)

CD Reviews:

Kettle of FishKettle of FishIndependent Recordsby John Lynskey

Kettle of Fish music is rootsy and honest, working to cross-pollinate soulful blues with the power of rock and roll. Featuring roaring vocals by Dana Lawrence, fiery guitar synergy between Thorson Moore and Berry Oakley, the playful keyboard work of Matthew Frost and the driving rhythm sec-tion of drummer Garrett Dawson and bassist Todd Cook, Kettle of Fish expands the parameters of blues/rock to create a vibrant, new sound. The long-awaited debut album of Kettle of Fish is finally here, featuring four original songs by Dana Lawrence and one smoking Leon Russell cover tune. “Crooked Halo” kicks things off with some searing slide guitar backing up Dana’s earthy vocals, ably supported by timely organ swells from Mat-thew and Garrett and Todd driving things home to a shattering climax. The funky “I’d Rather Be Blind” jumps with energy from start to finish, and showcases the dual guitar brilliance of Berry and Thorson, as well as Matthew’s jaunty piano. The ominous-sounding “Damage” is a special track, as it spotlights the soaring guitar sounds of the late, great Dan Toler, formerly of the Allman Brothers Band. Danny’s playing is spot-on, and fits the Kettle of Fish groove perfectly. “Words You Long to Hear” is a vintage blues performance, and Dana really busts it out, with visceral passion filling his voice. If you enjoy wicked blues with a strong dose of Southern rock, then Kettle of Fish is your kind of band, and this CD belongs in your collection. Keep an eye on these guys − they are the real deal.

(www.kettleoffish.net)


Old Glory & The Wild RevivalJared James NicholsSwing House Quality Recordingsby Leslie Michele Derrough

He is twenty-two years old, grew up in Wisconsin and knows about Son House. That last fact is almost unheard of in today’s young gun guitarists. But Jared James Nichols is not just dropping a name he read off a list of blues artists. Having been pulled onstage in his early teens by old-timer bluesmen, his soul was sucked in by the music almost immedi-ately. Doing things a bit backwards by releas-ing a live EP in 2012, he has whipped up a small collection of his new songs for Old Glory & The Wild Revival and it’s just enough to whet your appetite for more. Nichols jitterbugs through a frisky “Can You Feel It?” before getting slithery on “Sometimes,” featuring an electric guitar solo that shows just how much his forefathers have influenced him; especially Stevie Ray Vaughan and Billy Gibbons, with a little bit of Derek Trucks mixed in if Trucks went hellbound. Opening with the rocking “Blackfoot,” Nichols hits you right between the eyes. With mentorship from Aerosmith engi-neer Warren Huart, he is spreading his wings with confidence − as if winning the 2011 Les Paul Tribute Contest wasn’t boost enough. Saving his best for last, “Take My Hand” takes a walk through the delta dust of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf before building up to a smoking revival of foot-stomping blues. The boy becomes a man, and the man knows just what to do to give those roots a breath of fresh air.

(www.facebook.com/jaredjamesnichols)

Another LifeJames Maddock InKind Recordsby Paul Kumer

James Maddock’s Another Life restates a universal truth introduced in Sunrise on Avenue C and Wake Up and Dream: honest stories make good music. Another Life contributes to the contempo-rary catalogue of Americana – Maddock’s British upbringing notwithstanding − re-minding how much can be said with a few chords and a collection of memories. The album grabs our attention with the title track, as Maddock points to some trou-bling truths of not only his life, but also our own. We are all “one part prisoner, one part free” from the decisions we’ve made. He subtly emphasizes recurring themes of loss and regret… redemption is not a guarantee. With “Arizona Girl,” any of us who have spent some time out west can empathize with Maddock as any of those highways help “relive it all” with our own Arizona Girl “hoping tomorrow our promises would be kept.” From that rain-soaked desert, “Timing’s Everything” provides us with the gentle reminder of clichés friends have shared as we overcome heartbreak. But not all is lost, as “I’ve Been There Too” picks us up along with the album’s tempo lead-ing into “That’s Heavy,” where Maddock evokes his best Bob Dylan. One of the more powerful ballads is “Leicestershire Mist,” where loss of place, along with loss of love, runs strongly. Maddock then abruptly stops his nostalgic yearnings with the blunt “Easy to Give” and “Don’t Go Lonely.” Another Life demonstrates Maddock’s storytelling prowess as he works through his past and jogs our memories of our own highs and lows.

