Show Me the Way Home, Honey

Steve James - American Primitive

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Country Blues
Released: 1994
Label: Antone's
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 108,8 MB
Time: 47:31
Art: Front

1. Greasy Greens (Bumble Bee Slim) - 3:34
2. My Last Good Car (Brown, James) - 3:34
3. Talco Girl (James) - 3:33
4. Ragged and Dirty (Brown) - 3:54
5. Banker's Blues (James) - 3:33
6. Frankie Jean (That Trottin' Fool) (Memphis Minnie) - 2:55
7. Hadacol Boogie (Penny) - 2:28
8. Midnight Blues (James) - 2:53
9. Boogie Woogie Dance (Tampa Red) - 2:53
10. All In, Down and Out Blues (Macon) - 2:43
11. Grain Alcohol (James) - 2:21
12. The Change (James) - 6:55
13. Will and Testament Blues (James) - 3:19
14. Guitar Medley (James) - 2:44

Personnel:
Danny Barnes - Banjo, Guitar, Tenor Banjo, Guitar (Tenor)
Steve James - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals, Producer, Slide Guitar
Gary Primich - Harmonica
Mark Rubin - Bass

Note: Utilizing a jug band of fellow Austinites Danny Barnes (tenor guitar and banjo) and Mark Rubin (stand-up bass and Sousaphone -- both of the Bad Livers) and harpist Gary Primich on some tracks, James sounds more mature here, evidenced by six originals (the John Hurt-esque "Talco Girl" is particularly nice) and one collaboration with bassist/songwriter Sarah Brown ("My Last Good Car") and effective rather than affected vocals. Stellar guitar throughout, with an added treat: James's blues mandolin on "Midnight Blues."
Read more about Steve James

American Primitive



• Guy Tortora - Footnote to the Blues
• Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang - Dislocation Blues

Oznake: Modern Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, Country Blues, Steve James

Guy Tortora - Footnote to the Blues

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues
Release: Apr 4, 2005
Label: Turtledove
File: mp3 @256K/s
Size: 102.7 MB
Time: 54:41
Art: Front

1. Long Slow Blues - 5:26
2. Hallowed Ground - 3:50
3. I Need a Car - 4:41
4. Late Starter - 4:13
5. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - 4:06
6. Did Somebody Make a Fool of You - 4:03
7. Love Nor Money - 5:45
8. Tough Love - 4:52
9. Crossroads Blues - 3:27
10. Sanctified Love - 5:53
11. Going Down Slow - 8:05

Personnel:
All songs performed by Guy Tortora Band
Guy Tortora - Guitar, Vocals
Brendan Canty - Bass
Neil Littman - Drums
Janos Bajtala - Keyboards

Notes: Guy's CD "Footnote To The Blues", a mixture of impressive original tunes and some standards, all given Guy Tortora's personal touch.
From 2002. This is definitely not an album of run-of-the- mill blues, and made a good first impression on the UK scene. This CD contains many fine songs, inc. I Need A Car, one of Guy’s originals (and often requested at acoustic performances) played solo on bottleneck guitar; also an outstanding solo interpretation of the Motown classic I Heard It Through The Grapevine, and a sideways look at Robert Johnson’s Crossroads Blues played solo on electric slide.
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Footnote to the Blues



• Guy Tortora - Jefferson Drive
• John Mooney - Telephone King

Oznake: Guy Tortora, Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues

Doc MacLean - Narrow House

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues, Roots
Label: Independent
Released: 2006
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 102,5 MB
Time: 44:45
Art: front
More info

1. Bone Train - 4:21
2. By Degree - 4:01
3. Charlie James' Blues - 4:16
4. Johnson Terraplane - 4:01
5. Three Cards on a Coffin - 2:55
6. Angola Prison Rodeo - 4:28
7. Narrow House - 6:05
8. Dead Men Walking - 5:01
9. Ain't She Pretty - 4:00
10. Who's Gonna Love You - 5:32

Notes: Doc MacLean has recently completed a CD with bassist Larry Taylor and drummer percussionist Stephen Hodges, former section of the Tom Waits band. The album, Narrow House, was produced and recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville by Colin Linden. Other guests include Fats Kaplin and the Rev Joe Rice of the Fairfield Four. The disk was mastered by Ray Kennedy of Zen/Twangtrust- the guy who did those great sounding Steve Earle, Delbert McClinton projects, etc.
The year has also seen MacLean perform more than 200 shows including openers for Guy Davis, Big Bill Morganfield, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, BB King, Duke Robillard, Lucky Peterson, Magic Slim, Tony Furtado, Downchild, Slick Ballinger, Lil’ Ed, Paul Reddick, and Colin Linden.
Son of a civil rights lawyer and a fiddle player, MacLean was by his early teens playing harmonica and washboard in coffeehouses and festivals, and was appearing on radio and television variety shows. In 1972 he formed a duo with another young musician, Colin Linden, and became a popular opener for Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters, and John Hammond.
In his travels Doc met and became friends with many older musicians including Son House, Tampa Red, 'Sippi Wallace, Yank Rachel, Robert Pete Williams, Rev Robert Wilkins and Bukka White. His work as an accompanist included tours and performances with Peg Leg Sam the Medicine Show Man, Blind John Davis, Sunnyland Slim, Little Brother Montgomery, Rev Pearly Brown, the Carter Family and Sam Chatmon.
MacLean, who now divides his time between Toronto and Atlanta, has appeared at significant North American folk and blues festivals from Winnipeg to New Orleans. Radio and television appearances have included national programming such as CNN Today, PBS Morning Pro Musica, CBC 90 Minutes Live, Touch the Earth, and Morningside. "Always on Tour." ~ cdbaby

Narrow House



• Various - Blues Roots: Give Me The Blues
• VA - Chicago Blues: The Chance Era

Oznake: Contemporary Blues, Delta Blues, Acoustic Blues, Roots, Doc MacLean

Doug MacLeod & John 'Juke' Logan - Live As It Gets

Styles: Harmonica Blues, Contemporary Blues
Label: Mocombo
Released: 1999
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 156,7 MB
Time: 68:26
Art: front + back

1. Doola - 5:29
2. Hustler - 6:43
3. Tight White Pants - 2:01
4. Chill on Cold - 6:18
5. Doug's First Protest Song - 2:38
6. Grease in my Gravy - 5:12
7. Nosy Neighbors - 5:27
8. High Priced Woman - 8:45
9. Love Engineer - 7:02
10. The Chill - 4:58
11. Cold Rain - 4:29
12. Hey Bartender - 8:01
13. The Chill - 1:17

Notes: This live recording was done at one of their many gigs at B.B. King's in Universal Citywalk in California, but a listener could almost swear it was recorded on high-end equipment in the coziness of his or her Uncle Frank's living room. These gentlemen, known for their solo work, dissipate fears of swollen egos from such super ventures. With the exception of one standard, all selections come from either artist's pen and although not originally written for a duo setting, they seem tailor made for such an arrangement. If the listener thinks at the end that he or she has accidentally hit the "repeat" mode on the CD remote box when hearing strains of the first song, it's a prank by two kids at heart.

Live As It Gets



• Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy
• Jeff Lang - Half Seas Over

Oznake: Doug MacLeod, John 'Juke' Logan, Harmonica Blues, Contemporary Blues

Doug MacLeod - Dubb

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues
Released: Jan 4, 2005
Label: Black & Tan
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 132.59 MB
Time: 55:00
Art: full

1. (If You Going to The) Dog House (MacLeod) - 5:08
2. Walkin' While I Bleed (MacLeod) - 5:03
3. She Boogy'n (MacLeod) - 3:58
4. The Sun Shine Down My Way (MacLeod) - 5:37
5. Dubb's Talkin' Politician Blues (MacLeod) - 4:17
6. Miss Rita (MacLeod) - 4:23
7. One Fool Show (MacLeod) - 2:45
8. $50 Wig (MacLeod) - 4:15
9. Have a Little Taste (MacLeod) - 5:34
10. Nightwalking (MacLeod) - 5:24
11. North County Woman (MacLeod) - 3:33
12. The Devil Is Beating His Wife (MacLeod) - 5:03

Personnel:
Dennis Croy - Bass (Acoustic)
Dave Kida - Percussion, Drums
Carl Leyland - Piano
Doug MacLeod - Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals

Notes: Dubb is what George Harmonica Smith called Doug. He couldn't (or wouldn't) say Doug, so he called him Dubb. Like all the albums Doug has done since 1994 there are no over-dubs on this one. You hear a performance, a musical snapshot in time by one of the last torchbearers of the acoustic blues tradition. Doug doesn't like perfect records instead he likes the 'grease' and what he calls 'stretching of time'. To him, that's where feeling lives. This new record contains 12 original songs and like his previous records it is produced by sound guru Joe Harley.

