Mississippi Blend
Ruf Records

Review by Greg Johnson

Belgium-based vocalist Ghalia has long been infatuated with the blues. Mississippi Blend is her sophomore release on the European blues label Ruf, and she has returned to the American homeland of the music to craft a serious collection of tunes. To make her approach even more authentic, she recruited renowned Delta and Hill Country artists like Cedric Burnside, Cody Dickinson, Watermelon Slim, and Lightnin’ Malcolm, along with New Orleans guitar player Smokehouse Brown, to provide the right touches behind her voice.

Although she may be a European artist, Ghalia cut her teeth by spending time busking on the streets of the American South, taking in the true sounds of how the music is supposed to sound. And she learned her lessons well as this recording delivers a nice mix of rockin’ tracks that will have you toe-tapping along with its steady pace and beat. Ghalia’s voice has a range of emotions as shown in “Release Me” and in the duet with Watermelon Slim on “Wade In The Water.” The album is a fun, humorous, and at times socially conscious journey of music that hits in all directions with Ghalia leading us like a pied piper charming us along the way.

Total Time: 42:22

Gypsy Lady /Meet You Down the Road / Squeeze / First Time I Died / Lucky Number / Wade in the Water / Drag Me Down / Shake & Repeat / Release Me / Why Don’t You Sell Your Children / I Thought I Told You Not to Tell Them

The Definitive Collection
Earwig

Review by Greg Johnson

When calling out the great blues labels of Chicago from the late 1950s into the ‘60s, you’re naturally going to name Chess, Cobra, Delmark and Vee Jay. But Bea & Baby Records, the city’s first black owned independent label, put down on vinyl some of the biggest names in the blues. Run by Narvel Eatmon, better known as Cadillac Baby, Bea & Baby Records had a thirty year run of recording from 1959 to 1979, though it saw some hard times throughout the span.

Earwig’s Michael Frank befriended Eatmon in the ‘70s, with the two working with a young rapper named 3D. Frank eventually purchased the label’s catalog in 1991 in order to preserve its history, and that has turned out to be a blessing with the release of this extensive 4 CD set covering a wide selection of music, including the aforementioned blues, early rap, as well as gospel, and R&B. It also includes an in-depth 128-page hard-covered book with rare photos and history of the label.

There are occasional stories told by Eatmon scattered about the collection. But what is really the prize here is the music itself. Many of these tracks have long been lost and rarely heard. And the line-up is more than impressive, with names such as Earl Hooker, Eddie Boyd, Sunnyland Slim, James Cotton, Hound Dog Taylor, Sleepy John Estes, Homesick James, Andre Williams, Little Mack Simmons  and Detroit Junior among many, many more. It is basically a slice of history well worth given a second chance. One can find lots of gold nuggets here.

Total Time: 4:48:05

101 tracks

Wayback Machine
Electro-Fi Records

By Greg Johnson

Harmonica ace Mark Hummel jumps into his “Wayback Machine” to take us on a trip back to the sounds of Bluebird Records, the noted blues label who produced some of the most acclaimed recordings of post-war Chicago of the 1930-40s. Tracks originally recorded by the likes of Tampa Red, Sonny Boy Williamson, Arthur Crudup, Jazz Gillum, Eddie Boyd, and Robert Nighthawk, sit alongside two of Hummel’s own compositions and one from bassist RW Grigsby. All run together nicely without any disruption in flow between the older and the new.

The musicianship on the album is bar none outstanding. Recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios in San Jose, you know right away that the tracks featured are going to be brought to their utmost excellence with top shelf artists.  Aside from Hummel blowing terrific harp, Grigsby providing bass on a number and Andersen on bass, Billy Flynn and Rusty Zinn provide guitar work, and Alex Petersen on drums The Deep Basement Shakers, pianist Aaron Hammerman and Dave Eagle on percussion perform on thirteen of the selections, and guitarist/vocalist Joe Beard appears on two.

Mark Hummel has put together yet another recording of merit. No surprise, he has been doing just that for more than three decades now and his output keeps gaining more momentum every time out. Wayback Machine brings focus on some of the brightest stars of the blues past, and puts them right back in front of us again where they belong always.

Total Time: 58:13

Flim Flam / Hello Stranger / So Much trouble / Cut That Out / Road Dog / Play With Your Poodle / Breathtaking Blues / Crazy About You / Pepper Mama / Gillum’s Windy Blues / Rag Mama Rag / Good Gal / Reefer head Woman / Five Long Years / Say You Will / Mean Old Frisco

Damn! I Spilled The Blues
Booga Music / VizzTone

By Greg Johnson

The first time I saw Brody Buster perform he was playing in a jam during the WC Handy Award weekend in Memphis. He was still just a teenager at the time, but his harmonica skills were obvious. In 2017 he competed in the International Blues Challenge taking home second place in the solo/duo category and top honors as harmonica player. The difference with this performance was he was now working as a one man band playing guitar and kick drums alongside his harp.

One of the judges for this competition was Kenny Neal, who was so impressed that when he formed his own recording label, Booga Music, Brody was the first artist he decided to sign. Damn! I Spilled The Blues is Brody’s debut release on the label and it is a testament to just how talented he is at presenting the sound of a full trio while being the sole artist behind the music.

The songs collected here jump and groove, with Brody’s drive constant and intense. And though listening to somebody work in a one man band setting may seem tedious after a while, it is his vocals that bring everything blending to perfection and capturing attention. This is exemplified by his song “Bad News,” where everything from his voice to the instrumentation comes across as powerful and direct as he tells his lover that he’s not stupid and he realizes that she is not right for him. Strong numbers are abundant with other tracks to take note of being “Old Dog Blues,” “Week Long” and “2029.” It may be hard at times to believe all these great sounds are coming from just one man.

Total Time: 34:58

Old Dog Blues / Bad News / 2029 / The Wind / The Reason / Alligator Blues / Like ‘Em Like That / The Hustle / Week Long / This Time I Got The Blues

50: Just Getting Started!
Jazz Village

By Greg Johnson

The term prodigy may be thrown out regarding many artists, but when it comes to Lucky Peterson it is clearly a fitting title. The son of bluesman James Peterson, Lucky scored his first national R&B hit when he was only six-years-old. The new album, 50: Just getting Started! celebrates the multi-instrumentalist career that has now spanned 50 years. He is the full package — a stunning guitarist, extraordinary organist, superb vocalist, terrific songwriter, and splendid performer. All of this is on display in this new release.

50: Just getting Started is a mix of Peterson originals and nicely selected takes on some of his favorite tracks, including “Amazing Grace Precious Lord,” and covers of the three Kings, Freddie King’s “Pack It Up,” Albert’s “Angel Of Mercy” and BB’s “Never Make Your Move Too Soon.” The songs are diverse, blending jazz, blues, modern rock and gospel, but never straying away from the awe-inspiring presentation. This is an aptly named album, because he may have been on the scene for 50 years now, but Luicky Peterson is still kicking out mighty fine music. He’s just getting started!!

Total Time: 73:48

50 Years / Pack it up / Dreamin’ About You / Don’t Want Nobody But You / Repossess Your Love / I Will Die 4 u / Never Make Your Move Too Soon / Clickety Click / The Blues is Driving Me / Angel of Mercy / Going Where My Roots Come From / Takin Care of Mine / Let the Good Time Party Begin / Kissin’ on My Lips / Amazing Grace Precious Lord