Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: The DogTown Blues Band with Barbara Morrison – Everyday

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This CD review was originally published in the September 15, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

The DogTown Blues Band with Barbara Morrison – Everyday

Self Release

www.thedogtownbluesband.bandcamp.com

10 tracks / 43:20

The DogTown Blues Band is based out of West Los Angeles, and their unique blend of blues and jazz is derived from its members’ varied musical careers. Their synergy is a distilled version of the overall Southland vibe, as it seems like most everybody around here comes from somewhere else, and this melting pot is what makes L.A. such a cool place to live. The DogTown boys have joined up in the studio with another Southern California treasure, Barbara Morrison, and recently released their self-produced sophomore album, Everyday.

Chicago blues veteran Richard Lubovitch produced this project for the DogTown Blues Band, as well as playing the guitar and writing the five original songs. He was joined in the studio by Wayne Peet on the keyboards, harp man Bill Barrett, and Lance Lee behind the drum kit, as well a pair of bassmen: Trevor Ware (upright) Tom Lilly (electric). These fellows have more than enough experience to get the job done, having played for decades with artists such as Kenny Burrell, Edgar Winter, Rufus Thomas, Gatemouth Brown, and the Count Basie Band.

Then there is Barbara Morrison, a legendary jazz and blues singer who needs no introduction. After growing up near Detroit, since the early 1970s Barbara has been working out of Los Angeles. She has sung all over the world, and the right people have noticed, earning her three Grammy nominations. As Morrison has been working in the same city as the band for many years it should be no surprise that she also knows a few of the same people, making this collaboration possible; it is really cool to have her inimitable vocals on four these songs!

Half of the songs on Everyday are heavily re-worked covers, and the set kicks off with one of them, Pine Top Sparks’ “Everyday I Have the Blues.” Barbara fronts this tune, and her voice is amazingly clear and full of character; her timing and inflections are both spot on. This song has a huge sound courtesy of the horn section of Andrew Pask (sax) and Dan Rosenboom (trumpet). Other highlights of this tune are copious amounts of barroom piano from Peet and an extended harmonica break from Barrett.

It is neat that the band is able to switch up sounds and genres so readily, though it does make it a bit hard to shoehorn them into any one genre (which is a good thing in my book). It is easy to put Willie Dixon’s “Easy Baby” squarely into the blues box, and it is refreshing to hear this standard fronted by a woman; listeners will hear that Morrison plays the role of smoky blues singer very well. Barbara also laughs a bit as she presents a righteous performance of the slightly misogynistic Porter Grainger and Everett Robbins standard, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business.”

Besides participating in many of the tracks in this set, Bill Barrett takes the lead on a few of the songs, including “Shrimp Walk,” a slick instrumental with a Latin feel that features leads from Bill on his diatonic harp and Lubovitch on his 6-string. This is laid over a healthy serving of funky organ from Peet. Then, on “All the Way Down,” Barrett gets down and dirty on this straight-up blues instrumental that is delivered with strong horns and plenty of space within which he can deliver his goods. Bill also steps out to provide the vocals for Doc Pomus’ “Doc’s Boogie.” After a slick intro from Richard, Barrett uses his pleasant tenor voice over a Wayne’s ballpark organ that is accompanied by an uptempo walking bass line. It is neat that the drums were left out here, which lends a vintage lounge vibe to the track.

A standout track from the Richard’s originals is “Boxcar 4468,” an instrumental that features killer leads from Lubovitch, as well a nice touch of pedal steel from guest artist Marcus Watkins. This song starts as a low key burner, but after the organ starts getting more rowdy (around the 2 minute mark), things pop into high gear with a drastic tempo change with a carnival-like organ and a burning solo from Loob, before slowing down once again for the finale. Instrumentals with intelligent writing like this never get old, and surely deserve more than one listen to figure out everything that is going on.

The Dogtown Blues Band’s eponymous debut album was very good, and it was going to take something very special to outdo themselves, but with a little help from Barbara Morrison they handily made this happen with Everyday. Hopefully they have a few more tricks up their sleeves and will make it back to the studio soon to make more clever music for their fans!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Big Jon Atkinson and Bob Corritore – Party at Big Jon’s

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This CD review was originally published in the August 25, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Big Jon Atkinson and Bob Corritore – Party at Big Jon’s

Delta Groove Music

www.bigjonandthenationals.com

www.bobcorritore.com

www.deltagroovemusic.com

16 tracks / 61:25

House parties with live entertainment usually end up with a loud bands that give a valiant effort at recreating favorite hits from classic rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers. Often there is more enthusiasm than talent, and sometimes it is a relief when the band takes a break. Party at Big Jon’s, the new album from Big Jon Atkinson and Bob Corritore is nothing like this, and it is an hour-long set of vintage blues sounds that are served up with enormous talent.

