Little Village artists: Kid Andersen - Spirits / Lisa "Little Baby" Leuschner - Soul - New Double Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent releases, Spirits, by Kid Andersen and Soul, by Lisa "Little Baby" Leuschner released together as a single release (2 discs) and it's great! Opening with slow blues, The Civilized Life, Kid Andersen opens with some of the most powerful music to come out of Greaseland Studio. Andersen is a talented musician across the board and his guitar playing and lead vocals here are really strong. Endre Tarczy on bass, Chris Burns on keys and Mike Rinta on trombone, Dr Aaron Lington  and Stevie Gurr on harmonica add great texture to this excellent opener. Blind Willie Johnson's Nobody's Fault But Mine gets a really nice rework with a slinky feel courtesy Dave LeMieux on drums and Kid on guitar, bass and lead vocal shared with Lisa Leuschner. Check out the outrageous slide guitar work by Kid on Hey, Little Reaper, a Chicago style blues romp with solid harmonica work by Nic Clark and Charlie Musselwhite, coupled with Burns on keys. Very nice. I really love the feel on I Ain't Right with Kid on lead vocal and slide guitar. This track is a loose shuffle and reminiscent of the work that Skydog did with Arthur Conley at Muscle Shoals back in the early 70's. The groove is excellent and horn work by Eric Spaulding, Jack Sanford,  along with Lorenzo Farrell on keys, June Core on drums and Jerry Jemmott really sends this one over the edge. Wrapping Spirits is Ship of Fools, a sauntering soul/jazz track in the vein of early War. The vocal blending by a host of characters is incredible and Jemmott really anchors this track. Excellent closer for disc one. 

Leuschner opens her disc with Mike Schermer's In My Mind's Eye with a warm R&B influenced feel. Smooth, soulful vocals, backed by Kenny Ken Franklin on bass, D'Mar on drums, and clean guitar work by Kid make this a solid opener.  Another R&B track, Donnie Woodruff's I Won't Let That Happen To Me, really has a great feel showcasing Leuschner's voice nicely. With Jemmott setting a deep groove on bass, D'Mar on drums, Jim Pugh on keys, Vicki Randle on percussion and cllean, understated guitar work by Kid, this is a really nice entry. Digging back into Bishops great days with Jo Baker, Rock Bottom is resurrected and is punchy as it was when I first heard it in college. Lisa is backed by James, Dwayne and Walter Morgan on vocals, Rinta, Lington, Scott Jensen on trumpet add in authentic horns and Kid rips a guitar solo that would make Crabshaw proud. Kickass! Infectious, Slipped Through My Fingers, has a strong deep groove courtesy Kid on bass, Latimore on keys and D'Mar on drums. Latimore trades vocals with Lisa on this serious radio track. Wrapping the release is smart little ballad, Family, written and performed by Lisa with the last verse sung by Kid. With only acoustic guitar, keys and bass backing, this is a really nice track with Lisa's voice as pure as it gets, unadorned and straight up. Very nice closer for a tremendous double set. One of the most enjoyable reviews of the year! 

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Blues Mountain Records artist: Big Harp George - Cooking With Gas - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Cooking With Gas, by Big Harp George and it's a solid set of original blues tracks. Opening with title track, Cooking With Gas, Big Harp George on lead vocal and chromatic harmonica leads the way on this sassy track with D'Mar Martin on drums, Joe Kyle Jr. on bass and featuring Michael Peloquin contributing a hot sax solo. Latin flavored Doom Loop has a tight drum and horn section with Doug Rowan on bari sax, Ed Morrison on trumpet, Peloquin on tenor sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Kid Andersen on guitars and great guitar flare from George. Soulful blues, Wine Is My Friend has a firm bass line by Kyle Jr. working with George's great vocals, Andersen on guitar and James Dwayne and Walter Morgan on backing vocals. Funky instrumental, Maceosity really moves with Jerry Jemmott on bass and D'Mar on drums. A lively horn section and Burns on keys fuels the flame and Peloquin on diatonic harmonica works in nicely with excellent bari work by Rowan and great trombone contribution by Rinta. Excellent! Paradise Is Burning has a great bluesy feel and George really works the track on vocal and harmonica. Backing vocals by Swayne and Morgan add substantial warmth and Andersen's contributions on guitar really stand out. Wrapping the release is instrumental, When I First Held Valerie, featuring George on the melody on harmonica and a crisp piano solo by Burns. This is a solid closer for a very enjoyable release. 

