Raisin' Hell Review - Elvin Bishop

Now here's a cd that I have been waiting for for quite some time. Elvin Bishop has been one of my favorite performers for as long as I can remember. He's a stellar guitar player with huge chops! He's seen it all, He's done it all! This cd is his first live cd in a while and was recorded on last years Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise. If you haven't done this, it's a must for blues fans. The party never stops and that's why Elvin "Crabshaw" Bishop is perfect for this type of venue.



When I first heard Elvin he was playing with Paul Butterfield and I was blown away. Skinny tie and Black suit. Some quick research told the story of the white kid genius who left left Oklahoma to study physics at University of Chicago but really went there under the guise of being close to the heart of the blues he was hearing on his radio at home. He met Paul Butterfield and joined forces playing traditional blues music. If you haven't caught my earlier post of Bishop playing at the Fillmore stop now and go find it. He set the place on fire. This clip appears live in the movie 'Fillmore: The Last Days'. Just outrageous!

After his stint with Butterfield, Bishop put out a number of solo albums with a mix of blues, country and Bishop. Wild guitar and clever lyrics.
Oh yeah...you want to know about the new cd!!

13 tracks that include some new and some tried and true.

Opens with Callin' All Cows - Elvin is this song! Check out the slide work!!
Who Lotta Lovin" can't say enough.... great guitars and groove!
Fooled Around...if you from this planet you really know it... great soloing again!
What the Hell is Goin" On - Pure Elvin... how do you write that if Elvin is on it it's great!
Down in Virginia...good harmonica... great guitar work!
Rock My Soul... a little break from traditional sound with a picked up end...nice touch! Everyone gets a time to solo on this one!
Cryin' Fool... I know this is a collaboration but this is a perfect song for Elvin's voice...but he lets Red Dog do his barkin... cool sax work featured on this track.
River Invitation fits nicely into the album but is just a taste of what's to come...
Dyin' Flu Elvin talks the blues to us...and then kicks it into overdrive!!
Tore Up Over You features the band and is a good tune.
It Hurt's Me Too... Elvin plays the serious blues!
Bye Bye Baby ... get that last dose of Elvin...it's over. Time to play it again!

Let me just start off by saying just cause Bishop is telling jokes and making funny limericks, doesn't mean he ain't serious about what he's doing. What he's serious about doing is having a good time and making sure that everyone else does too. He features some great supporting players including John Nemeth on vocals and harmonica, Finis Tasby on vocals, Terry Hanck on sax and vocals, Kid Anderson on guitar, Ed Early on trombone, vocals and percussion, Steve Willis on piano, accordion and vocals, Bob Welsh on guitar, Bobby Cochran on drums and vocals, Ruth Davies on bass and Lisa Leu Andersen on vocals but lets cut the BS. We are listening to this cd to hear Bishop sing and grind away on his 345 and he does both!!

Bishop comes up with the best lyrics, gravel voice and fat woody guitar sounds known to man and this cd is no exception. Now I'm not a big pop music fan so Fooled Around and Fell in Love ain't my favorite... but hey...a man's gotta make a living and if you look at his then followup cd (Small Town Boy Makes Good) even he makes good light of it. (If you haven't caught his cd's with Little Smokey Smothers...gotta do that too!!)

Do you get the feeling yet that I love Elvin Bishop music. There is rarely a musician that I can honestly say is a pure joy to watch and listen to. Elvin Bishop is one in a million and I hope that he keeps crankin' for all of us!