As he was born in the late 1980s Big Jon Atkinson is a relative newcomer on the blues landscape, but he has somehow escaped his generation’s fascination with the shiny allure of videogames and social media, instead focusing his energy on the genre that he loves. Big Jon’s 2014 debut album, Boogie With You Baby, is an amazing piece of work and it was an avenue for his music to reach beyond the fans that were lucky enough to see his live shows. For a fellow that has not even hit 30 yet, Atkinson has earned the respect of fellow bluesmen and his voice has an aged timbre that is beyond his years (in good ways). You would be hard put to find a modern blues singer that has his talent or his unmistakable feel for the music. He is pretty good on the guitar, too!

His partner on this project, Bob Corritore, should need no introduction, as he is one of the premier harp men in the business today. Bob learned from and played with Chicago blues masters, and he brought this knowledge and skill with him to the Sonoran Desert in the early 1980s. Corritore opened the famed Rhythm Room in Phoenix in 1991, and if you are ever in this part of Arizona this is the premier joint to hear quality live music. This man also spreads the good news of the blues gospel though his website and his radio show, and he collaborates, produces, and promotes other blues artists. Bob Corritore is a righteous dude, to be sure.

Party at Big Jon’s was produced by Atkinson and Corritore, and it was recorded last year at Jon’s Big Tone Studio in his hometown of San Diego, California. The tracks were laid down using vintage equipment and techniques, giving the whole project a satisfyingly raw electric blues sound. They got top-shelf help in the studio from guitarist Danny Michel and bassist Troy Sandow, as well as a trio of fine drummers: Malachi Johnson, Brian Fahey, and Marty Dodson. Some very special guests also joined in, as you will soon see. The content is divided between classic blues tunes and originals that were written by this duo and their friends.

The hour-long set is bookended by two songs that Atkinson wrote and sang, and they both have the feel of yesteryear with Jon’s slightly muffled vocals and thumpy double bass from Sandow. “Goin’ Back to Tennessee” kicks things off with a conventional blues lyrical style accompanied by instrumentation that provides space for the guitar leads and Corritore’s tasteful harp work. Bob does not need to wow the listener with crazy harmonica antics, as his phrasing and musicality are spot on for this and every other track on the album. The closer, “My Feelings Won't Be Hurt” places more emphasis on the vocals, and Big Jon has the ability to howl them out without losing his edge and sounding too rough. It is hard to believe that he has developed this much talent and restraint at such a young age.

Big Jon only provides the vocals for half of the songs on this disc, and there is prime talent that takes care of the rest. A fellow San Diego denizen, Tomcat Courtney, performs his original “Mojo in My Bread” and there is no sign that this octogenarian is slowing down; his delivery of the clever lyrics is beautiful. Sticking with the mojo theme, Alabama Mike tears up Lightning Hopkins’ “Mojo Hand,” and almost outdoes B.B. King on “Somebody Done Changed the Lock on My Door.”

Chicago bluesman Willie Buck also sings one the originals that he wrote (“You Want Me to Trust You”), and takes a run at Slim Harpo’s “I’m a King Bee.” His voice is as smooth as silk on these tunes, and it is a cool counterpoint to Corritore’s grittier harmonica parts. Another Windy City fellow, Dave Riley, does his original “Mississippi Plow”(he was born in the Magnolia State, you know) and Charles Johnson’s “At the Meeting,” a slow gospel blues song that is one of the standout tracks on the disc.

Big Jon Atkinson and Bob Corritore did a wonderful job with Party at Big Jon’s. There is a consistent feel to the songs from track to track, despite the mix of older covers and new material, and the different frontmen that participated. The vintage sound is contagious, and this is one of the best traditional blues albums of the year; it will certainly be a contender for next year’s awards season. Check it out for yourself, and enjoy some excellent blues in one of its most enduring forms!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Blue Largo – Sing Your Own Blues

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This CD review was originally published in the May 19, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Blue Largo – Sing Your Own Blues

Self Release

www.bluelargoblues.com

14 tracks / 60:44

The story behind the third Blue Largo album, Sing Your Own Blues, is inspiring, to say the least. This San Diego, California group has been together since 1999, fronted by Alicia Aragon on vocals with Eric Lieberman on guitar. They have a passion for the sounds of the 1940s and 1950s, and their first two albums were tributes to classic blues tunes. Eric had a major setback in 2006 when a disorder seriously hindered his ability to play guitar, but by practicing five hours a day for over eight years he was able to re-train himself how to play again, which is inspiring no matter how you look at it.