Dubb



• Colin James - National Steel
• Taj Mahal - Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff

Oznake: Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues, Doug MacLeod

Wolfgang Bernreuther & Rudi Bayer - Brothers & Friends

Styles: Contemporary Blues
Label: Clearaudio
Released: 2006
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 113,1 MB
Time: 49:23
Art: front

1. Mucky Pup - 3:27
2. Midnight Sun - 2:00
3. Sadie - 4:34
4. Bliss - 4:49
5. Just Another Night - 4:41
6. Where Did You Sleep Last Night - 3:43
7. Kansas City - 2:01
8. Liliana's Cafe - 4:02
9. Just Another Love Song - 4:01
10. Colours - 3:38
11. Red House - 4:42
12. Christo Redemptor - 5:15
13. Rockin' Through The Night - 2:25

Personnel:
Brothers:
Wolfgang Bernreuther - vocals, acoustic & electric guitar
Rudi Bayer - double bass

Friends:
Robert Seitz - fender rhodes (1), grand piano (4,9,12), organ (8)
Andy Stahl - snare drum (1,3,8)
Reinhard Fick - electric guitar (2)
Tom Feiner - vocals (3), harmonica (3,12)
Stefan Lamml - saxophone (5,11)
Roland Kopp - vocals (6), acoustic guitar (6)
Chris Herzberger - violin (9)
Rudi Beer - banjo (7)
Steiger Mich - vocal (10) banjo (10,13)

Notes: After their eminently respectable album “Brothers in Blues” the musical twins Wolfgang Bernreuther and Rudi Bayer follow up in cooperation with nine colleagues. The songs impressed through their three-dimensionality and dynamic. The repertoire vary from moving Boogie to deep melancholy BalladesThe songs rip directly into the heart. This album forced to hear the songs every time!

Brothers & Friends



• Michael Roach - Ain't Got Me No Home
• John Mooney - Telephone King

Oznake: Wolfgang Bernreuther, Rudi Bayer, Contemporary Blues, Germany

Michael Roach - Ain't Got Me No Home

Styles: Contemporary Blues
Label: Stella Records
Released: 1993
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 106,2 MB
Time: 46:23
Art: front

1. My black mama - 3:45
2. Ain't got me no home - 3:38
3. Take me back blues - 3:18
4. In my neighbourhood - 3:52
5. Bring it with you when you come - 3:50
6. Prison bound - 3:19
7. Freedom bound - 3:28
8. San Francisco bay blues - 3:10
9. Stop down - 3:39
10. Left handed blues - 3:07
11. Sure you're right - 3:31
12. Backbone - 3:55
13. Kassie Jones - 3:43

Personnel:
Michael Roach (acoustic guitar, vocals)
Mike Baytop (harmonica)
Richard "Mr Bones" Thomas (bones)

Notes: Michael Roach, one of thirteen children born to Ted and Sadie Roach of Washington, D.C., USA, sings and plays guitar in an East Coast style of blues that dates back to the 1920s. After spending several years learning directly from such well known figures as John Jackson, John Cephas and Jerry Ricks, Michael Roach has developed his own style and is now an exceptional performer. He interacts with his audience and he entertains as he plays. As a cultural arts performer, Michael has promoted African-American culture through the use of blues music. He has lectured for the American Smithsonian Institute and more recently at the Oxford University here in England. He has conducted workshops throughout the USA and Europe. It is through Michael's communication skills and his musicianship that has enabled him to bring about a greater understanding of blues music and the black experience.

Ain't Got Me No Home



• Terry Garland - Whistling in the Dark
• Salty Dog - Slap That Thing

Oznake: Michael Roach, Contemporary Blues

Stainless Blues Band - Acoustic

Styles: Contemporary Blues
Label: Time Blues, Russia
Released: 1997
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 116,9 MB
Time: 51:04
Art: front + in

1. Crossroads - 4:36
2. Walkin' Blues - 3:38
3. I Can't Be Satisfied - 3:31
4. Sugar Mama - 4:03
5. I'm Gonna Leave You Baby - 2:52
6. All Your Love - 3:44
7. Lightnin' - 5:29
8. I Want To Be Loved - 2:57
9. Bright Light Big City - 3:37
10. Brown Stone - 2:52
11. Everyday I Have The Blues - 2:26
12. Sitting On Top Of The World - 3:27
13. Eyes Like A Cat - 3:08
14. Little Wing - 4:37

Personnel:
Boris Bulkin - guitar, vocals
Aleksei Popov - guitar bass, vocals
Pavel Zhdankin - drums
Mikhail Sokolov - harmonica, vocals

Notes: Book
Russia Gets the Blues: Music, Culture, and Community in Unsettled Times
by Michael Urban with Andrei Evdokimov

Chapter 3, Moskcow Blues: Musicians and Their Music
Pages 53 & 54

Acoustic



• John Mooney - Telephone King
• Brint Anderson - Notes From Clarksdale

Oznake: Stainless Blues Band, Russia, Contemporary Blues, Contemporary Country

John Mooney - Telephone King

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Old-Timey
Released: 1991
Label: Blind Pig
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 82,7 MB
Time: 36:08
Art: front + back

1. Wibble Whim She When She Walk - 4:17
2. What'cha Gonna Do? - 3:16
3. Telephone King - 3:51
4. Let Me Go - 2:59
5. Please Baby Please - 3:22
6. Oh Louise - 3:23
7. Rainin' Down on My Broken Hea - 3:51
8. Ain't Done Wrong - 3:11
9. Coal Stove Mama/Please Please - 4:01
10. Please Please Please - 3:36
All songs written by Mooney

Personnel:
Kenneth Blevins - Drums
Bob Cooper - Piano
Doug James - Sax (Baritone)
Nick Langan - Harp
Rich Lataille - Sax (Alto)
John Mooney - Guitar, Guitar (Steel), Vocals, Slide Guitar
Greg Piccolo - Sax (Tenor)
Roomful of Blues - Horn
Mark Wenner - Harp
Brian Williams - Bass Fiddle


Note: In the world of blues critics, guitarist, singer, and songwriter John Mooney has long been a favorite. That's because he takes all he learned from classic Delta bluesmen like Son House and others and modernizes their stylings while adding his own unique stamp to classic Delta blues tunes. Even his original songs, often autobiographical, are steeped in the classic blues tradition. Mooney divides his time between residences in Florida and New Orleans, and usually works with a simple guitar-bass-drums trio known as Bluesiana. His vocals are powerful and inspired, and his guitar playing is often loud and electric, but so steeped in the style of House and others classic Delta bluesman, that he transcends generations in the blues idiom.
Although he is widely know among blues fans as an electric guitarist, Mooney began his career as strictly an acoustic player. This CD is a reissue of some of his early work on a small label. All in all, not quite as dark as his later work. Some good music here, though, despite a piano that overpowers the guitar on some tracks.

Telephone King



• Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy
• Steve James - Art and Grit

Oznake: John Mooney, Contemporary Blues, Old-Timey

Various - Back Porch Blues [King Snake]

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Acoustic Blues, Swamp Blues, Acoustic Harmonica Blues
Released: Jun 3, 1997
Label: King Snake
File: mp3 @320kbps
Size: 115 MB
Time: 48:57

1. Sugar Mama Blues performed by Bob Nelson
2. Arthritis performed by Floyd Miles
3. Standing in the Fire performed by Bill Wharton
4. Credit Card Blues performed by Smokehouse
5. Dead Cat Luck performed by Eric Culberson
6. Head in the Bottle performed by Ace Moreland
7. Whole Lotta Ash performed by Troy Turner
8. Flyright performed by Mark Hodgson
9. Short Hair Woman performed by Bob Nelson
10. Way off in That Jazz performed by Jeff Howell
11. Cocky Rooster performed by Floyd Miles
12. Screamin' Woman performed by Bill Wharton
13. Them Jelly Blues performed by Smokehouse
14. Big Foot Woman performed by Mark Hodgson
15. Gates of Hell performed by Ace Moreland

Notes: Great find if you can get it because it is a lot of rare songs on it that's just beautiful to hear haven't seen in 20 years ago and it still is important today as it was then totally awesome everybody should have it.

Back Porch Blues



• Kat Danser - Baptized By The Mud •
• Mountain Men - Hope •

Oznake: Various, Contemporary Blues, Acoustic Blues, Swamp Blues, Harmonica Blues

Country Blues Project - All by Myself

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues
Label: Shamrock
Released: 1996
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 125,1 MB
Time: 54:36
Art: front + back

1. All by Myself - 2:30
2. Sleeping All My Myself - 3:55
3. The Detroit Special - 5:08
4. Blues Everywhere I Go - 5:15
5. Jackson Stomp - 2:59
6. Will I Ever Get Back Home - 4:26
7. Guitar Rag - 2:55
8. From Four Till Late - 2:45
9. When I Take My Vacation in Harlem - 3:00
10. Ticket Agent Blues - 3:01
11. Medicine Blues - 3:42
12. Chattanooga Mama - 2:47
13. Your Bisquits Are Big Enough for Me - 2:59
14. Stop Trucking and Suzy Q - 3:09
15. Tuff Luck Blues - 3:21
16. I'll Be Here a Long, Long Time - 2:36

Recorded at Downstairs Studios, Tübingen 1995

Personnel:
Fritz H. Blessing - guitar, vocals
Rudie Blazer - bass, guitar, mandolin
Wolf Abromeit - guitar, bass

Notes: Any information about these guys is helpful

All by Myself



• Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy •
• Taj Mahal - An Evening of Acoustic Music •

