Shemekia

The daughter of the late bluesman Johnny Copeland steps up to the plate with this, her debut album for the Alligator imprint. Although only 19 at the time of this recording, Copeland comes to this album with a mature style and vast amounts of assuredness. While comparisons to Koko Taylor and Etta James will be plentiful, Shemekia has enough tricks up her sleeve to make this a disc well worth checking out. Eight of the 14 tunes aboard are co-written by producer John Hahn and strong musical support is summoned up from guitarist Jimmy Vivino, with guest turns from Joe Louis Walker and "Monster" Mike Welch, while the Uptown Horns show up on three tunes, including the title track. Highlights are numerous on this disc, but special attention should be paid to Copeland's "Ghetto Child," a nice cover of Don Covay's "Have Mercy"; Walker's "Your Mama's Talking"; and the strutting "I Always Get My Man." This is one very impressive debut.

Shemekia Copeland has moved her recorded product to the TelArc label, has a new producer in Oliver Wood (who doubles on guitar), and pursues a style that seems more refined and less raucous or bawdy than on her previous recordings. The rough edges are shaved, maturity is settling in, and Copeland seems intent on doing things in a more traditional fashion rather than the stomping, tear-the-house-down approach she built her reputation on. She's using members of Col. Bruce Hampton's band in bassist Ted Pecchio and drummer Tyler Greenwell, occasionally bassist Chris Wood and keyboardist John Medeski from Medeski, Martin & Wood, guitarist Marc Ribot, and on loan from the Derek Trucks Band, keyboardist Kofi Burbridge for three tracks. These musicians liven up the proceedings considerably, and the production values of this effort are leaner and cleaner than her other discs. Copeland herself sounds incredibly focused and basic, far from slick but not dirty or messy on any level, and her themes reflect a current-life viewpoint that is part optimist and part cynic, with a big parcel of pragmatic realist.

This disc, which has Dr. John at the controls as a producer, brings together a mix that brings out the best for all those concerned and involved with this project. There is no weakness here, it is a straight-ahead use of all the strengths of Shemekia Copeland, daughter of Johnny Copeland. The songs were well selected to effectively show off all her potency as a vocalist. There are some many good writers that are also players on this disc that the tunes fit like gloves. There are strong contributions by John "Fingers" Hahn, Mac Rebennack, and Shemekia Copeland herself. The tunes, varied in style, are all based in the deep blues, and were selected for their capability to push her vocal talents to constant new personal pinnacles. She keeps it interesting by varying the pace and on "The Push I Need," she sounds right at home singing this funky tune as a duet with Dr. John. She stays with the good Dr. through the tune as if she were doing this everyday. Then she turns around and seems just as comfortable singing "Happy Valentine's Day," as a slow bluesy torch-burner, with minimal accompaniment.

Titling an album America's Child in 2018 can't help but feel like a political move and, sure enough, Shemekia Copeland doesn't shy away from a statement on this, her eighth album. Copeland isn't interested in taking sides, per se. Instead, Copeland uses America's Child as a salute to how weird, wild, and wondrous America is at its best. Fittingly for an album whose aesthetic sees no borders, America's Child casts its net wide sonically, finding room for a number of rootsy sounds and a host of cameos. Working with producer Will Kimbrough, Copeland invites Rhiannon Giddens to play banjo on "Smoked Ham and Peaches," duets with John Prine on a new version of his old tune "Great Rain," sings harmony with Emmylou Harris, and is supported by a band that occasionally features guitarist Steve Cropper and members of the Time. Despite all of these stars, America's Child remains focused on Shemekia Copeland herself, who provides a powerful yet nuanced center for the album. It's not just that her singing is soulful and supple; it's how she views blues as a living, breathing art form, not a static sound.

Uncivil War finds Shemekia blazing an exhilarating roots music trail, with many of the songs reflecting the spirit of our turbulent times. Her passion-packed singing breathes fire into solemn, gospel-drenched anthems, lowdown blues, crunching rockers and frisky New Orleans R&B. On captivating original songs and invigorating new takes on tracks by the Rolling Stones, Junior Parker and her father, famed bluesman Johnny Clyde Copeland, she commands listeners’ attention while exploring life’s daily struggles and triumphs, both political and personal.

Grammy-nominated blues, soul and Americana singer is beloved and honored worldwide for her joyful, defiant music and thrillingly soulful performances. Blame It On Eve is another exhilarating Shemekia Copeland showcase, as her rousing vocals bring the heat to an infectious array of muscular rockers, stomping blues, swampy soul, and heartbreaking ballads. Intense, topical new originals make up most of the tracks and soul-soaked versions of songs by Stevie Wonder and her father, Johnny Copeland, fit right into the mix.

Grammy-nominated blues, soul and Americana singer is beloved and honored worldwide for her joyful, defiant music and thrillingly soulful performances. Blame It On Eve is another exhilarating Shemekia Copeland showcase, as her rousing vocals bring the heat to an infectious array of muscular rockers, stomping blues, swampy soul, and heartbreaking ballads. Intense, topical new originals make up most of the tracks and soul-soaked versions of songs by Stevie Wonder and her father, Johnny Copeland, fit right into the mix.