As their previous albums were recorded around the turn of the century, Alicia and Eric decided it was time to return to the studio. But in their back pocket they had seven original songs that Lieberman had written, so this time they are indeed singing their own songs. They were joined in the Oceanside studio by quite a crew of musicians, including their regular members: Jonny Viau on sax, Taryn Donah on piano, and Art Kraatz on the bass. But there are also plenty of guest artists, and with this roster the vibe is big and bouncy.

The set kicks off with four of these original tunes, and the first one, “Walkin’ on a Tightrope" a hopping 12-bar blues song with smoky vocals from Aragon and some fabulous roadhouse piano from Donah. This is followed up by “Kindness Love and Understanding,” an up-tempo song with a tasteful guitar break from Lieberman, and “Sing Your Own Song,” which has the feel of a gospel revival. Then, “Tears of Joy” tugs at the heartstrings with its heartfelt message of hope over an easygoing island beat. These latter three songs include Rafael Salmon on organ and backing vocals from San Diego’s Missy Anderson, a Blues Blast Music Award nominee from 2015.

The cover tunes are also cool, with a smoky jazz club rendition of “Evening,” which was previously recorded by artists as diverse as T-Bone Walker and Tony Bennett. Alicia proves to be quite the chanteuse, and Eric trades reverb-soaked guitar licks with Viau’s aggressive sax. In a similar vein, there is Willie Dixon’s “You Know My Love,” which was also recorded very well by Otis Rush in 1960. But the standout of the re-dos is Magic Sam’s “I Need You so Bad” from the late 1960s. Lieberman can rock out on the guitar just fine, so he does this song justice, but it is Aragon’s vocals that take this song to the next level, as she gives the tune a whole different character to this song of longing.

Proving that he last lost nothing in the chops department, Lieberman's guitar takes center stage on three instrumentals. From 1957 there is “Guitar Rhumba” by Earl "Zeb" Hooker, which starts with a slick Latin beat and transforms into a cool surf rock odyssey. There is also the “Okie Dokie Stomp” as done by Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, with some nice punctuation from Viau’s sax and Joey Jazdzewski’s double bass. And lastly, Herb Remington's "Remington Ride” is presented as a rollicking classic country tune (just like Freddie King did it!) with some awesome barroom piano from Donath and a little help on rhythm guitar from Nathan James. By the way, James also acted as co-producer, recording engineer, and mixer for this project, besides filling in on backing vocals and bass where needed.

After all of this, the album closes out with Walter Vinson’s blues standard, “Sitting on Top of the World,” a neat acoustic track with a Delta/roots vibe. Once again, Aragon takes the lead, this time with call and response backing vocals from Lieberman. Eric handles the acoustic guitar (including a nicely finger-picked solo), with James providing a healthy dose of his slide talent on a resonator guitar. This song has a completely different sound than the rest of the tracks on the album, but the feel is the same and it is a neat way to finish up the set.

It took thirteen years to get a new album from Blue Largo album, and Sing Your Own Blues was worth the wait. Their new songs are very good, and the classic tunes they chose are not ones that other bands usually cover. The end result is an hour of positive messages with a cool vintage vibe, and after hearing it you might wish you lived on the left coast so would be in a better position to catch one of their shows!

NAMM 2018: PLNIFY Tour Management Software Product Preview

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On Friday I met with Victor from PLNIFY about his new software and app that allows easier coordination of all factors that are needed to run a successful tour. He is in the industry ad has worked with top-tier entertainers, so he knows exactly what is needed. He ran me through the software and I was impressed with the effort that went into making all of the details right. And though the software was just recently finished, it is already in use by around 100 major acts.

Please see the attached video to hear more about the PLNIFY, and for more information, please go to plnify.com.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: The Wire World Polaris Guitar Cable Product Preview

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I got to speak with David Wire World Cables about their newly introduced Polaris guitar cable, which is has to be one of the best quality cables in the market. I also had the chance to see Stu Hamm demo the cable, and he is a true believer in the product.

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Polaris cables. As this product is so new it is not on their website yet, but to learn a little more about the company head on over to wireworldcable.com.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Day 4 Kick-off

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This is the final day of the 2018 Winter NAMM show in sunny Anaheim, California and it is about 25 degrees warmer now that the Santa Ana winds have come in. This has been a great show, and the exhibitors have all been great about making time to meet with me. The show seems a little less crowded this year, though it is hard to tell if it is because there are less people or because they have greatly expanded the exhibition halls.