Oznake: Country Blues Project, Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Germany

Colin James - National Steel

Styles:Modern Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues
Released:Jun 30, 1998
Label:WEA
File:flac i mp3 @160kbps
Size:58.6 MB?
Time:50:51

1. Shout Baby Shout (Rachell) - 3:16
2. Rollin' Stone (Waters) - 3:23
3. National Steel (Burgess, James, Ward) - 4:54
4. These Arms of Mine (Redding) - 4:43
5. Going up to the Country (Mahal) - 4:10
6. Fixin' to Die (White) - 4:28
7. Somebody Have Mercy (Cooke) - 3:32
8. Postman's Sack (Bradshaw) - 1:41
9. Please Baby (Chatmon) - 3:41
10. Ride and Roll (McGhee) - 2:39
11. I Live the Life I Love (Dixon) - 3:41
12. My Mind Is on Vacation (Allison) - 3:35
13. Before the Dawn (Linden) - 4:26
14. Kind-Hearted Woman (Johnson) - 2:40


Personnel:
Norm Fisher - Bass
Colin James - Mandolin, Pedal Steel, Vocals, Slide Guitar
Colin Linden - Guitar (Acoustic), Mandolin, Producer, Slide Guitar
Campbell Ryga - Sax
Johnny Ferriera - Sax


Notes: Colin James is somewhat of a chameleon. He has released everything from swing-blues to pop to R&B.
On this CD, James, in my opinion, is at his best. He is joined for this all acoustic session by his friend and fellow canadian, Colin Linden ("Through the Storm" and "Raised By Wolves").
The song selections are good, mixing some originals with the tunes of Yank Rachell, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and even soul man Sam Cooke. Together, both Colins' guitar playing is excellent and their vocals harmonize and blend well.
To date, this is my favorite Colin James CD. If you are looking for some good acoustic playing, this CD should meet your needs. ~ deepbluereview

National Steel



• Taj Mahal - Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff •
• Mountain Men - Hope •

Oznake: Colin James, Modern Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues

Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy

Styles: Contemporary Blues, New Acoustic, Political Folk, Progressive Folk
Released: 2007
Label: Nonesuch
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 162.3 MB
Time: 70:53
Art: full

1. Suitcase In My Hand - 2:54
2. Cat & Mouse - 5:02
3. Strike! - 5:08
4. J. Edgar - 2:37
5. Footprints In The Snow - 3:07
6. Sundown Town - 2:57
7. Green Dog - 7:33
8. The Dying Truck Driver - 4:56
9. Christmas In Southgate - 3:27
10. Hank Williams - 4:09
11. Red Cat Till I Die - 3:08
12. Three Chords And The Truth - 5:02
13. My Name Is Buddy - 3:12
14. One Cat, One Vote, One Beer - 4:16
15. Cardboard Avenue - 4:34
16. Farm Girl - 3:54
17. There's A Bright Side Somewhere - 4:49


Personnel:
Ry Cooder (vocals, guitar, bajo sexto, banjo, mandola, keyboards, bass); Buddy Red Cat (vocals, guitar); Roland White (vocals, mandolin); Julliette Cammagere, Bobby "Blanco" King, Bobby King , Juliette Commagere (vocals); Paddy Moloney (whistling, whistle, Uilleann pipe); Lefty Mouse (fiddle); Reverend Tom Toad (tambourine); Terry Evans (vocals); Mike Seeger (banjo, fiddle, harmonica); Pete Seeger (banjo); Flaco Jiménez (accordion); Jon Hassell (trumpet); Jacky Terrasson, Van Dyke Parks (piano); Joachim Cooder (keyboards, drums, percussion); Jim Keltner (drums)

Notes: With a concept that could have failed on so many levels in lesser hands, Ry Cooder stuns once again in MY NAME IS BUDDY and demonstrates why he is one of America's most adventurous musicians. His chosen material is a loose collection of animal character sketches--the titular Buddy is a cat--based on labor struggles and the lower class in Depression-era America. Think of it as Woody Guthrie meets Beatrix Potter.
While an odd construct on page for a man that jammed with Beefheart, the Stones, and the Buena Vista Social Club, MY NAME IS BUDDY flies with every track. The stellar cast of musicians includes the brothers Seeger, Van Dyke Parks, Jim Keltner, Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains, and Flaco Jimenez, and grounds the fairy tale atmosphere with musical blood and guts. The ensembles tear through early-19th-century forms (country blues, bluegrass, and old-time arrangements) with a rollicking flair.

My Name Is Buddy



• Markus James - Snakeskin Violin •
• Various Artists - Fonotone Records 1956-1969 (5 Disc Box set) •

Oznake: Ry Cooder, Contemporary Blues, New Acoustic, folk

Taj Mahal - Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff

Styles: Modern Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues
Released: 1972/1991
Label: Mobile Fidelity/Columbia
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 103.7 MB
Time: 46:28
Art: front + back

1. Conch Introduction - 1:10
2. Kalimba - 2:25
3. Bound To Love Me Some - 5:15
4. Ricochet - 4:17
5. A Free Song (Rise Up Children Shake The Devil Out Of Your Soul) - 4:11
6. Corinna - 2:56
7. Conch Close - 0:38
8. M'Banjo - 4:38
9. Cakewalk Into Town - 2:35
10. Sweet Home Chicago - 6:49
11. Texas Woman Blues - 2:57
12. Gitano Negro - 8:33

Personnel:
Taj Mahal - Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Guitar (Steel), Vocals, Kalimba, Handclapping, Producer, Conch, Bass (Upright)
Howard Johnson - Tuba, Handclapping
The Pointer Sisters - Vocals (bckgr)

Notes: "Recycling the Blues and Other Related Stuff" is most likely Taj's best album and definitely his best album side. At a time that blues meant listening to a wailing electric guitar, Taj swam against the current, and produced an awesome minimalist format. The first cut, "Cakewalk into Town" is adorned with Howard Johnson's tuba and some handclaps. Nobody but Taj could have pulled that off. You see great guitarists like Mark Knopfler use steel guitars as album cover ornaments, and Johnny Winter even cut a song with one, but Taj really knows what to do with one. In fact, whether it's an upright bass, banjo, or whatever, he will get incredible sounds out of it. Brian Jones move over. The album's version of "Sweet Home Chicago" is a simply definitive version, dare I say it, blowing away the track we have of Robert Johnson. Why this song and this version of this song isn't Chicago's theme song instead of The Chairman's is pretty obvious. The Pointer Sisters' background vocals are perfect. Ditto on "Texas Woman Blues," but the striking aspect of this song is the listener's recognition of how Taj has changed the texture of his voice from an edgy gravelly sound in the previous songs to a rich warm baritone. Anyone that picked up on the cd issue of "The Real Thing" will notice this quality throughout that album. And of course, on both albums, Taj shows us he can whistle better than anyone else. He is just so musically talented, especially during this period of his career, as to be disgusting. What is truly disgusting is that this cd is out of print and wasn't reissued with the reissues of his other early albums. The only cd version from 1991 fetches incredible prices. I guess I should be grateful for the issue of "The Real Thing," as it commemorates an incredible tuba breakdown that will have you running to the audio store to buy a subwoofer (rationalizing the expense as a partial savings on laxatives). And "Natural Blues" has that banjo mini-solo (or whatever you want to call it) in the middle of "Corinna." But I want more. I implore the record industry gods to hear my plea and produce a quality remastered cd version of "Recycling the Blues and Other Related Stuff." ~ Leo H. Stakemiller

Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff



• John Dee Holeman - John Dee Holeman & The Waifs Band •
• John Hammond - John Hammond Live •

Oznake: Taj Mahal, Modern Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues

Taj Mahal - An Evening of Acoustic Music

Styles: Electric Country Blues, Contemporary Blues, Acoustic Blues
Recorded: 1994
Released: 1997
Label: Ruf
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 161 MB
Time: 70:26
Art: front + back

1. Stagger Lee - 3:50
2. Dust My Broom - 5:08
3. Take This Hammer - 3:58
4. Blues With A Feeling - 5:04
5. Big Legged Mamas Are Back In Style Again - 4:31
6. Crossing - 4:58
7. Come On In My Kitchen - 6:25
8. Candy Man - 4:18
9. Satisfied 'N' Tickled Too - 6:58
10. Sittin' On Top Of The World - 4:22
11. Cake Walk Into Town - 2:35
12. Ain't Gwine To Whistle Dixie Anymo' - 4:00
13. Big Kneed Gal - 5:47
14. Texas Woman Blues - 3:36
15. Tom & Sally Drake - 4:49

Personnel:
Taj Mahal - Guitar (Electric and Acoustic), Vocals, Piano, Banjo
Howard Johnson - Tuba (11, 13, 14, 15), Penny Whistle (12)

Notes: If you've ever caught Taj live solo, this recording, cut during an appearance in Germany, is what you've been waiting for. His sublime performances of "Satisfied and Tickled Too" and "Candy Man" are out of this world. While the inclusion of tuba on a few tracks does prove somewhat annoying, for the most part this is an excellent example of what makes Taj a treasure.

