10:49 - Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo - New release review

Although I did not receive a copy of this release for my review on of my pals loaned a copy and told me it was worth a listen. This cd was released sometime in 2011. Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo is a 3 piece band consisting of Williams on vocal and guitar, Eric Shackelford on drums and vocals and Z on bass and vocals. The release opens with Boom Boom, a mixture of sounds from the 40's, 60's and now. The drum intro is very reminiscent of the beginnings of rock on the late 40-s before it was rock. The vocal treatment is similar to the sound of early rock in the early 60's and the relentless slide work is very contemporary and raw. Cool track. Next up is Fat's Domino's Sick ans Tired which gets a real rockin' rockabilly treatment. My Turn is a strong soul style blues in the SJ Hawkins vein. Williams gets a chance to dig in on guitar and plays some blistering riffs with a big Hammond behind him to fill out the mix. 10:49 is a cool 12 bar blues number with vocal, slide resonator and harp. Devil's Playground is a blues rocker. The track has a very solid rock beat with loose blues slide riffs and vocals nicely laid over the top. It Is What It Is, is a more straightforward rock track and would most likely be a track for airplay. It has the catch hook and solid instrumental and vocal parts. Let Me love You is a rompin'shuffle tune with very simple melody characteristics but with hot slide riffs carrying the track. Tease Me, Please Me is a funky blues track that will definitely get all the happy feat into the isle. Another track that is likely to get great airplay. The final track on the release, She's Good At What She Does, is a blues based rock track with distorted vocals and tight backing. Overall a very cool release. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Hypnotize - Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo

Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo is an American blues/rock power trio, based in Madison, WI. Aaron is joined in the band by Eric Shackelford on drums and Z on bass. Aaron began his musical career at 17 years old as the lead guitarist for the Cadillac Joe Band. As part of this group, Aaron enjoyed the pleasure of opening for such renowned artists as Coco Montoya, Taj Mahal, Leon Russell, Canned Heat, Carey Bell, and Jimmy Thackery, who promptly dubbed Aaron “The Brat with the Strat” because of his prowess with guitar and his affinity for Fender guitars. Eric Shackelford has played drums since the age of 11. Majoring in music and religion in college, Eric held the position of drum chair with the Iowa All-Star Jazz Band and had the pleasure of sharing the stage with jazz great Ignacio Berroa. Eric has pushed himself to play all styles of music, including adding New Orleans funk to his style, making him a great addition to a blues rock power trio like Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo. Z has been playing bass for 12 years. Immediately prior to joining the Hoodoo, Z studied and performed classical guitar. Z’s various disciplines allow him to add yet another element to the blues/rock sound of Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo. The band’s first full-length CD “It Ain’t Easy” was named Blues/Rock Album of the Year by Real Blues magazine. For the first time in the band’s short history, they were nominated for six Madison Area Music Awards and took home five, including the highly coveted Artist of the Year. 2010 marked the first year that a panel of music experts cast the deciding vote and the first time Artist of the Year was awarded to a blues-based band. The band won Blues Artist of the Year in 2011. They were also twice-nominated for Blues Artist of the Year by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry. Aaron was honored in 2011 by an appearance in Madison magazine and the cover of Americana Gazette. The Band's 2011 release of "10:49" brought radio promoter Frank Roszak to the team, which helped the band break into radio on a much larger scale. The CD currently spins on several radio stations across the country and internationally and has earned the band several impressive reviews. The band has appeared on various radio shows and television across the county and was recently honored by inclusion on the first-round ballot for the 2012 Grammys in the Best New Artist and Blues Album of the Year categories. In addition to Madison magazine, Americana Gazette, and Elmore magazine, the band has been featured in The Daily Times, The Scene, PJ Star, The Isthmus, and The South Bend Tribune. As a group, Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo have supported Walter Trout, Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam; Zoso, the Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience; Jonny Lang; Los Lonely Boys; and Jonathan Tyler and Northern Lights. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Devil's Playground - Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo

Formed as a trio in May of 2008, Aaron Williams (Vocals, Guitar), Eric Shackelford (Drums, Vocals) and Z (Bass, Vocals) have the blues deeply rooted in the music they love to play. The trio all met while Aaron was hosting a blues jam at the now defunct club, The Cuda Café. Not to long after this fateful night the band was playing all over their hometown of Madison, WI.
Aaron, like so many other determined young player’s had a veteran musician to learn the craft from, none other then his father Cadillac Joe Andersen. At the age of 16, Aaron picked up the guitar and became obsessed with the instrument. At the ripe old age of 18 he was already sneaking into some of the areas top jams and was keeping up with veteran players. He eventually found a home at the Silver Moon where many great players would show up on Thursday nights for this blues jam. With the likes of Looper Lucas, Michael Coleman and Buddy Guy playing, he was in the right place to learn the craft of a blues front man. After noticing this skinny little kid showing up and belting out the blues week after week Michael Coleman dubbed him “Youngblood” and would call him up to get on stage whenever the crowd needed a boost. Aaron still credits these years as the stepping stone to the kind of player he is today.

Cadillac Joe, noticing his kid’s prowess for the blues signed him on for his next project, The Cadillac Joe Blues Band. Touring the Midwest extensively with his father, Aaron was able to learn the craft and business of music. “I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in this world, spending all those miles in a truck with the old man….you learn a lot of things, not only about music, but life.” The road took them to some of the Midwest’s top blues cities and clubs, playing large music festivals all over the U.S. With the stock rising on the Cadillac Joe Blues Band, one of the top blues clubs in the Midwest, Luther Blues in Madison, took them on as their house band. This gave Aaron a large following and he was able to play with some of the foremost blues players in the world. Shemekia Copeland, Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery, Carey Bell, Lil’ Ed, Anthony Gomes, Ana Popovic, Taj Mahal, Canned Heat and the list goes on. Upon hearing Aaron play Coco Montoya said, “Kid, you got a real future in this business, keep it up!”
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