I have a few more appointments today, and will be updating the blog as often as possible.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Shure SM48 Microphone Field Test

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This is the final day of the 2018 Winter NAMM show; this year I shot a lot of video with my Zoom Q8, and I chose a Shure SM48-LC to record my dialogue. This microphone is similar in appearance to the venerable Shure SM58, but comes in at about half the price. Considering that I was going to be stuffing it into my bag repeatedly (and possibly dropping it a few times), I chose not to bring its more expensive sibling.

The SM48-LC looks almost identical to the SM58, with a nicely solid heft, and the instantly recognizable profile of the chromed steel mesh grill (that is maybe a touch bigger). It is available both with or without an ON/OFF switch, and mine is not equipped with one. The 48 is a dynamic mic with a different cartridge than the 58, and a frequency response of 55 to 14,000 Hz.

If you purchase one, you will get the mic, a nice vinyl carry bag, and a mic stand clip. These are made in Mexico, and you can expect to pay around $55 from online sellers. It is a good value, for sure.

It worked out very well for field recording, with no issues at all. To my ears, it is noticeably tinnier with less mids than an SM58, but the recordings were all clear, and its cardioid pattern did a fine job of isolating my voice from the terribly chaotic NAMM environment. Though I would not hesitate to buy another for this kind of use (or karaoke), I think that the reduced fidelity is not worth the cost savings to vocalists and bands, so I would advise them the save up another 50 bucks and buy the real thing, an SM58.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Latch Lake Music micKing Product Preview

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I had the opportunity to speak with Dave from Latch Lake Music about their beautiful micKing microphone stands. Their craftsmanship is amazing, and I have to say these are by far the nicest mic stands I have ever seen. They have to be seen to be believed!

Please see the attached video to hear more about the micKing, and for more information, please go to latchlakemusic.com.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Cable Porter Product Preview

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I had the opportunity to speak with Carlo from Cable Porter about their innovative cable management system that keeps organizes and prevents your leads from tangling. They provided me with a sample and I am hooked – I will need to purchase some more of these!

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Amp Hook, and for more information, please go to cableporter.com .

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Clear Tune Monitors - Da Vinci Series Product Preview

Aloha!

At NAMM 2017 I reviewed the Vintage Series in-ear monitors from Clear Tune Monitors, and was eager to get a chance to hear the new 9-driver and 10-driver Da Vinci Series this year, and I was blown away. The definition and realism is amazing, with a huge frequency range. Castor id a great job of demoing them for me, as I think you will agree:

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Da Vinci Series, and for more information, please go to cleartunemonitors.com for complete details.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Jammy Portable Digital Guitar Product Preview

Aloha!

I got to demo the new Jammy portable digital guitar, and it redefines what I thought a travel guitar should be. With separate string modules for fingering and strumming/picking and it unique sliding headstock to change the range, it is a compete gamechanger.

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Jammy guitar, and for more information, please go to playjammy.com for more info.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: The Zoom H1n Handy Recorder Product Preview

Aloha!

Yesterday I has the pleasure of speaking with Samuel from Zoom about their new H1n Handy Recorder. I am a big fan of Zoom’s products, and shot the accompanying video with my personal Zoom Q8. The updates to the H1n are impressive, and it is obvious that the company listens to their customers and gives them what they expect. It is a cool unit, and still comes in at around $120 – how can you beat that?

Please see the attached video to hear more about Zoom H1n, and for full details please go to zoom-na.com for more info.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: The Brand UC Product Preview

Aloha!

Yesterday I has the pleasure of speaking with Jackie from The Brand UC, a company based in the UK. They make and sell labeling products that would make the lives of touring bands and equipment rental companies much easier.
Please see the attached video to hear more about their road case labels and cable label wraps, and for full details please go to thebranduc.com for more info.
Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Cling On Pickup Product Preview

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Yesterday I got a chance to spend some time with Fernando at Cling On to hear more about their acoustic pickup that is designed to be installed with no damage or modifications to the instrument. It sounds great and with a price of $69.99 it is very competitive in the market!

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Cling On Pickup, and for more details, please go to http://www.clingon.co/ for more info.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: Day 2 Kick-off

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This is day 2 of the 2018 Winter NAMM show in sunny Anaheim, California (though it is a chilly 43 degrees this morning). Yesterday was a steep learning curve with the video equipment, but the ZOOM Q8 with the shotgun mic cartridge is very flexible and worked out well. Today should be better yet!

I have plenty of appointments today, and will be updating the blog as often as possible.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018: The WishBone Workshop Amp Hook Preview

Aloha!

I got to speak with Sean from The Wishbone Workshop about the new Amp Hook microphone mounting system, that allows the user to precisely and securely mic their amplifiers and cabinets.