An Evening of Acoustic Music



• Terry Garland - The One To Blame •
• Steve James - Art and Grit •

Oznake: Taj Mahal, Country Blues, Contemporary Blues, Acoustic Blues

Mountain Men - Hope

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Harmonica Blues
Released: 2012
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 142,4 MB
Time: 62:02
Art: front

1. Egoistical - 4:06
2. Tick Tock - 4:21
3. Imidiouane - 4:00
4. Give It Back To Me - 5:12
5. Sefore I Sleep - 3:53
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit - 3:41
7. Kiss Me - 6:18
8. I Believe In Me - 6:25
9. I Hope - 4:37
10. Nothing Zero None - 5:35
11. Travailler C'est Trop Dur - 5:34
12. Move Up To The Door - 8:13


Notes: 'Hope’ is the second-album by Mountain Men. A duo featuring one man on guitar and vocals, and another member playing the harmonica, I’d argue that Mountain Men are one of the most underrated acts in the world today. Their country music has such an original slant on it, drawing on all the formalities of country music, but expressed in their own style. What makes Mountain Men’s music so great to listen to is the complete chemistry between its two and only members. Whilst the foreground of the music is occupied by the vocals, it is the instrumentation in the background that makes their music so impressive.
The harmonica playing on each song is at an insanely talented level. It acts like a voice of its own, and accompanies the acoustic riffs perfectly helping to add a dense layer to each and every song. This was present on the first album ‘Spring Time Coming’, and there was a wonderful mixture of upbeat songs and more slower songs. It was a highly impressive début album, that seemingly went unnoticed in the musical world.
With ‘Hope’, we see Mountain Men continuing to do what they do best. Their music is still twinged with the dense layers of harmonica, which helps to add so much more emotion to the music. The album feels as though it is split into two parts, with the first half containing more darker and slightly more aggressive songs, and the second half featuring much lighter and delicate songs. There’s a few surprises on this album, including a rather unconventional cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. It is an interesting version, and it is interesting to hear the band putting their unique slant on the song, using their own style to present it in a much different way.
Musically, this album is wonderful. The delicate songs feature beautiful acoustic riffs, accompanied by incredibly impressive harmonica playing. The vocals are as strong as they’ve always been, and in these delicate songs the lyrics are crooned compassionately and emotionally, giving the songs depth and emotion. The harmonica adds to this depth, as like I said, it feels like its own voice in the song, singing its own parts. The harmonica in Mountain Men’s music has always been highly impressive, and it hasn’t faltered for a second on this album.
‘Hope’ is a very impressive second album. From a band who remains relatively unknown, their music is still of such a high quality, with lots of effort being put into the writing, recording and presentation of each song. The band uses their strengths very well on this album, and you can see it in the songs that are the highlights on the album. As it is, I feel that the inclusion of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is an unnecessary one, as whilst it has merit of its own, I feel that it personally draws the listener out of the album due to awareness of the song itself. When the album plays its songs by Mountain Men, it draws you in and you can get lost in the dense layers of harmonica and guitar. I felt that as soon as I heard and recognised Nirvana’s lyrics on the album, that I was drawn out of this immersion quite suddenly. The awareness of the song was too much, and it is a shame because the music Mountain Men write are good enough in their own merit. That being said though the cover is good, don’t get me wrong. In conclusion, I feel that ‘Hope’ is a worthy second album, being every bit as good as ‘Spring Time Coming’. It is a shame with a band so unknown that not enough people know of them, as Mountain Men are a band worthy of recognition. ~ Cd Critic
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Hope



• Terry Garland - The One To Blame •
• Cotton Belly's - This Day... •

Oznake: Mountain Men, Contemporary Blues, Harmonica Blues, france, australia

Steve James - Art and Grit

Styles:Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Country Blues
Recorded:Jun-Sep 1995
Released:Sep 9, 1996
Label:Discovery
File:mp3 @320kbps
Size:94.6 MB
Time:40:06
Art:full

1. Ooze It to Me, Mama (Tarlton) - 3:03
2. Wet Laundry Blues (Easton) - 2:56
3. Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight (Mertz) - 3:39
4. Blues Widow (James) - 3:31
5. Downbound Train (Berry) - 4:52
6. Viola Lee Blues (Lewis) - 3:18
7. Liberty (Traditional) - 2:42
8. Monkey Man Swing (James) - 2:27
9. Farewell the Roses (James) - 3:14
10. Juanita Stomp (Williams) - 4:06
11. Lookit Th' Dog (James) - 3:14
12. Buddy Bolden's Blues (Traditional) - 3:04

Notes: James' first album was a solo effort; his second added a small combo. Art and Grit, his third, is a virtual celebration of acoustic string instruments. The Austin "jug band" of American Primitive -- James, Danny Barnes, Mark Rubin, and Gary Primich -- reunites on three cuts and forms the nucleus of three others. Guitar virtuoso Rob Brozman and Asleep at the Wheel's Cindy Cashdollar make guest appearances, and all told there are no fewer than eleven different instrument lineups on the disc, with guitars of many types (standard, slide, Hawaiian, and tenor), banjos (6- and 4-string), and mandolins presented solo and in various combinations. Most memorable cuts are James' delightfully archaic banjo rendition of the century-old "Buddy Bolden's Blues" and the joyfully clanging triple guitar attack on "Downbound Train" (an obscure Chuck Berry album cut, based on an old temperance song). Recording quality is exceptionally vivid, capturing the distinctive timbre of each instrument and making Art and Grit an old-timey blues lovers' delight.

Art and Grit



• Michael Jerome Browne - Drive On •
• Tracy Nelson - The Best Of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth •

Oznake: Steve James, Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Country Blues

Terry Garland - The One To Blame

Time: 50:36
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 1996
Bitrate: 320K/s
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Good Time Blues
[5:41] 2. The One To Blame
[4:41] 3. Stagger Lee
[4:19] 4. Phonograph Blues
[5:00] 5. Nasty Boogie Woogie
[4:28] 6. A Closer Walk With Thee
[4:34] 7. Rollin' And Tumblin'
[3:31] 8. Goin' Down Slow
[2:15] 9. It'll Be Me
[5:36] 10. When A Brother Dies
[6:09] 11. All Aboard


Like Terry Garland's two albums for RCA, The One to Blame is an engaging collection of contemporary country-blues and rock & roll reconfigured to sound like country-blues. Among the highlights are "Stagger Lee," "Closer Walk with Thee," "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "It'll Be Me." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Terry Garland (vocals, acoustic guitar, National guitar); Gary Shaver (clarinet); Mark Wenner (harmonica); Dave Tripplet (trumpet); Rich Moncure (trombone); Bruce Courson (piano).

The One To Blame

Mo' Albums...
• Paul Zunno - Solo Acoustic
• Kaz Simmons - Different Smile

Oznake: Terry Garland, Contemporary Blues

Habib Koité & Eric Bibb - Brothers in Bamako

Styles: World, African-West, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues
Label: Stony Plain
Released: 2012
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 120,6 MB
Time: 52:40
Art: front + back

1. On My Way To Bamako - 3:15
2. L.A. - 5:37
3. Touma Ni Kelen ~ Needed Time - 4:40
4. Tombouctou - 4:03
5. We Don't Care - 4:00
6. Send Us Brighter Days - 3:58
7. Nani Le - 2:31
8. Khafole - 4:18
9. With My Maker Iam One - 4:26
10. Foro Bana - 5:24
11. Mami Wata - 1:35
12. Blowin' In The Wind - 4:45
13. Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad - 4:00


Notes: The Stony Plain label, justly famed for myriad expositions of roots music via a cascade of legendary long-timers and incandescent newcomers is, in Brothers in Bamako by Habib Koité and Eric Bibb, lately giving the excellent Putamayo label a run for the money by releasing this compendium of mellifluous, enchanting, sigh-filled evocations of beauty, reminiscence, reflection, and humane commentary. Chiefly just the two gents Koité and Bibb singing and fingerpicking, with some session work added in here and there, the sound field is magically filled with delicate scintillating guitar work and light flowing vocals. Once the amber tones of Bamako disc start wafting through the room, everyone's gonna lighten up and smile.
The affinities between this blend of South African, folk, and blues musics is strongly mirrored in South American strains as well, in the gentler, easier-going selections from the samba / bossa / etc. catalogue. More than once, I was also reminded of recent excellent releases by James Lee Stanley and John Batdorf, and a number of times I found my fingers snapping oh so coolly, just like a Djavan LP was playing. The threads to Nick Drake are just as evident as there's a consummate ethereality running throughout the CD—whether you care to attribute it to a more cosmic mindset or not is your decision, but Donovan had a number of cuts that still ring down the years and are extremely kindred to Bamako atmospheres.
Taj Mahal and the like have sewn this kind of highly attractive strain into their repertoires, but Koité & Bibb present an entire 13-cut delicacy before us, and one can very easily drift off to sleep while listening, carried away from the clamor and insistence of the wearying world. Bamako reminds us that not everything is stress, furious intensity, and callousness, the disc gently beckoning one and all back to their human sides, where we live for the pleasure of living alone. Listeners know that any CD can be a risk—it might be 30% good, 50%, whatever—but this is one is a 100%-er, plain pure heaven. You might even call it medicine.
A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange by Mark S. Tucker

“It’s my first trip to West Africa. But I’m pretty sure, in some kind of way, it’s gonna feel like coming home”
Renowned blues musician, Eric Bibb, sings that revelation in the title track of his new disc with fellow renowned musician Habib Koite, On My Way to Bamako, and joining Habib in the capital city of Mali with his family. This warm and inviting blend of blues and world music is a delight to hear and experience as two songwriters journey to each other’s worlds. Habib praises ‘tequila time’ making him happy in “L.A” as he follows a hilarious line about taking five shots of the liquor.
Many of the tracks like fall under the category of spiritual awareness, but not tied to particular religious dogma. It’s more about reconnecting to each other and the land. “We Don’t Care” and “Send Us Brighter Days” are like a supplication to a deeper, interconnected life in two parts. Eric makes it very plain how intertwined both sinner and saint are to the Higher Power or God on the track, “With My Maker I am One”. Overall, a solid folk/blues treat that does indeed feel to coming home to me.

