Blues

Blues has always been a music of comebacks, and Chick Willis is making strong, resurgent moves with this independently released album containing many of his original songs. Into his 53rd year playing music professionally, the guitarist and vocalist stays true to urban blues while making a contemporary pathway doused with soul and a little bit of a dirty-minded attitude. The music is horn-driven, fun for listening or dancing, and has all of the savvy and street smarts any veteran of this music should have. It seems his voice has not diminished one iota, while his songs suggest he's still enjoying life to the fullest. Of the six tracks written by Willis, the rocking shuffle "Houdini Blues" refers to "freakin'" things, but is more on track with a partner who tends to disappear, much to his chagrin…

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of “The Albums 1969 - 1972” by the Climax Blues Band; a 5 CD set comprising the band’s first five albums, originally issued on EMI’s Parlophone and Harvest labels between 1969 and 1972, namely The Climax Chicago Blues Band, Plays On, A Lot of Bottle, Tightly Knit and Rich Man.
Formed in Stafford in 1968 by Colin Cooper, the band (originally known as The Climax Chicago Blues Band) recorded their debut album in September & November 1968. Issued early the following year on EMI’s Parlophone label, the album saw the band gain a wider audience. Shortening their name to the Climax Blues Band, the group recorded and released their excellent follow-up album, Plays On, later that year. By 1970 the band had moved to EMI’s “progressive” label, Harvest, and issued their third album A Lot of Bottle later that year…

In 2000, BGO released Notice to Appear/A Banquet in Blues, which contained two complete albums – Notice to Appear (1976, originally released on ABC) and A Banquet in Blues (1975, also originally on ABC) – by John Mayall on one compact disc.

This compilation provides an interesting survey of 9 blues slide guitar players. Collected from various independent record labels and recorded over the period 1960 through 1993, all of these tracks have been previously released albeit on hard to find albums and CDs. It is great to have these tracks collected in one place.

Although not released until 1995, this CD was recorded live in 1993 in Bremen, Germany. Live in Europe is Earl's tribute to his major influences, and Ronnie plays his favorite guitar throughout: a 1962 red Strat. The fast, driving "San-Ho-Zay" and "Blues for the West Side" go out to Magic Sam; "The Stumble" to Freddie King; "Thank You Mr. T-Bone" to T-Bone Walker and Duke Robillard (who inspired Earl to learn T-Bone). "Thank You Mr. T-Bone" features some cool call-and-response between Earl and Bruce Katz on the Hammond B-3. It segues nicely into "Akos," where you'll find more great B-3 (check out the improvised "Summertime" riff). An all-instrumental offering, Live in Europe includes a handful of tunes found on its predecessor, Still River, including "Szeren," "Rego Park Blues," and the aforementioned "Blues for the West Side." "Contrition," a slow, soulful tune penned by Katz, has some jaw-dropping runs by Earl. One can only imagine what it must have been like to be one of the lucky souls at this show. The only fault to be found on this album is the mislabeling of several tunes on the cover. (For example, "The Stumble" is listed as "Not Now Kovitch.") Still, it's this reviewer's all-time favorite album – thank you, Mr. Earl.

Recorded by Paul Smith at ACME Studio, Chicago on October 25, 1989. Released on Wolf Records. Feautres the great A.C. Reed on tenor sax and vocals, Big Wheeler on harp and vocals along with Luther Adams and John Primer on guitar, Willie Kent on bass and Timothy Taylor on drums.

The concept behind Blues at Sunrise is a good one: collect ten of SRV's best slow blues numbers, primarily from the official studio albums but also a couple of unreleased cuts and rarities, and sequence them as if they were a lost studio album. It's a neat idea, especially when it's packaged in artwork that deliberately evokes memories of classic blues albums from the '60s (there's even a fake, faded record ring on the front and back covers), and it's hard to fault the music here. All the obvious selections are here – "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up on Love," "The Things (That) I Used to Do," "Leave My Girl Alone."

There s nothing to compare to the sound of an amplified Hohner Marine Band harmonica in the hands (and mouth) of a master like Little Walter, Walter Horton, Snooky Pryor or Sonny Boy Williamson. All of them were just as adept with the unamplified specimen but the addition of electricity takes this miniscule instrument into a different realm. Many musicians heard here were disciples in one way or another of John Lee Williamson (the original Sonny Boy), who played his harp through a microphone in clubs but never recorded that way. The list of these men is a long one, including Billy Boy Arnold, Walter Mitchell, Doctor Ross, Forrest City Joe and Robert Richard, while Little Walter influenced younger men like Junior Wells, Jerry McCain, James Cotton and George Smith…