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Little Village artist: D.K. Harrell - The Right Man - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Right Man, by D.K. Harrell and if you're looking for a new favorite blues singer who knows how to play a great blues phrase, look no further. Opening with title track, The Right Man, D.K. Harrell on lead guitar and vocal is smooth. He knows how to swing and his riffs are clean. Joined by Kid Andersen on rhythm guitar, Jim Pugh on keys, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Tony Coleman on drums and Jon Otis on congas this is a great opener. With a lot of soul and a funky overtone, Harrell lays down Get These Blues Out Of Me. I really can't think of a more BB King like performer who sounds genuinely original. His delivery is sincere and his counterpoint guitar is effortless and rich. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Hello Trouble with a slower pace and perfect vocal/guitar call and response. Backed by Neil Levonius and John Halbleib on trumpet, Mike Rinta on trombone, Mike Peloquin on tenor and Doc Kupka on bari sax, Harrell really works this track with stinging guitar lead and rich vocal lead. Funky blues, Honey Ain't So Sweet really has a JG Watson or WW Washington feel with punchy horns, firm bass lines by Jemmott and tight drumming by Coleman. Wrapping the release is One For The Road, a real swinger with Harrell playing against Pugh on organ pushing the track ever higher. A real nice blues jam with Harrell setting up the melody with a fiery guitar intro. Pugh takes the first proper solo on organ with Jemmott really pounding the bass and Coleman rips up the skins. Harrell steps back up front closing with a real nice guitar outro. Check this release out for sure. 

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Little Village artist: Marcel Smith - From My Soul - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From My Soul, by Marcel Smith and it's sopping with soul. Opening with I'm Coming Home to You, a cool, traditional soul tune that could literally come from the 60's with it's excellent lead vocal by Marcel Smith, background vocals by The Sons of the Soul Revivers and featuring Kid Andersen on guitar, Mike Rinta on trombone, D'Mar Martin on drums, Endre Tarczy on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, Aaron Lington on sax, and John Worley on trumpet. Very cool. Wake Me When It's Over is one of my favorites on the release with it's perfect melody, lightly applies backing of Tarczy on bass, D'Mar on drums and a vibraphone solo by Andersen supporting the lush vocals of Smith. Drunk is a tight R&B track with hot percussion by Jon Otis, a brassy trombone solo by Rinta, and sassy horn work by Worley all tied together by Smith's magnetic vocals. Nothing Left To Burn really moves with terrific vocals by Smith and excellent guitar work by Andersen, all over the solid bottom of D'Mar and Tarczy and Rinta, Lington and Worley. Very nice. Smith does a real nice duet with Lisa Leuschner Andersen on My Heart Told A Lie, a soulful track with plenty of radio appeal. Wrapping the release is Barry Gibbs' classic track, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart performed live. Smith's vocals are rich and soulful, backed by Andersen and Pugh applies the heat on organ really making this a powerful, gospel like closer. Really nice release. 