Brothers in Bamako



• Markus James - Snakeskin Violin •
• Tracy Nelson - The Best Of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth •

Oznake: Habib Koité, Eric Bibb, World, African-West, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, mali

Eric Bibb, Rory Block & Maria Muldaur - Sisters & Brothers

Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Contemporary Blues, Folk-Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues
Label: Telarc
Released: 2004
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 120,4 MB
Time: 52:35
Art: full

1. Rock Daniel - 2:09
2. Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down - 3:27
3. Get Up Get Ready - 4:28
4. Lean On Me - 4:06
5. Bessie's Advice - 7:17
6. Good Stuff - 3:02
7. Rolling Log - 2:49
8. Gotta Serve Somebody - 5:34
9. Travelin' Woman Blues - 4:29
10. Little Rain - 4:06
11. Maggie Campbell - 2:58
12. Give A Little More - 3:20
13. My Sisters And Brothers - 4:44

Personnel:
Eric Bibb - Guitar, Vocals
Rory Block - Guitar, Vocals
Maria Muldaur - Vocals
Chris Burns - Piano, Wurlitzer, Wurlitzer Piano
Per Hanson - Drums
Mudcat Ward - Bass (Upright), Double Bass

Notes: Sisters and Brothers is a dynamic collection of blues. There isn't a bad track to be found, each one taking you in a new direction. This threesome gives their very best, never once overshadowing someone else. Each artists expressive originality truly compliments the other, highlighting their strengths and creativity. This trio opens the door to a different side of the blues, the hopeful, uplifting, inspiring side. You'll be pleasantly surprised just how infectious this recording becomes, as you play it again and again. It's a genuine "feel good" album with lots of toe-tappin' energy. I highly recommend you dive right into this one.
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Sisters & Brothers



• Paul Geremia - Gamblin' Woman Blues •
• Brother John Sellers - Sings Blues And Folk Songs •

---

Posted by muddy

Oznake: Eric Bibb, Rory Block, Maria Muldaur, Contemporary Blues, Folk-Blues, Acoustic Blues

Michael Jerome Browne - Drive On

Styles: Modern Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Folk
Label: Borealis
Released: 2001
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 109,8 MB
Time: 47:58
Art: front

1. Goin' Where I Never Been Before - 2:38
2. I Love You Emry - 2:15
3. Children - 3:10
4. The Path You Leave Behind - 2:28
5. May You Come And Stay - 2:07
6. Someday My Day Will Come - 3:22
7. I'm A Ram 3 - 3:53
8. Gotta Have You - 4:34
9. That's Where It's At - 3:28
10. No No Blues - 2:33
11. New Morning Blues - 2:31
12. Cancer Ward Blues - 3:17
13. Guitar Mama - 2:42
14. You Missed A Good Man - 3:17
15. He Ain'T Got Rhythm - 2:20
16. Journey's End - 3:16


Personnel:
Michael Jerome Browne (vocals, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, resonator guitar, tenor guitar, fretless banjo, fiddle, harmonica)
Ray Bonneville (vocals, harmonica)
Nicolas Caloia (double bass)
Jordan Officer (acoustic guitar)
Jody Golick (tenor saxophone)
John McColgan (drums)

Notes: Playing traditional blues in a traditional manner without sounding academic is a tricky act. Michael Jerome Browne pulls it off beautifully. Browne is a master of fingerpicked guitar, slide guitar and fretless banjo, with a raspy voice that would sound right at home on some Alan Lomax field recordings if you added some crackles and pops to "age" the sound. The thing is, Browne isn't playing this stuff just to keep tradition alive. This is no homage. This is no pastiche. He is playing it because he feels it. He was just born in the wrong era. On most tracks, he plays unaccompanied, but on a few, he has some light accompaniment, and the album ends on a jazzier note, complete with some tasteful saxophone, playing well off of Browne's Lonnie Johnson-style flatpicking. Mostly, though, Browne sticks to country blues. He isn't imitating anyone in particular most of the time. You can't listen to 12-string slide without thinking of Leadbelly, but even then, he sounds nothing like Leadbelly. He just sounds like the forgotten, long-lost blues master whose recordings miraculously resurfaced and were painstakingly restored.
There aren't many people who can pull this off, and Bob Brozman is no longer with us. Catfish Keith. Steve James. If these are the kinds of modern blues musicians you like, Michael Jerome Browne is for you too. And if you long for more blues banjo, check out Otis Taylor's "Recapturing the Banjo."

Drive On



• Jeff Lang - Half Seas Over •
• Geoff Muldaur - Password •

Oznake: Michael Jerome Browne, Contemporary Blues, Contemporary Folk

Tracy Nelson - The Best Of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:18
Size: 160.9 MB
Styles: Folk-blues, Contemporary blues vocals, Roots
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. Down So Low
[4:31] 2. Cry On
[2:37] 3. Goodnight Nelba Grebe, The Telephone Company Has Cut Us Off
[6:10] 4. Mother Earth
[3:30] 5. It Won't Be Long
[5:24] 6. Need Your Love So Bad
[3:05] 7. The Soul Of A Man
[3:55] 8. Satisfied
[6:25] 9. Ruler Of My Heart
[3:20] 10. Temptation Took Control Of Me (And I Fell)
[3:19] 11. Soul Of Sadness
[4:57] 12. Tonight The Sky's About To Cry
[3:56] 13. I'll Be Long Gone
[3:59] 14. Seven Bridges Road
[3:47] 15. Tennessee Blues
[4:05] 16. Thinking Of You
[3:23] 17. I Don't Do That Kind Of Thing Anymore


Janis Joplin may have gotten all of the fame and glory, but she was far from the only white female blues shouter to emerge from the San Francisco music scene of the mid-'60s; The Best of Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth is proof positive of that, providing an excellent introduction to one of the more sadly overlooked talents of her time and place. Despite any number of passing similarities to Joplin, Nelson sings with greater finesse; her style is more adaptable as well, capable of fitting comfortably into R&B, psychedelia, and pop ballads, all the while remaining grounded in classic roots music traditions. Highlighted by her perennial "Down So Low" -- subsequently recorded by everyone from Linda Ronstadt to Etta James -- this 17-track compilation also spotlights performances spanning from a wrenching cover of Little Willie John's "Need Your Love So Bad" to contemporary material like Steve Young's "Seven Bridges Road" and John Hiatt's "Thinking of You," offering a comprehensive overview of her earliest and most enduring work.

The Best Of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth

Mo' Albums...
• The Sojourners - Sing And Never Get Tired
• Shakin' Stevens - The Collection

Oznake: Tracy Nelson, Folk-Blues, Contemporary Blues, Roots

Jeff Lang - Half Seas Over

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Folk-Blues, Contemporary Folk
Label: ABC Music
Released: 2008
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 119,8 MB
Time: 52:19
Art: front + back

1. Southern Highlands Daughter - 3:39
2. Copper Mine - 5:17
3. The Savannah Way - 4:29
4. Five Letters - 4:45
5. The House Carpenter - 5:24
6. My Mother Always Talked To Me - 4:42
7. The Vaults of Lattanzio - 2:01
8. Mooncoin - 4:08
9. Ghosting On My Mind - 4:38
10. Night Draws In - 4:58
11. Is All - 3:21
12. Newman Town - 4:52


Notes: Australian based musician jeff lang has earned worldwide acclaim as a virtuosic guitarist, a dynamic songwriter and a startlingly unique live performer. Jeff has a back catalogue of 13 studio albums and has been featured at major festivals, pubs, clubs, arts centres and venues internationally for the past decade. Blending rock, roots, folk, blues, ballads, instrumentals, improvisation and a devastatingly high level of musicality, jeff lang is a singularly unique performer in our world. Jeff has been showered with many achievements and awards in his life, the most outstanding would be his six aria award nominations as well as his win in 2002. 2007 was an action packed year for jeff lang. Three albums licensed worldwide, two released in australia, too many local and overseas tours to count, aria nominations and the honour of being the artist in residence of the inaugural adelaide international arts festival. ~ amazon
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Half Seas Over