(www.jamesmaddock.net)

From Here to Now to YouJack JohnsonUniversal Republicby Chris Doell

Dr. Jack Johnson has been making house calls since 2001, calming nerves and soothing souls worldwide. A balmy blend of social commentary, philosophi-cal insights and tenderly personal love odes, his albums are the fix: you always know what you’re going to get, and it’s always just what you need. His latest, From Here to Now To You, is a potpourri of poignancy, propping up his perspective via gems like “Ones and Zeros,” and allowing us a daydream of a simpler life in a simpler world by way of tunes like “Home” and the dusty sun-setter “Change,” featuring Ben Harper. Energy is sprinkled about, including on the “We Didn’t Start the Fire”-esque “Shot Reverse Shot,” the jammy “Radi-ate,” and the nostalgic “Tape Deck,” on which Jack grooves through his ponder-ing of carpe diem’s premise: “You may find in the palm of your hand there’s a flame; as it burns, as it climbs, as it turns to a blaze; well this flame it won’t last, here it comes, hold it close; well this blaze can be fast, set it free now there it goes.” The charming “Never Fade” and “You Remind Me of You” are both lovely lullabies – the former to his wife (and muse) and the latter to his daughter. Johnson takes lumps for failing to branch out, but in fact he deserves credit for doing what he likes to do, and doing it well. And his formula works – each of Jack’s records are like a potion that quells an ill, and From Here… is a wel-come refill.

(www.jackjohnsonmusic.com)

Miles to GoThe Todd Wolfe BandAmerican Showplace Musicby Marianne Longchamp

The accolades are pouring in, and de-servedly so, for The Todd Wolfe Band’s latest release, Miles to Go. Named “Artist of the Month” on Rock Wired and debuting at Number 15 on the Jam Band Charts, Miles to Go exhibits a maturity of style for Wolfe; his previous CDs have been leading up to this point, where his varied musical influences reach a crossroads and explode into a unique and definable sound that belongs solely to Wolfe. Cultivated from a variety of genres, Miles to Go encompasses blues, jazz, rock, reggae and psychedelia. Wolfe creates a fusion of these elements and places them within a power trio format, solidly backed by bandmates Roger Voss on drums and percussion and Justine Gardner on bass. With B-3 organ and piano master John Ginty sitting in, Miles to Go is a blistering testament to Wolfe’s creativity and virtuosity on both guitar and vocals. A mix of originals and covers, tracks such as “Come What May” and “Locket Full of Dreams” are classic Wolfe psychedelic blues – raw, tight and hard-hitting. “I Stand Alone,” an acoustic beauty, showcases a softer side of Wolfe, with graceful finger-picking and melodic vocals. “The Inner Light,” written by George Harrison, is covered in signature trippy Wolfe style and closes the CD on a hypnotic note. Wolfe says of Miles to Go: “I think it’s my best thus far, but it’s also the most varied of all my albums.” Listeners will no doubt agree that with Miles to Go, Todd Wolfe has arrived.

(www.toddwolfe.com)

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2011Gregg AllmanMunckMusic.comby Tom Clarke

Gregg Allman and his stellar band were captured in peak form and fidelity at the 2011 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fes-tival. Allman’s funky B-3 and a flurry of notes by pianist Bruce Katz boosts “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” out of the gate, setting the pace for a show that features a superb set list, unique arrangements and the distinctive flavor of the Crescent City. Scott Sharrard exhibits the surefire muscle and amazing flair that places him rightly in the king’s court of Allman-associated guitarists. Groove masters Jerry Jemmott on bass and drummer Steve Potts hold the rhythms at a steady swing, while locals Derek Huston on sax, and Ian Smith on trumpet augment regular Allman sax man Jay Collins to form a brass section that raises the soul temperature to a constant steamy. Amos Milburn’s “Tears, Tears, Tears” from Allman’s acclaimed Low Country Blues highlights the set; it’s the type of exquisite, burning blues only the great ones lay into. Collins’ flute takes “Melissa” on one of the best dates of her life, and “Mid-night Rider” travels on the same spectral air as the version on Allman’s Laid Back forty years ago. Allman’s aged soul chapel growl reigns supreme throughout, but his lifelong friend Floyd Miles does give him a run on “Go-ing Back to Daytona,” a rollicking blast that peels away the years. Even “Dreams,” Allman’s signature, jazzy ABB composi-tion, goes to another place on a wellspring of guitar, piano and horns, as does “States-boro Blues,” ending the set squarely on Bourbon Street. (www.greggallman.com)