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Amp Hook, and for more information, please go to thewishboneworkshop.com for more info.

Mahalo!

NAMM 2018 Eargasm Ear Plugs Preview

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This morning I spent some time with Ryan, the founder of Eargasm ear plugs, and he was able to fill me in on how these ear plugs are a step beyond the usual foam slugs that people cram in their ears . This product filters sound to provide up to 16dB of sound reduction, while still delivering a balanced and enjoyable listening experience. I cannot wait to try them out in the drum hall here at NAMM 2018!

Please see the attached video to hear more about the Eargasm products, and for more information, please go to eargasmearplugs.com for more info.

Mahalo!

2018 Winter NAMM Show Kick-off

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The 2018 Winter NAMM show kicks off today in Anaheim California, and I look forward to bringing you reviews of the latest gear!

Mahalo!

Great Find: BookOff Store at Lakewood Center Mall

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I had to head to the Lakewood Center Mall over the holidays to pick up a last minute gift and was surprised to find a BookOff store. I have seen a few others around the Los Angeles area, but had never stopped in to one before. It turned out that I was in for a big surprise.

BookOff is a huge chain of stores in Japan that deal in used books, DVDs, mobile phones, video games, and consoles. These stores buy and sell, which is a wonderful way to help connect people with goods that are no longer needed. I have stopped in to a few of their locations over the years, but their do not really interest me, as I do not read or speak the language. I do, however, frequent the HardOff chain of stores (also in Japan) that deals in used goods that do interest me, such as guitars, effect pedals, and goofy consumer electronics.

Well, the Lakewood Center Mall location is not like the typical BookOff operations that I have seen before. There are certainly plenty of books, Playstations, iPods, and phones, but this store is also like a HardOff. That means there are kitchen appliances, notebook computers, watches, fashionable bags, and a whole wall of guitars and shelves full of effect pedals and amplifiers. Boo yah!

With the instruments, there plenty of mid-level instruments that are in great cosmetic and working condition. In fact, there was a really nice Epiphone Les Paul in Silverburst that caught my eye and the price was certainly reasonable. And looking at the rest of their inventory, everything was priced fairly. Also, the staff is very friendly, and the 30-day return policy is a nice reassurance that if something goes wrong the buyer is covered. You are not going to run into this in a pawnshop, and Craigslist can certainly be a crapshoot.

Adding all of this together, I have to say that Book-Off is a great addition to the otherwise dreary Lakewood Center Mall, and it is great to have them in the neighborhood. Looking over their website, there are six stores in Southern California, two stores in Hawaii, and one in New York City. If you are a gear hound, it would be well worth your while to check one of them out!

Mahalo!

NAMM 2017: Manufacturer Preview – Ernie Ball Paradigm Guitar Strings

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I have been using Ernie Ball guitar and bass strings for decades, so it was cool for me to get to try out their new Paradigm strings at the 2017 NAMM show. In case you have not heard of Paradigm, it is a line of strings that are guaranteed to not break or rust. This is quite a sales tool, so I had to find out a little more about them.

Paradigm strings will be available in both acoustic and electric sets. There will be four acoustic sets (Extra Light, Light, Medium Light, and Medium) and eight sets of electrics that will maintain the usual Ernie Ball sizes and nomenclature (Slinkies, Super Slinkies, Etc.).

How they are made is kind of fuzzy for me as I am not a physicist, but I will give it a try. The strings use a high carbon hex core, and before wrapping this wire core is blasted with plasma to remove impurities, Then the wrapping is applied and the Everlast nano treatment is applied. This is not a dip or a coating, and the overall result is strings that feel like they have a little more bite to them, but it is a slight difference and the tone is identical.

Testing has been intense, with Beta sets going out to select customers and artists, and the results have been good. On the Ernie Ball website you can find videos of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and John Petrucci abusing these strings and not being able to break them. In fact, Petrucci’s whammy bar snapped before the strings did. Cool!

When these strings go on sale they will be priced at around $14.99 per pack, and though I am a little vague on how the warranty works, I think it goes a something like this: 1) Purchase strings 2) register the serial number inside the pack with Ernie Ball 3) If a string breaks or corrodes within 90 days, contact them and they will send out a replacement string (not the whole pack). This sounds pretty simple to me, and I am sure they would not make this offer unless they have a lot a confidence in their strings.

I am pretty excited about Ernie Ball’s Paradigm strings and I am eager to give them a try so you all can get a proper review . Unfortunately, I will to wait until they are released in March of 2017, but something this revolutionary should be worth the wait. For more details go to ernieball.com

Mahalo!