• Geoff Muldaur - Password •
• Kristina Olsen - The Truth Of A Woman •

Oznake: Jeff Lang, australia, Folk-Blues, Contemporary Blues, Contemporary Folk

Various - Every Road I Take: The Best Of Contemporary Acoustic Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:56
Size: 105.2 MB
Styles: Acoustic blues
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Alvin Youngblood Hart - Pony Blues
[3:00] 2. Keb Mo - Love Blues
[3:06] 3. R.L. Burnside - Long Haired Doney
[3:14] 4. David Guy & Guy Davis - Georgia Jelly Roll
[3:45] 5. Tab Benoit - Rainy Day Blues
[2:17] 6. Corey Harris - Take Me Back
[3:28] 7. Sue Foley - Every Road I Take
[3:57] 8. Dr. John - Mac's Boogie
[3:11] 9. Rory Block - Joliet Bound
[2:35] 10. John Hammond - Riding In The Moonlight
[3:49] 11. Chris Smither - Memphis In The Meantime
[4:42] 12. Steve James - Stack Lee Blues
[5:17] 13. Woody Mann - Little Brother


Every Road I Take: The Best of Contemporary Acoustic Blues doesn't do a bad job of living up to its title, sampling tracks from some of the most acclaimed blues artists of the late '90s. There is material from artists like R.L. Burnside, Keb' Mo', Rory Block, Tab Benoit, Alvin Youngblood Hart, and more, painting a rich and diverse portrait of the wealth of talent keeping the tradition alive. ~ Steve Huey

Guy Davis (vocals, guitar, 12-string guitar, slide guitar, harmonica, washboard); Keb' Mo' (vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica); John F. Hammond, John Hammond, Jr. (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Chris Smither (vocals, guitar, sound effects); Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, R.L. Burnside, Steve James, Tab Benoit, Willie Nelson, Woody Mann (vocals, guitar); Rory Block, Sue Foley (vocals, acoustic guitar); Bob Gay (saxophone); Dave Keyes, Dr. John (piano); Brad Hatfield (keyboards); Joe Ferry (acoustic bass, sound effects); Harvie Swartz (acoustic bass).

Recording information: Coast Recorders, San Francisco, CA; Edit Masters, Chatham, NY; Fire Station Studio, San Marcos, TX; Loft Studio; Microsound Studios, New York, NY; Mixing Lab, Newton, MA; Mixolydian Studios, Lafayette, NJ; Orpheus Music, New York, NY; Pedernales Studios, Spicewood, TX; Red Zone Studios, Burbank, CA; Soundtrack Studios; The Loft, Bronxville, NY; Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans, LA.

Every Road I Take: The Best Of Contemporary Acoustic Blues

Mo' Albums...
• Joe Turner - Big Joe Is Here
• Clara Ghimel - Every Night Of The Week

Oznake: Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart, Chris Smither, Corey Harris, Guy Davis, John Hammond, Keb' Mo', R.L. Burnside, Rory Block, Steve James, Tab Benoit, Various, Woody Mann, Contemporary Blues

Terry Garland - Whistling in the Dark

Styles:Contemporary Blues
Release:2006
Label:Silvermoon
File:mp3 @320K/s
Size:108 MB
Time:45:12

1. Get Bitchy (Garland, Montsinger, Olsen) - 2:54
2. Memo to Jo (Garland) - 4:18
3. The Hard Luck Blues (Garland) - 3:45
4. Too Much Blood (Garland) - 4:16
5. When You See Their Eyes (Garland) - 4:58
6. Jim Beam and the Bible (Garland, Weitzman) - 5:08
7. Stumbling in the Dark (Garland) - 2:58
8. Soapbox Saturday Night (Garland) - 3:33
9. Without You (Garland) - 5:19
10. Vacation Due (Garland) - 4:44
11. Walk with Me (Minnie's Song) (Garland) - 3:10

Personnel:
Bruce Courson - Piano
Terry Garland - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Vocals
David Owen - Bass
Mark Wenner - Harmonica

Notes: Terry Garland is a country-blues interpreter who plays a National steel-body guitar, often with a slide, in the style of Bukka White and Fred McDowell.
Terry Garland is widely known as a master slide and acoustic blues guitarist. Born in Johnson City, Tennessee, Garland traces his roots to such greats as Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed and Blind Willie McTell. He is also strongly influenced by Elvis Presley, Keith Richards and JJ Cale.
On this fifth album, which is all originals, Terry ventures into new territory. Those who love the roots, blues, folk, country, honky tonk and gospel will find a common ground.

Whistling in the Dark



• Guy Tortora - Jefferson Drive •
• Brint Anderson - Notes From Clarksdale •

Oznake: Terry Garland, Contemporary Blues

Big Jack Johnson - The Memphis Barbecue Sessions

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Juke Joint Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Country Blues
Label: M.C. Records
Released: 2000
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 129,3 MB
Time: 56:29
Art: full

1. Oh Baby - 4:08
2. Humming Blues - 4:01
3. Don't Care Nothing - 3:34
4. Smokestack Lightning - 4:09
5. I'm Going Out Walking - 4:17
6. My Babe - 4:13
7. Blue Bird - 5:56
8. Lonesome Road - 4:18
9. Get Along Little Cindy - 4:21
10. Humming Bird - 5:15
11. Big Boss Man - 4:08
12. Things I Used To Do - 4:29
13. Dust My Broom - 3:33


Personnel:
Big Jack Johnson - vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, harmonica
Kim Wilson - vocals (5), guitar, harmonica
Pinetop Perkins - piano (2, 8)
Mark Carpentieri - Drums (2, 8, 13)

Notes: This album is a joy indeed, a journey inside the blues and down the Mississippi Delta. Johnson's always been an expressive singer, and in such a stripped-down setting his voice becomes more important than ever on classics like "Smokestack Lightning" and "My Babe." His guitar work offers the ideal backdrop, too, never fancy, but juke-joint friendly, serviceable, and offering a strong beat. Bringing in former Fabulous Thunderbirds frontman Kim Wilson to play harmonica proves to be an inspired move, he and Johnson conjure up a blues duo from the '50s, and when legendary pianist Pinetop Perkins sits in on a couple of numbers things really smoke. The Johnson originals on the album sit comfortably next to the classic covers, and the gutbucket style assures plenty of musical muscle, with Johnson and Wilson constantly pushing each other further. Where drums do come in, on three of the 13 tracks, they might as well not be there, they're so low in the mix and offer so little they're certainly not missed anywhere else. On the evidence here, Johnson is every bit as comfortable on his own as he is with the backing of a band, and the more intimate, live setting (the disc was recorded in two days) brings out some subtleties in his singing and playing styles that get lost in a group setting. An enjoyable and even important modern blues record. ~ Chris Nickson

The Memphis Barbecue Sessions



• Davis Coen - 2 albums •
• Samuel James - Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy •

Oznake: Acoustic Blues, Kim Wilson, Big Jack Johnson, Country Blues, Contemporary Blues

Peter Green Splinter Group - Me And The Devil (3 Cd's Box set)

Styles: Contemporary Blues, British Blues, Country Blues, Slide Guitar Blues
Released: 2008
Label: Snapper Music
File: mp3@320K/s
Art: Full Covers

Disc 1: Hot Foot Powder
Size: 99,2 MB
Time: 43:20

1. I' m A Steady Rollin' Man - 3:36
2. From Four Until Late - 3:04
3. Dead Shrimp Blues - 2:51
4. Little Queen Of Spades - 3:04
5. They' re Red Hot - 3:53
6. Preachin' Blues - 2:46
7. Hell Hound On My Trail - 3:33
8. Traveling Riverside Blues - 4:10
9. Malted Milk - 3:14
10. Milkcow' s Calf Blues - 3:34
11. Drunken Hearted Man - 3:24
12. Cross Road Blues - 2:58
13. Come On In My Kitchen - 3:08

Disc 2: The Robert Johnson Songbook
Size: 123,6 MB
Time: 53:58

1. When You Got A Good Friend - 2:48
2. 32-20 Blues - 2:58
3. Phonograph Blues - 3:30
4. Last Fair Deal Gone Down - 2:48
5. Stop Breakin' Down Blues - 3:20
6. Terraplane Blues - 3:46
7. Walkin' Blues - 3:08
8. Love In Vain Blues - 4:50
9. Ramblin' On My Mind - 3:02
10. Stones In My Passway - 2:58
11. Me And The Devil Blues - 3:05
12. Honeymoon Blues - 2:35
13. Kind Hearted Woman Blues - 3:43
14. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom - 3:22
15. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day - 3:43
16. Sweet Home Chicago - 4:14

Disc 3: Robert Johnson Original Recordings
Size: 177,0 MB
Time: 77:19

1. I'm A Steady Rollin' Man - 2:40
2. From Four Until Late - 2:26
3. Dead Shrimp Blues - 2:33
4. Little Queen Of Spades - 2:16
5. They're Red Hot - 3:01
6. Preachin' Blues - 2:54
7. Hell Hound On My Trail - 2:39
8. Traveling Riverside Blues - 2:48
9. Malted Milk - 2:21
10. Milkcow's Calf Blues - 2:19
11. Drunken Hearted Man - 2:29
12. Cross Road Blues - 2:43
13. Come On In My Kitchen - 2:40
14. When You Got A Good Friend - 2:41
15. 32-20 Blues - 2:55
16. Phonograph Blues - 2:42
17. Last Fair Deal Gone Down - 2:42
18. Stop Breakin' Down Blues - 2:20
19. Terraplane Blues - 3:03
20. Walkin' Blues - 2:33
21. Love In Vain Blues - 2:23
22. Ramblin' On My Mind - 2:54
23. Stones In My Passway - 2:31
24. Me And The Devil Blues - 2:39
25. Honeymoon Blues - 2:20
26. Kind Hearted Woman Blues - 2:54
27. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom - 3:00
28. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day - 2:38
29. Sweet Home Chicago - 3:02

