Checkerboard Lounge Recordings artist: John Fusco and the X-Road Riders - John The Revelator - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, John The Revelator, from John Fusco and the X-Road Riders and it's an interesting mix of country folk blues. Opening with traditional blues track, and title track, John The Revelator, with a modern yet raw spin. With leader Fusco on lead vocal and keys, Cody Dickinson on drums, bass and dobro, Risse Norman on vocal and Sarah Morrow on trombone, a solid opener. Shuffle track, Bone Deep opens up with a bit more rock, featuring Magic Mark Lavoie on harp, Dickinson on guitar and some cool Hammond work from Fusco. Ophelia (Oh, I Feel Ya) is one of my favorite tracks on the release. A curious little ballad mostly Fusco on lead vocal, accompanying himself on keys. A radio designed track that could easily be Harry Nilsson or Randy Newman. Very nice. Slow Blues, Bad Dog, showcases some of Fusco's best vocals on the release with Dennis Diego laying down a solid bass line and Spencer Perry on drums. Lavoie's soulful harmonica lead on this track, complimented with firm guitar lead by Kurt Pierson makes this another standout track. A track with a lot of radio appeal is Jacqueline with it's top melody, hip hop delivery and smooth lead guitar. Another of my favorites is Hottest Part Of The Flame with it's Latin rhythm. This track has a seductive feel with lush vocals, and terrific interweaving of horn work by Baby J, Josh Klinger, Dan Alario,  and really nice slide work by Dickinson. Wrapping the release is The Sun Also Rises, another track with radio appeal and a strong melody. Vocal lead and piano accompanied, with clean guitar lead under the melody and rich backing vocals by Brickett Bailey, Cassandra Machia, Julia Simons and Rosalie Wasser. 

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BROWN SUGAR - JOHN THE REVELATOR

This year this blues band from Holland will celebrate its 45th anniversary. The band has played all over Europe and also toured Australia. Enjoy this site and experience the long history of this legendary band and keep an update with their new gigs and releases. In our new worldwide WEBSTORE you can listen for free to all the songs of the albums the band has recorded over the years. In our webstore you can download any song or album that you like, including covers and some free titles. But you can also order the physical albums that are still available. If you do so, you get immediately a free digital download as a bonus. Blues of zo. The drummer and singer-bassplayer of John the Revelator also joined forces with guitar player extraordinaire Henk Schippers. For many years this power blues trio has played together at various festivals in Europe. Go to their website: Blues of zo  

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!

John The Revelator - I Ain't Superstitious

Back in 1966 when Eric Clapton delivered his heavily overdriven wailing blues licks on the “Beano” album with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, the guitar world was completely shaken up. Legend has it that Eric put his hand flat on the controls of his Marshall combo, moved his hand to the right, setting all controls full power in the process. Future Revelator singer and bassman Tom Huissen lived in London at the time that the blues scene triggered by Clapton’s trademark guitar work exploded.He became pals with Peter Green, Eric’s successor in the Bluesbreakers, and witnessed the first rehearsals of Pete’s then new band Fleetwood Mac. Immediately after returning in Holland Tom started to form a blues band modeled after Fleetwood Mac.Finding the right guys for the job was not too hard and the band started to rehearse with cheap guitars, old tube driven radios for amplifiers and a tyre lever for playing bottleneck guitar. Early in 1969 the band adopted the name “John the Revelator” after the A Capella blues traditional by the great Son House.John the Revelator took off immediately and extensively started gigging the Dutch and European blues circuits that were thriving at the time. After winning the prestigious Loosdrecht Jazz contest in 1970 record label Decca offered the band a recording contract resulting in the first album Wild Blues.This highly collectable record was re-released on CD in 2003. In 1973 the popularity of the blues was decreasing and John the Revelator called it a day very appropriately at a local festival organised by the Dutch Red Cross. Tom Huissen en lead guitarist Frans ten Kleij started a new band called Hellhound.Contrary to what the name suggest Hellhound was not a band of heavily tattooed leather clad boys playing funny guitars at ear splitting levels.The name was simply derived from the great Robert Johnson song “Hellhound on my trail”.The music of Hellhound still held a strong blues element and can best be described as symphonic blues. In 1977 after continuous touring Hellhound packed it in. Both Tom and Frans had a flirtation with other musicians and musical styles but as blood is thicker than water a new line up of John the Revelator was ready to hit the road again after five or six months.This line up recorded the indie album Empty Road back in 1981.Empty Road never got released on CD and nowadays is as much a collector’s item as its predecessor Wild Blues. In 1983 Cor Dijkhuizen, drummer to the present day joined the band.Again there was much touring and the occasional reshuffle of personnel.The whole musical history of the band is reflected on the 1989 CD ‘Bluesproof’, compiled because of the 20th anniversary of the band.All John the Revelator members past and present do their bit at the 20th anniversary concert where “Bluesproof” is presented to the public.It was during this gig that slide guitarist Paul Dammers decided to rejoin the band after an absence of almost 17 years. Five years later in 1994 the album “Cahow” saw the light of day. Cahow is a collection of straight blues songs and named after a petrel from Bermuda thought to be extinct. In 1997 a long overdue live album named “The Tamalone Bluestapes” was released.This album without any overdubs whatsoever contained most of the songs that proved to be live favourites over the years and perfectly reproduces the sweaty stompin’ blues drive typical for a Revelator gig. In recent years John the Revelator has jammed with Peter Green, Snowy White,Chris Farlowe and a bunch of legendary Dutch blues guys some of which are featured on the album “Down in the Mud”. They also joined in at the 35th anniversary of the band in 2004 which was recorded on DVD for release in 2007. This gig again saw the return of present day keyboard wizard Erwin Aubroeck who played earlier with the band in the late eighties. Now that the 40th anniversary is coming near, a new album is being recorded. It will be called “Underway” after an instrumental by Peter Green which is included on the album.For those who wanna hear some bits and pieces of the new album:click on the banner Underway. Release of the new album is planned for September 2009. After playing all over Europe the band now for the first time will be touring Western Australia in November 2009 and play at the prestigious Bridgetown Blues Festival. John the Revelator: Tom Huissen: vocals and bass Frans ten Kleij: electric lead guitars and blues harp Cor Dijkhuizen: drums and percussion Paul Dammers: slide guitar, electric and acoustic guitars Erwin Aubroeck: Hammond organ, piano, synthesizer and vocals 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”