Payin’ The PriceJoe Pitts BandKijam Recordsby Terry Bradley

Joe Pitts has been playing his brand of blues for 30 years now, through the good times and the hard times, so he’s not about to let an industrial accident slow him down. This year Joe suffered a near-debilitating injury to his left hand that almost ended his career, but thankfully did not. With lots of love and even more determination, Joe’s new release Payin’ the Price is a testament to the long musical journey he’s taken. Recorded live at Postmasters Grill in Camden, AR, Joe and the band hit the ground running with the opening track, covering the Kinsey Report’s “Time Is Running Out.” Joe’s playing is smoking, and the band lays down a solid foundation for his burning solos. “High Price” a Pitts original, takes on a deeper personal urgency with the recent events in mind, showing Joe’s voice in great form and the band locked in tight. Keeping the energy high, they launch into powerful covers of Albert Collins’ “Black Cat Bone” and the Walter Trout/Joe Bonamassa tour de force “Clouds On the Horizon.” An unexpected plus from the accident is that Pitts is again playing slide guitar in open tuning which brought him full circle to his early days; Payin’ the Price features a scorching version of Robert Johnson’s “If I had Possession Over Judgement Day,” one of the first songs Pitts learned on slide. With ten tracks of covers and origi-nals, Payin’ the Price shows that Joe Pitts pays his dues by playin’ the blues.

(www.joepitts.com)

60 HittinTheNote.com Facebook.com/Hittin The Note Magazine 61

Hard Working AmericansHard Working AmericansMelvin Records/Thirty Tigersby Frank Etheridge

News that bass titan Dave Schools (Wide-spread Panic, Stockholm Syndrome) teamed up at Bob Weir’s Tri Studios with guitarist Neal Casal (Chris Robinson’s Brotherhood, Ryan Adams & the Cardinals) merits elevated expectations. Collaborating to complete sing-er-songwriter Todd Snider’s artistic vision, Schools and Casal − along with keyboardist Chad Staehly (Great American Taxi) and drummer Duane Trucks − helped spawn Hard Working American. This supergroup exceeds expectations in its expert execution of Snider’s inspiration to weave seemingly disparate songs together to forge a collective identity with a cohesive sto-ry to share. As displayed in the eleven covers (from the likes of Randy Newman, Lucinda Williams and Drivin’ ‘N Cryin’) contained here, Snider dug deep into Americana mines to unearth this roots-rock gem. The quintet unleashes its unique sound and style right off the bat, when stirringly sinister vocals, primal drumming and silky-yet-spooky keys highlight the opening track, “Blackland Farmer.” Casal wails with aban-don on “Another Train” and hits a delicious Dead groove on “The Mountain Song” while Schools applies his rhythmic prowess to “Run a Mile,” pounding it into a punk crescendo. John Popper (Blues Traveler) shines on har-monica in “Stomp and Holler,” an up-tempo foot-stomper equally at home here with “Wrecking Ball’s” tender reflections. “We were really striving to go somewhere else with these songs,” Casal explains in an online video. “Expand them, ya know? To do that, you have to be willing to take an adventure.” Considering a month-long national tour fol-lowing the Jan. 21 release of Hard Working Americans, thankfully this musical adventure has only just begun.

(www.thehardworkingamericans.com)

Hard Working AmericansHard Working Americans

CD Reviews:

Live (Featuring James Montgomery) Jim Weider’s Project Percolator Moon Haw Recordsby Brian Robbins

When he’s not busy doing his part to carry on the legacy of Levon Helm and the Band with various Midnight Ramble-related ensembles, guitarist Jim Weider makes the sparks fly these days with his band, Project Percolator. While Weider’s mainstream repu-tation may be as a roots twangmaster whose prowess on the Telecaster puts him up there with the likes of Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanan, Project Percolator is a showcase for Weider’s jam/fusion side. Comparing Percolator to some of Steve Kimock’s classic Friends lineups is one way of describing the band’s sound; the best thing to do, however, is lay hands to their new Live album and hear for yourself. Drummer Rodney Holmes and bassist Steve Lucas have been Weider’s longtime co-conspirators in Percolator; the lineup for Live also features Avi Bortnick on guitar and Jason Crosby on violin and keyboards. And if that wasn’t enough, legendary bluesman James Montgomery adds his distinctive vo-cals and harp to three tunes. The result is an eclectic mix that ranges from Booker T.-style cool (“Help Me”) to butt-shaking raunch (a wild-ass cover of Bo Diddley’s “Mona”). Weider’s self-penned instrumentals (“Squir-rels In Paris,” “The Maze,” “Troll” and “Percolator”) all feature catch-your-ear-the-first-time-around melodic hooks and grooves that lead into wavy fields of jam. And a set-closing cover of the Band’s “The Weight” might pull into Nazareth, PA, at the start, but it takes detours through Trenchtown and the valleys of Neptune before it’s over. Oh, what fun.

(www.jimweider.com)

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