Personnel:
Peter Green - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals, Producer
Roger Cotton - Guitar, Piano
Neil Murray - Bass
Larry Tolfree - Drums
Nigel Watson - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals, Producer
Paul Rodgers - Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
Dr. John - Piano
Honeyboy Edwards - Guitar
Buddy Guy - Guitar
Otis Rush - Guitar
Hubert Sumlin - Guitar
Larry Tolfree - Drums
Joe Louis Walker - Guitar
and
Robert Johnson - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals


Notes: 2008 three CD set featuring two discs of Peter Green's award-winning recordings of bluesman Robert Johnson classics plus a third disc containing Johnson's own recordings of the songs that made him a legend. The 29 songs that Robert Johnson recorded in various Texas hotel rooms in 1936 and 1937 are amongst the most significant and influential works in the history of Blues music. It was thus very appropriate that it was to these landmark songs that Peter Green turned when recording the two albums which have done so much to re-launch his career, 1998's The Robert Johnson Songbook and 2000's Hot Foot Powder.

You probable have all those albums, but Peter Green is one of my favorit blues artists [I grown up with his music (Peter Bardens Looners, Shotgun Express, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Brunning Sunflower Blues Band, Peter Green Splinter Group) the best years of my life, then I discovered Acoustic Blues] and so I want to have some of his albums on my blog. Robert is different story. It's not to hard to find 29 songs on internet, but those are remastered two year ago, sound is very good, and I hope you will enjoy. ~ muddy (2010, On Muddy Sava Riverbank)

Me And The Devil



• Guy Tortora - Jefferson Drive •
• Sugarcane Collins - Way Down The River •

Oznake: British Blues, Contemporary Blues, Country Blues, Peter Green, Peter Green Splinter Group, Robert Johnson, Slide Guitar Blues

Salty Dog - Slap That Thing

Styles: Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues
Released: 2001
Label: Black Market Music
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 123.3 MB
Time: 53:51
Art: front + back

1. Preachin' Blues - 4:11
2. Slap That Thing - 2:44
3. Cypress Grove - 4:07
4. Got A Bad Feelin' - 3:19
5. Black Mattie - 3:39
6. Boogie Woogie Country Girl - 3:50
7. Deep River Blues - 3:07
8. He's My Daddy - 3:09
9. Mandolin Boogie - 2:46
10. Parchment Farm - 3:14
11. Mama Taint Long Fo Day - 3:24
12. Kansas City Blues - 2:18
13. Crossroads - 3:43
14. Hello Little Boy - 3:28
15. Kind Hearted Man - 3:41
16. Georgia Crawl - 3:11


Notes:Steve Plater - A dynamic wicked guitar player, both electric and acoustic,has gained the recognition as one of Australia's finest multi-instrumentalists. Steve is a one man band performing on Drums, snare and hi-hat with his awesome sounding handcrafted Biscuit-Tin/Jack Daniels tin guitar and Cigar box guitars made by Steve himself, clearly giving the raw rootsey edge to Salty Dog,s unique sound.
From their opening set Steve's energy is radiated into the crowd setting them on fire with his powerful drumming and fierce guitar playing captivating audiences young and old, are dancing or either tapping their feet to the hypnotic beat immersing themselves into the music! Through out the show anxious punters speak to Steve about his wicked custom instruments which mostly result in a sale or two! Don't be surprised if you see one of Steve's creations hanging around at the odd venue here and there. Soon he won't have to bring all of his instruments to shows as he may just grab a Jack Daniels Whiskey Tin guitar from over the bar that various venues have purchased from him at past gigs and play it!The guitar demon set the crowd on fire when Salty Dog performed
at the recent International Blues rock festival in Phuket Thailand which sealed a come back performance.
Steve won Male Artist of the Year Vic/Tasmanian Blues awards back in 2000 and is the only non vocal guitarist to win such an award in the category, is, a master perfectionist at his craft. He recorded a Solo album in 2006 WILD GUITAR including originals and his own renditions of Surf/Blues dedicated to his all time favorite guitar players Dick Dale Roy Buchanan Robin Trower
Marion Turner - Australia's leading female vocal blues harmonica player completes the other half of salty dog and is the 3-times winner Vic/Tas Blues awards Female Artist of the Year. Marion Turner - Australia's leading female vocal blues harmonica player completes the other half of salty dog and is the 3-times winner Vic/Tas Blues awards Female Artist of the Year.

Slap That Thing



• Marshall Lawrence - House Call •
• Bjorn Berge - Live In Europe •

Oznake: Acoustic Blues, australia, Contemporary Blues, Salty Dog

Guy Tortora - Jefferson Drive

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues
Released: 2004
Label: Turtledove
File: mp3@320K/s
Size: 159,9 MB
Time: 69:51
Art: Front

1. My Town - 5:15
2. No Substitute - 4:53
3. Good Morning Mrs. T. - 5:22
4. Two Fried Eggs - 5:14
5. Ain't Nobodys Business - 4:50
6. Two Wrongs - 6:29
7. Done Got Over - 5:24
8. Watch Over Me - 5:26
9. Early In The Morning - 4:31
10. Long Time Blue - 4:11
11. Soul Mate - 4:07
12. Sometimes She Cries - 7:14
13. Blues Take Me Home - 6:49


Notes: From Pasadena, USA, now resident in London - combination of blues, jazz, folk and country music.
He is a songwriter, vocalist, guitar player -- a musical artist who may confound expectations; combining in his work elements of jazz, folk, blues & country music, both in his original compositions and in the songs he chooses to "cover". In solo or duo performances, or with the Guy Tortora Band he is carving out a singular niche on the Roots 'n' Blues scene in the UK & Europe. Some describe his music as postcards from a personal Storyville, delivered with conviction and passion.
"Jefferson Drive" is the title of his latest album on the Turtledove Records label. Recorded at the Tonezone Studio in Kent, UK, & just released in 2004, it's a set of thirteen original songs & standards, a great mix of the old and new, ranging from blues to blue-grass. Like other American contemporaries, Guy refuses to be cooped up in any box, blue or otherwise.
G T plays both acoustic and electric guitars, with a fine line in bottleneck playing. His guitar work has been compared at one time or another to players from the well-known likes of Ry Cooder, to the more obscure such as Rainier. But, as one writer has said: "Comparisons are un-necessary: He is simply Guy Tortora". At live performances he is accompanied by the accomplished UK musicians who are members of the Guy Tortora Band: Janos Bajtala, Keyboards; Brendan Canty, Bass; and Neil Littman, Drums. Lucky audiences are sometimes treated to backing vocals by the "UK Family Jewels" of Frankie & Bex. He changes effortlessly between his Taylor acoustic six string, a "Style N" resonator guitar, and a Fender Strat or Tele, in both standard & open tunings.

Jefferson Drive



• Watermelon Slim - Up Close & Personal •
• Sugarcane Collins - Way Down The River •

Oznake: Guy Tortora, Contemporary Blues

Sugarcane Collins - Way Down The River

Styles: Contemporary Blues
Label: Australian Sun Records
Released: 2006
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 129,1 MB
Time: 56:23
Art: front + back

1. Like A Midnight Shower Of Rain - 0:54
2. Got A Mind To Ramble - 4:29
3. One Wing Frank - 5:09
4. Folks of the Road - 5:57
5. Leadbelly - 4:59
6. All The Way To St. Louis - 2:04
7. I've Heard The News - 4:45
8. Follow Me Boy - 4:17
9. Sallie Mae - 4:44
10. Shine The Light - 4:27
11. Dancing Rabbit Creek - 3:27
12. Stranger Here - 4:48
13. Way Down The River - 6:17


Personnel:
Andy 'Sugarcane' Collins - Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Vocals
Paul Green - Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Giles Smith - Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric)
Ben Hakalitz - Drums
with
Andy Vogel - Harmonica
Bryce Wearne - Jew's-Harp
Gary Howard - Congas
Bob Howlett - Organ
Kirk Lorange - Guitar (Acoustic)
Nigel Pegrum - Drums, Percussion
Christopher Doyle - Bass (Electric)
Peter Burgess - Washboard

