VizzTone label Group artist: Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers - The Christmas Swing - New Release Review

A few weeks late but here is the review of Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers newest release, The Christmas Swing and it's quite good. Opening with Jingle Bell Blues, a really bluesy twist on Jingle Bells allows Harpe great latitude in super slide work and solid vocals. Backed by Jim Countryman on bass, Matt Prozaleck on harp and Chris Arizalone on drums, this really is a super attempt at making non traditional Christmas music listenable (as opposed to the wildly played but horrible Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town). Country swinger, The Night Before Christmas, has Harpe telling the famous story in synch with country blues picking, light percussion and solid harp. Traditional 30's style, At The Christmas Ball has Harpe belting out the blues accompanied by kazoo and John Juxo on piano. Very cool. Title track, The Christmas Swing has a solid bass groove and nice vocal harmonies with harp work by Richard Rosenblatt. Chuck Berry's sixties rocker, Run Run Rudolph maintains classic style with non Berry but stylized Berry riffs and harp accents. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Auld Lang Syne featuring Harpe acapella in harmony. A really nice release with more than seasonal appeal. 

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VizzTone/Juicy Juju artist: Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers - Big Road - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Big Road, from Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers and it's really enjoyable. Opening with Mississsippi Fred McDowell's Kokomo, Erin Harpe takes on traditional blues with a slashing slide and solid vocals. With Jim Countryman on bass, Matt Prozialeck on harp and Kendall Divoll on drums, this is great stuff! With classic Mississippi John Hurt style, Frankie gives Harpe the opportunity to demonstrate her solid story telling blues style and finger picking acuity. Response on harp by Prozialeck adds polish to this modern interpretation of a classic track. Slim Harpo's Shake Your Hips has a more modern "Stones" feel. Harpe lets it loose on guitar and Divoll really hammers, reinforced by Countryman and pumped up by Prozialeck really delivering the goods on this super boogie. Original track, Stop & Listen is a real driver in classic blues style. Prozialeck sails on harp and Harpe's slippery slide work gives this track great support to her own super vocals. Randy Newman's bluesy ballad, Guilty, is food for Harpe's transition to the conclusion of this release with clean acoustic guitar accompaniment and solid vocals. Very nice. Wrapping the release kicks it all with funky, Gimme That (Somethin' Special) with a heavy bass groove, and modern vocals. This is a cool jam with all of the blues attributes but including harp. Great closer.

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers - Love Whip Blues - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (11/4/14), Love Whip Blues, by Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers and it's relaxed and enjoyable. Opening with The Delta Swing, Erin Harpe leads the way on vocal and Jim Countryman plays a real nice bass line. Richard Rosenblatt on harp contributes throughout on harp and Bob Nisi hold the tempo on drums. On title track, Love Whip Blues, Harpe shows the dynamics of her vocals on a track from the linage of Memphis Minnie and Dave Gross adds some cool keys effects. Willie Brown's Future Blues is up next with a lot of spring and Sonny Jim Clifford on slide. Good Luck Baby has a R&B favor with a twist of island. A very poppy tune with a smooth melody it's a perfect track for airplay. Lucille Bogan's The M&O Blues has a real nice sway to it, highlighted by the harp work of Rosenblatt and and thick slide work of Bob Margolin. Excellent! One Way Man based on William Moore's One Way Gal is a light springy blues track and a nice showcase for Harpe. Luke Jordan's Pick Poor Robin Clean is a cool little blues ditty. Gross on guitar and mandolin on this track adds to the brightness of the overall feel and a cool bass solo sneaks in there as well. Very nice! Virtual Booty Blues has a springy step and it's obvious that Harpe is having a blast. Rosenblatt adds some really nice riffs on this track giving it that extra taste of blues. Charles River Delta Blues, based on Mississippi Blues by Willie Brown has a real nice feel. A nice jam between Gross on piano, Rosenblatt on harp and Harpe on guitar gives this track a real Chicago feel. Wrapping the release is John Prine's Angel From Montgomery. This is a different and fresh arrangement from the ones most of us are familiar with with a bright mostly acoustic backing. A very nice conclusion to a cool, light and breezy release.

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Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers

Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers’ unique brand of blues is rooted in vintage 1930’s Mississippi delta blues, featuring originals and classics that range from Memphis Minnie to early Bonnie Raitt, plus their take on other genres like soul, funk, and reggae. 2012’s Boston Music Award-winners for “Blues Artist of the Year,” this band evokes a southern juke joint where the whiskey and gin are flowing and everybody’s dancing. Erin is recognized along with Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Shemekia Copeland, Rory Block and Ana Popovic in 2013’s “30 Women Burning Up the Blues” in The Alternate Route Magazine! The Delta Swingers features Erin on electric and acoustic guitar and lead vocals, backed by Jim Countryman on bass, Bob Nisi on drums and vocal harmonies, and a revolving cast of Boston's best blues soloists, including the blistering electrified harmonica of Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt, the slide guitar of “Sonny" Jim Clifford and other local stars. Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers are currently hard at work on their debut album, which will be released later this year. In a genre that is often dominated by men, Erin Harpe has been hailed as "an authentic blues chanteuse", earning a reputation for her raw style and "total, selfless and compelling immersion in the music". Growing up in the Washington DC area, Erin began playing the guitar in her teens taught by her father, bluesman Neil Harpe. She soon began performing at folk festivals, coffee houses, bars, and parties in the DC area, developing a strong blues guitar and vocal style of her own. Erin relocated to Boston to develop her music career, where she met local blues talents such as Paul Rishell and Susan Tedeschi. Erin has released two acoustic blues albums, her debut Blues Roots (2002) and 2008's Delta Blues Duets, which have received rave reviews and radio airplay across the United States, as well as at least six European countries and Japan. Erin's soulful vocal style and accomplished finger-picking guitar playing has earned her many fans, including guitar great Ronnie Earl, and she is quickly becoming recognized on the international blues scene. Like her predecessors Memphis Minnie and Charley Patton, Erin has a wide appreciation of many styles of music, and ventures fearlessly outside the blues to lead her "Other Band", the electro-funk dance band Lovewhip. Erin has even been known to slip a Lovewhip song into her blues sets, and the dancers don't seem to mind a bit.  

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!