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Little Village artist: Alabama Mike - Stuff I've Been Through - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stuff I've Been Through, by Alabama Mike and I really like it's funky blues sound. Opening with title track, Stuff I've Been Through, Alabama Mike's lush vocals lead the way, joined by Kid Andersen and Rusty Zinn on guitars, Jim Pugh on keys, Jerry Jemmott on bass, D'Mar on drums and with great horn work by Bernard Anderson on sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Doug Rowan on sax and Jeff Lewis on trumpet. Great opener. Another track with a great groove is King Cock, with a great back beat by D'Mar, and Jemmott on bass and featuring Anson Funderburgh on guitar with some real tasty riffs. Mike not only has lead vocals but adds harmonica and the horn section is back with a lot of heat. Excellent. A cool, R&B style track, Damage Control, features a different rhythm section of Bobby Young on guitar, Lorenzo Hawkins on Keys, AJ Joyce on bass and Ronnie Smith on drums. This is a cool track and it really does showcase Mike's vocals nicely. Shuffle track, Mississippi (Live) really gets a fine groove featuring Rick Estrin on hot harmonica and Mike on vocal. Pugh on keys sets a real nice pace, with the Kid on guitar, backed by Endre Tarczy on bass, D'Mar on drums and super backing vocals by Vicki Randle and Lisa Leuschner Andersen. My favorite track on the release. Wrapping the release is a warm, gospel infused, God Is With You (Live), with super organ work by Pugh and Mike really digging in on vocal. With Jemmott on bass, D'Mar on drums, Andersen on guitars and Randle and Andersen on backing vocals, this is an excellent closer for a very enjoyable release. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Monster Mike Welch - Nothing But Time - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Nothing But Time, from Monster Mike Welch and it's flat out scorching! Opening with Walking To You Baby, Mike wastes absolutely no time kicking this release into overdrive. With solid vocals and high strung, blues guitar phrasing, Mike sails. Backed by Jerry Jemmott on bass, Bob Welch on piano, Kid Andersen on keys, Fabrice Bessouat on drums, Eric Spaulding on tenor sax, Jack Sanford on bari sax, and John Halblieb on trumpet, this track will part your hair. George Harrison's terrific track, I Me Mine gets a real nice cover by Mike and though he doesn't vary far from the original theme, it's a real nice track and Mike's interpretation, adding horns and blues guitar riffs takes it to the next level. Excellent shuffle, I Ain't Saying shows Mike's strong vocals and Texas style blues riffs setting up a great groove. With Andersen on bass, Spaulding on sax Bob on piano and Bessouat on drums, Mike kills it on guitar. One of my favorite tracks on the release is funky blues, In Case You Care, with Jemmott back on bass, Mike Peloquin on sax, Dr Aaron Lington on bari, Halblieb on trumpet, Mike Rinta on trombone, and Vicki Randle on percussion, this track is hot! Jump For Joy is really packed with energy and Mike is again swinging for the wall. Gotta say if he comes to Phoenix, I'm seeing the concert. Slow blues, Ten Years Ago is that one track when you just sit back in your chair nodding. Mike grabs this track by the scruff and shakes the stuffing out of it. His vocals are gripping and his guitar attack is relentless. Excellent! Wrapping the release is a modern take on Robert Johnson's Kind Hearted Woman Blues with Mike on electric guitar and vocal. His poise and prowess are obvious and his vocals are actually in line with Johnson's own falsetto. This is an excellent track to close a spectacular release. Out of the park

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Little Village artist: Diunna Greenleaf - I Ain't Playin' New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Ain't Playin' (May 20, 2022), from Diunna Greenleaf and it's chocked full of R&B, blues and soul. Opening with Koko Taylor's Never Trust A Man, Diunna Greenleaf on lead vocal slips into a funky blues, Albert King style, With Jerry Jemmott on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, Kid Andersen on guitar and Dmar Martin on drums with Mike Rinta on trombone, Aaron Lington on sax and Jeff Lewis on trumpet. Power opener. In Big James Montgomery's If It Wasn't For The Blues, Greenleaf really shows powerful phrasing and excellent command for that funky blues that we all love so much. With a great bass line by Andersen, Lington on flute, Rinta on trombone and Lewis on trumpet, and Igor prado on lead guitar, this is a really strong track. Original shuffle, Sunny Day Friends has a loose feel and Greenleaf really slides into the pocket. Jemmott's bass line is terrific, Andersen's guitar lead is strong and  Pugh adds some real nice piano as well. A darker, deeper track, Long John Hunter's I Don't Care is one of my favorite tracks on the release with superb guitar soloing by Andersen and warm sax additions by Eric Spaulding and Sax gordon. Really nice. Joe Medwick's, Damned If I Do, R&B track really gest a blues workout by Greenleaf and her vocal richness and again Andersen just smokes the guitar with strong horn backing by Rinta, Lington and Lewis. Gospel track,  I Know I've Been Changed, is another powerful demo for Greenleaf's voice with Alabama mike on additional lead vocal and Nic Clark on guitar. Very nice. Johnny Copeland's Let Me Cry is another terrific track with stellar guitar intro by Andersen, excellent piano contributions by Pugh and some of Greenleaf's best vocals on the release, wrapped in the horn work of Spaulding. This is excellent! Wrapping the release is upbeat R&B style track, Deitra Farr's My Turn, My Time with a driving funky bottom by Dmar, Jemmott and Vicki Randle (percussion) and and the addition of Lisa Leuschner Andersen on backing vocals. Solid closer for a terrific release. 

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NOLA Blue records artist: Frank Bey - All My Dues Are Paid - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, All My Dues Are Paid, by Frank Bey and it's a solid mix of R&B, soul, funk and blues. Opening with Eddie Palmieri's Idle Hands with it's excellent NO funk. Bey really works this one Jim Pugh on organ, Eric Spaulding on sax solo, Jack Sanford on bari sax, Nancy Wright on tenor sax, John Helbleib on trumpet, Alex Petersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Martin Winstad on percussion, Kid Andersen on guitar and Lisa Leuschner Andersen on backing vocals. Excellent opener! Rick Estrin's, Calling All Fools is a great shuffle with some really cool work by Nancy Wright and showcasing Bey's silky smooth vocals. Very nice. One of my favorites on the release is another Rick Estrin track, I Bet I Never Cross Your Mind, with it's slow, bluesy approach, and terrific guitar work by Kid Andersen. Nancy Wright's sax is thick and juicy and Pugh's organ solo is prime. Percy Mayfield's Ha Ha in the Daytime has a solid bounce. Bey's deep vocals are rich and with Jemmott's firm bass work and Spaulding's sax work, this is another really cool track. Up tempo pop track, One Thing Every Day is an ideal radio song with a great melody, solid lead vocals and full backing vocals by Loralee Cristensen, Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Vicki Randle. Wrapping the release is John Lennon's Imagine with a gospel like remix. Bey knows how to bring it and Lorenzo Farrell's organ work, along with Pugh on piano and organ, a soulful sax solo by Wright, soulful guitar work by Andersen and with Jemmott on bass, D'Mar Martin on drums, Jack Sanford on sax, Halbleib on trumpet, Ric Feliciano on trombone, a well chosen closer. 

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Gulf Coast Records artist: Billy Price - Dog Eat Dog - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dog Eat Dog, from Billy Price and it's old school R&B. Opening with Funky rocker, Working On Your Chain Gang, Price, who has one of the smoothest voices on the circuit leads the way with strong support from Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Jim Pugh on keys, John Halblieb on trumpet, Jack Sanford on sax, Kid Andersen on guitar and organ, and Walter, James and Dwayne Morgan on backing vocals. Very cool. Smooth pop jazz track, Lose My Number sounds like it's right off of a Steely Dan record with it's strong melody and supple vocals over a organ lead backing melody. Eric Spaulding adds a real nice sax solo on this one giving it a real kick. With a smooth dance groove, title track, Dog Eat Dog is really in the groove with great lead vocals by Price, tight backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Alabama Mike, cool congas by Vicki Randell, the super sax work of Spaulding and great harmonica by Rick Estrin. Dark soul track, My Love Will Never Die, is one of my favorites on the release with screaming vocals, and ripping guitar work by Kid Andersen. Excellent! Another favorite is funky, New Orleans flavored, All Night Long Café. Price really rides high on the rhythm on this track with Jon Otis on congas and percussion, and power horn work by Spaulding, Sanford and Halblieb and a funky bluesy guitar solo by Mike Zito. Really cool. Wrapping the release is radio style track, You Gotta Go with heavy tom tom driven rhythm and glistening key work by Pugh. Andersen's guitar attack is direct and essential as always and Price's vocals are as solid as when I saw him in Pittsburgh with Roy Buchanan a lot of years ago. Price's best album in years. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Billy Price - Reckoning - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Reckoning, from Billy Price and it's quite good. Opening with soul fused blues number, 39 Steps, Billy Price has surrounded himself with a who's who of musicians including Kid Andersen on guitar, Alex Pettersen on drums, Jerry Jemmott on bass, and Jim Pugh on keys for a solid radio style start. Dreamer is a strong track with a really nice bass line by Jemmott, nice pinched soloing by Andersen, and excellent backing vocals by Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Rusty Zinn. Very cool. Title track, Reckoning, has a real nice feel and an almost Al Green vibe. Price's vocals are smooth and warm keyboard work by Pugh, clean trumpet lines by Konstantins Jemeljanovs, lead bass lines by Jemmott and slick riffs by Andersen make this one of my favorite tracks on the release.  Another of my picks for the release is One and One, with its super melody, some of Price's best vocals on the release and cool sax work by Johnny Bones. Funky soul number, Never Be Fooled Again, has a tight bass line from Jemmott and warm backing vocals by Andersen and Courtney Knott. With a laid back attack, Kid Andersen lays in some mighty tasty licks on guitar. Expert Witness stays in the funky stream with power horn work by Nancy Wright. Very nice! R&B track, Love Ballad could easily have been a strong radio player in the early seventies with it's rich vocals, melody and that tale tell sitar work by Andersen. Lisa's backing vocals on this track are particularly nice. Wrapping the release is Your Love Stays With Me with a country blues feel. Warm horn work, coupled with Prices own smooth vocals over Jemmott's bass line set this track apart and Bones sax solo is really sweet. Cool closer to a cool release.

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Michael Benjamin artist: Alabama Mike - Upset The Status Quo - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Upset The Status Quo, from Alabama Mike, and it's a cool groove. Blending R&B, Blues and funk, Mike has put together a fine set here. Opening with title track, Upset The Statue Quo, a bluesy shuffle, Mike leads the way on vocal joined by Aki Kumar on harp, Bernard Anderson on sax, Kid Andersen and Bob Welsh on guitar, Kedar Roy on bass and D'Mar Martin on drums, this track is a great start. Identity Theft opens with a a cool bass line from Jerry Jemmott this track and an overall R&B feel which is quite cool. B3 punctuation, backing vocals by Loralee Christansen and Lisa Leuschner and a hot sax solo by Anderson tops the track off nicely. Low slung blues number, MISSISSIPPI is a great track with a serious lope and Kumar doing some fine work on harp and a nice piano solo from Bob Welsh. Funky number, Think, also shows the strong bass work of Jemmott and features nice B3, Anderson on sax as well as a hot guitar solo from Kid Andersen and piano from Welsh. Very cool. Can't Stay Here Long is a really super track, possibly my favorite on the release, featuring Mike's most soulful vocals on the release. With a gospel feel, Fight For Your Love, makes you just want to jump. There's nice piano work by Welsh, cool B3 work by Jim Pugh, slide guitar work by Jon Lawton and Ronnie Smith lays down a snappy drum line. Restraining Order again has a heavy bass line by Jemmott, with sweet backing vocals by Loralee and Lisa. Nicely interwoven instrumental support on sax, organ and drums gives this track a really super radio style. Rock Me In Your Arms has a traditional R&B feel with an almost Van Morrison vocal style. Sax, guitar and drums carry the body of the vocal accompaniment with nice bass lines by Kedar Roy. Very nice. SSI Blues has a "Walking Blues" feel with Kumar on harp, Lawton on slide and Roy on bass. Another strong R&B style entry, Somewhere Down The Line, is particularly melodic and seductive. With it's club feel cool slide work by Lawton and sassy sax work by Anderson, this is another release favorite. Wrapping the release is God Is With You (Benediction), a very strong R&B track with screaming hot sax work from Anderson. Jemmott's ever present bass line is distinctive and warm and with Pugh on B3, Welsh on piano and nicely placed backing vocals, this is a terrific finish to a really fine release.




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Airtight Records artists: D'Mar & Gill - Take It Like That - New release review

I just received the newest release, Take It Like That, from D'Mar & Gill and it has a fresh, cool sound. Opening with I Fell In Love With The Blues, a catchy number with a cool walking bass line by Kid Andersen, Chris Gill leads on vocals and guitar and Aki Kumar adds in just the right amount of harp. Derrick D'Mar is tight on drums with cool piano work from Bob Welsh and nice backing vocals from Lisa Andersen. Back To Paradise has a real cool funky beat and an overdriven guitar feel putting me in mind of rhythm work by Mr Cooder himself. Very cool! Song For Honeyboy has a loose slide guitar rider following Gill's vocals and D'Mar creates a loose train feel on drums. A real nice guitar "duet" on slide with Kid Andersen sets this track off along the lines of a JJ Cale's Call Me The Breeze. Souvenir Of The Blues has a classic soulful blues feel. Gills vocals on this track are particularly expressive as are his guitar riffs. Jemmot's bass riffs hold the bottom nicely as Gill and Andersen lay down some real nice riffs. Excellent! Dancin' Girl has the feel of north Mississippi and it's raw blues form. One of my favorite tracks on the release it features cigar box slide and an echo distorted vocal with drums and simple bass. Very cool. You Never Know has a island (Taj Mahal) kind of feel with vocal, light guitar and drums. Soothing. Three Ways Inn has an "easy slung" blues tempo and a nicely crafted melody. A tight little guitar solo on this track plays well against Gill loose vocals. Must Be Love has a cool strut and a taste of new Orleans with nice piano riffs from Welsh. I am particular to Gills vocal style on this track and his clawing guitar style as well. Very cool! Take It Like That has a Latin rhythm and a Caribbean looseness thanks to D'mar. Interesting guitar riffs throughout give the track a different feel and a definite hip slip with smooth backing vocals by Lisa. Sweet Tooth is another track with a bit of Cooder in it. I am a Cooder fan and the general styling of this track takes me back to some of his much earlier works. Lonesome For Leavin' is a really nice blues grind with great acoustic slide guitar sounds. Possibly my favorite track on the release it has much of the characteristics of an old delta blues with lots of teeth and grit. Tore Down & Blue has an R&B/Reggae feel. I really like this track with it's fresh approach to blues/R&B with it's nicely stylized vocal and guitar work over a super groove by Jemmot and D'Mar. Wrapping the release is Since I Saw You, an easy pop ballad with a casual vocal line, a nice bass groove from Jemmot and Frankie Ramos on sax.

   

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