Notes: While Sugarcane Collins is not a well-known blues name in the US, the release of this album might change that. Hailing from Cairns, Queensland, Australia, this guitarist’s throaty, deep voice is more suited to a pub somewhere in the Mississippi river delta.
In Way Down the River, Sugarcane recreates the world of the old south, with its prisons, bars, freight trains, and the roads that lead to nowhere. The imagery is made more lifelike by the honest intensity and passion in Sugarcane’s voice. The lyrics do not mince words, and give a vivid picture of the harsh reality that was the delta. His hard, driving guitar playing contributes to this intensity with complex fingerpicking and wine bottleneck slides.
In this album of completely original compositions, he shows a solid connection to his music and to the blues on the whole. He lists inspirations such as Charlie Patton, Son House, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake and Leadbelly, all of whom can be heard to have an influence on his playing. Not only is the musicianship on this recording exceptional, but the whole album was produced and arranged by Sugarcane himself.
Even though this album is Sugarcane’s show, the other musicians on the tracks are in no way lacking. Andy Vogel plays some hardcore blues harmonica through out the album, especially in "I’ve Heard the News". His introductory track, "Like a Midnight Shower of Rain" sets the tone of the album, bluesy, reflective and powerfully mournful. Bryce Wearne’s jew’s harp is the driving sound in "Dancing Rabbit Creek," a tribute to the native people of the delta who had their land taken from them treaty by treaty. The instrumental is sparsely arranged and Gary Howard mimics native drum rhythms on the congas. "Shine the Light" features Bob Howlett on the organ and a congregational choir, highlighting the spiritual, revivalist part of southern culture. It has all the soul and power of any gospel song, combined with Sugarcane’s bluesy rhythms.
For anyone who loves the blues, as a listener or a musician, this CD will likely make your top ten list. The sound is amazing and the musicianship is enthralling. You’ll be dancing in no time! ~ http://www.jazzreview.com/

Way Down The River



• Brint Anderson - Notes From Clarksdale •
• Back Porch Blues - Back To Basics •

Oznake: Sugarcane Collins, Contemporary Blues, australia

Geoff Muldaur - Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere

Styles: Contemporary Blues, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Folk, Folk-Blues
Label: Tradition & Moderne
Released: 2003/2009
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 151,7 MB
Time: 65:07
Art: front

1. The Common Cold - 2:39
2. My Tears Came Rolling Down - 3:16
3. Wild About My Lovin´ - 4:10
4. Downtown Blues - 2:52
5. Gee Baby Ain´t I Good To You - 3:50
6. Motherless Child - 3:19
7. Just A Little While To Stay Here - 4:54
8. The Wild Ox Moan - 5:43
9. I Can´t See Your Face Anymore - 6:11
10. Trouble Soon Be Over - 5:19
11. Drop Down Mama - 4:00
12. Tennessee Blues - 3:52
13. Got To Find Blind Lemon Part 1 - 4:53
14. Sloppy Drunk - 4:23
15. Prairie Lullabye - 3:18
16. Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere - 2:20


Notes: Recorded live in Bremen, Germany, Beautiful Isle of Somewhere documents the re-emergence of Geoff Muldaur to the concert stage. After having spent most of the '80s and '90s concentrating on film scores, the business side of music, and computer-related projects, Muldaur returned to the studio and released 1998's acclaimed The Secret Handshake. The success of this disc prompted a small tour of Europe that led him to the Moments club in Bremen, where this intimate solo performance was recorded. With his gentle guitar and beautifully weathered voice, Muldaur moves effortlessly through a comfortable collection of folk-blues standards and originals for a subdued yet appreciative German audience. Songs selected for this set provide a nice variety that crosses through different factions of blues music, with Muldaur's voice easily matching the tone and style of each composition. Unlike some of today's blues singers who lick and trill their way though lyrics, his unadorned vocal work quietly conveys the ghostly character in Walter Davis' "I Can't See Your Face Anymore," while coming vibrantly to life on a rockin' version of Sleepy John Estes' "Drop Down Mama." His pipes get a workout on Vera Hall's "The Wild Ox Moan," a highlight from The Secret Handshake, where he caps off phrases with a tripping falsetto "moan." Even more so in concert than in the studio, Muldaur is able to showcase his mastery and passion for the blues, and this warmly affective performance stands as undeniable proof. AMG

Beautiful Isle Of Somewhere



• Eric Collier - Last Scene •

Oznake: Geoff Muldaur, Contemporary Blues, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Folk, Folk-Blues

Brint Anderson - Notes From Clarksdale

Styles: Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues
Released: 2000
Label: Toulouse
File: mp3 @320 K/s
Size: 148.0 MB
Time: 64:00
Art: full

01. I Can't Cotton To That - 4:11
02. Hopson - 4:34
03. Death Letter - 5:16
04. Blame It On Cain - 4:16
05. Mean Someone Some Good - 4:47
06. Mess And A Half - 3:41
07. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy - 6:05
08. I'm Curious - 4:10
09. Canary Bird - 6:30
10. My Woman Done Tired Of Me Lyin' - 3:35
11. Natchez, Mississippi Blues - 4:00
12. She Wuz Skintillatin' - 3:52
13. A Four Year-Old's Blues - 6:15
14. Las Fair Deal Gone Down - 2:37


Personnel:
Brint Anderson - Acoustic Guitar & Vocals
John Fohl - Acoustic Guitar & Dobro
Jim Markway - Acoustic Bass
Jefferey Alexander - Drums

Recorded in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 1998.
Produced by Brint Anderson & Dave Reynolds
© 2000 Toulouse Records

Notes: Mississippi-born guitarist Brint Anderson traveled several continents for three decades as he pursued a career as a professional musician, only to end up putting down roots in New Orleans, a neighbor of his Natchez hometown along the Mississippi River. A stint as a guitar player for Dr. John led to Anderson's settling down in the Big Easy, a move that led him to membership in Porter's Runnin' Pardners in the summer of 1992. The following year he took top prize in the Abita Beer Blues Competition. In 1997, Offbeat magazine bestowed on Anderson and Porter's Runnin' Pardners a Best of the Beat Award. To raise funds for a local hospital, Anderson competed in the New Orleans Musicians' Barbecue Cook-Off, where he triumphed with the top prize. He has contributed guitar work to performances by such artists as John Lee Hooker, Dr. John, Levon Helm, Art Neville, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Snooks Eaglin, Cassandra Wilson, Earl King, and Johnny Adams, among others. He has also performed with Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Meters, Johnny Winter, Gregg Allman, Billy Preston, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Neville Brothers, and Leon Russell.

Notes From Clarksdale



• Bootleg Blues - Bootleg Blues •
• David 'Honeyboy' Edwards - The World Don't Owe Me Nothing •

Oznake: Acoustic Blues, Brint Anderson, Contemporary Blues

Back Porch Blues - Back To Basics

Oznake: Back Porch Blues, Contemporary Blues

Watermelon Slim - Up Close & Personal

Styles: Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, Country Blues, Electric Blues, Electric Country Blues, Folk-Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues
Label: Soutern Wick Music
Released: 2004
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 168,4 MB
Time: 73:34
Art: front + back

1. Truck Holler #1 - 2:15
2. Blue Freightliner - 3:50
3. The Last Blues - 4:55
4. I Don't Care No More - 3:39
5. Stud Poker - 2:51
6. Smokestack Lightning - 4:23
7. Cynical Old Bastard - 2:34
8. Two Trains Running - 3:53
9. Bridgebuilder - 3:11
10. Too Old Is Getting Younger All the Time - 4:23
11. Highway 61 - 4:13
12. Scalemaster Blues - 3:17
13. Archetypal Blues - 6:00
14. Got My Will Made Out - 6:04
15. Mean Streets - 4:37
16. Truck Holler #2 - 1:00
17. The Whaler's Battle Cry (Bonus Track) - 9:50
18. Trashy Trashmen (Bonus Track) - 2:30

Personnel:
Chris "Stovall" Brown - Guitar
Adam Enevoldsen - Guitar (Bass)
Kyle Enevoldsen - Percussion
Honour Havoc - Guitar (Bass), Spoons
Watermelon Slim - Harmonica, Kalimba, Lap Steel Guitar, National Steel Guitar, Vocals

Notes: Watermelon Slim (his real name is Bill Homans) strips things down to basics on Up Close & Personal, a move that brings out the raw, impassioned intensity of his songs, and brings him as close as he's ever gotten to a fresh contemporary vision of country blues. The instrumentation here is sparse, usually just Slim alone with his National Steel guitar (a couple tracks feature his fevered harmonica style, and on the moving "Bridgebuilder" he plays a kalimba thumb piano), and at times he sounds like a looser, more unhinged John Hammond, albeit with a more personal vision and an unyielding blue-collar view of the world. There is more here than immediately meets the eye, however, and if Watermelon Slim plays up the truck driver turned blues player bit, he's also a member of MENSA and has a master's degree in history from Oklahoma State University, which may well make him the most literate figure in all of blues history. He certainly knows the country blues forms (two of the most striking tracks here are unaccompanied field hollers that sound like they could have been recorded by Alan Lomax), and he also knows how to modernize them without distorting them. The end result is a furious, visceral album of mostly acoustic blues with several striking tracks, including "Blue Freightliner," "The Last Blues," "Scalemaster Blues," "Cynical Old Bastard," and the affecting, delicate "Bridgebuilder." Watermelon Slim is obviously part caricature, but the intensity with which he growls and shouts these songs is more than a creative construct. It has to come from the heart. ~ Steve Leggett

Up Close & Personal

---

Posted by muddy

Oznake: Watermelon Slim, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues