Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Alabama Mike – Upset the Status Quo

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This CD review was originally published in the December 11, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Alabama Mike – Upset the Status Quo

Self Release through Jukehouse Records

www.alabamamikeblues.net

11 tracks / 59:25

Alabama Mike adopted his nickname as he was born in Talladega, and that is where he got his first experience as a vocalist in the church choir. But for the last thirty years he has made his living on the left coast of the United States: in the military, as a truck driver, and now as a bluesman. The latter has been very rewarding, as he has earned two BMA nominations, both as a solo artist and with his acoustic blues trio, The Hound Kings. Mike (a.k.a. Michael Benjamin) writes and plays traditional-sounding blues songs with more modern lyrics that connect well with today’s listeners. This is one of Mike’s ways of pushing the edge of the envelope, so the title of his third solo album, Upset the Status Quo, makes a lot of sense!

This record is a slick piece of work, with production credit going out to Kid Anderson, who recorded this project at his Greaseland Studios in San Jose. Eight of the eleven tracks were written by Mike, and he provided all of the soulful lead vocals in his distinctive tenor voice. Thirteen fantastic musicians joined him in the studio, and the result of their labor is an hour-long set of blues, soul, and rhythm and blues, with a little funk thrown in for good measure. These folks include Ali Kumar on harp, Bernard Anderson on sax, Sid Morris on piano, Derrick D’mar Martin and Ronnie Smith on drums, Jerry Jemmot and Kedar Roy on bass, Jon Lawton on slide guitar, Jim Pugh on the Hammond B3, Bob Welsh on guitar and piano, and Kid Anderson on B3 and guitar.

Mike and his friends kick off the show with the title track, and “Upset the Status Quo” is a mid-tempo shuffle with a rich feel thanks to Kumar’s harmonica and Anderson’s sax. The backline has a neat feel with a conventional bass line and a dry snare tone that kills (in a good way). The lyrics poke at things that modern man spends too much time focusing on, such as the pursuit of material gain and the allure of giving in to the pervasive influence of social media, and Mr. Benjamin howls about these things with gusto.

Modern themes are also visited in “Identity Theft,” “Restraining Order,” and “SSI Blues,” and it is cool that Mike can take the stuff that people have to deal with today and put it into a musical form that is timeless. The latter has a sweet old-time feel with raunchy harp from Kumar and plenty of barroom piano over a foot-stomping beat. Mike shows off a great range as he takes thing up a register to tear this song apart. This is one of the standout tunes on the disc, in my opinion!

There are also three cover tunes on this disc, including Jimmy McCracklin’s “Think,” John Lawton’s “Rock Me in Your Arms,” and Little Johnny Taylor’s “Somewhere Down the Line.” “Think” is my favorite of these as the gang turns up the funk knob with Anderson’s sax, plenty of organ and wonderful guitar leads – this is all top-shelf material. The final product is a respectful and talented re-do of a classic tune, and the band really nailed it.

The set closes out with “God is With You (Benediction),” and it has a gnarly intro that is driven by a heavy dose of the mighty Hammond B-3. It settles down pretty quickly into a conventional rhythm and blues song, and Mike’s voice is at his best here as he has soul down to his very core. There are lovely backing vocals from Loralee Christiansen and Lisa Leuschner Anderson and this song of faith and love is beautiful; it is a sweet way to finish the set.

Upset the Status Quo contains some of Alabama Mike’s best work, and it is a very well engineered and mixed album that is entertaining from start to finish. Check it out for yourself, and if you like conventional blues this might just be a nice breath of fresh air for you. Also, if you follow his Facebook page you will find announcements for his upcoming gigs in the Bay Area, and if you come to one of his shows you might even get to see a few of the guest artists from this disc sitting in too!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Terrie Odabi – My Blue Soul

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This CD review was originally published in the October 13, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Terrie Odabi – My Blue Soul

Self Release

www.reverbnation.com/terrieodabi

13 tracks / 64:50

With its rich cultural history of jazz, rock, and the blues, the San Francisco Bay area launched many artists’ careers and has been a source of so much fantastic music over the years. None other than the late Etta James got her start in the Bay Area, and Oakland’s Terrie Odabi is doing a marvelous job of following in her footsteps. Terrie’s vocal skill and passion translate well to the studio, and her sophomore album, My Blue Soul, has everything going for it.

Terrie worked in the music business for years before releasing her 2014 debut album, Evolution of the Blues. Based on the pure awesomeness of this disc and her amazing performance abiity, Odabi earned the right to be the Bay Area representative at International Blues Competition for 2014 and 2015, and both times she made it to the semi-finals. This lady is the real deal, and has earned all of the respect she gets.

My Blue Soul is a labor of love from Terrie, as she wrote eleven of the thirteen tracks, and she poured her soul into recording the vocals. She made all the right moves to make sure this would be a good album, and the first step was bringing in Kid Anderson as the producer and engineer. Anderson knows how to construct a quality blues album, and it surely made his job easier to have Odabi and a crew of more than a dozen top-shelf Bay Area musicians to work with.

The music is excellent, but Terrie’s lyrics are what really make the songs special. They are honest and relevant, drawing on personal and community experiences. The first track, “Gentrification Blues,” is a pointed social statement about folks who move into a neighborhood and then think they have the right to change the existing cultural norms. This fervent message is set to a hopping mixture of blues, funk, gospel, and rock with smoking organ and guitar from Anderson and thumping bass and drums from Kirk Crumpler and Derrick Martin.

“Born to Die” is a 1970s-issue jangly rock and roll revue with a “Foxy Lady” beat and the finely tuned horn section of Nancy Wright, Manny Angel, and Faris Jarrah - these cats are tight! The message here is that no matter what one’s station in life is, the end result is always the same so we should live accordingly. This track is backed up by the jazzy blues of “Life is so Good,” an autobiographical torch song from a woman whose life is good, so that she can’t believe that she’s singing the blues. This song features Terry Hiatt on lead guitar and cool muted trumpet from Angel.

There are a few songs about the difficulties of relationships, but the most uplifting is “When You Love Me,” a song that Odabi wrote to thank her love for his support during the production of this album. This is a barebones blues track with sexy vocals and the sparse instrumental accompaniment of just a pair of guitars manned by Anderson and AJ Crawdaddy. This is the perfect opportunity for listeners to hear Terrie’s voice, and her personality, inflection, and range are truly amazing.

The cover tunes are both neat songs that have special meaning to Terrie. She loves Big Mama Thornton, so “Ball and Chain” is a logical addition to the mix. This piece of straight-up blues is powerfully sung with sweet guitar leads from Kid and tasteful piano from Ken Cook. The other re-do is the traditional, “Wade in the Water,” reinterpreted as a gloriously soulful rhythm and blues tune. This spiritual is has a powerful place in US history, and the lovely backing vocals of Courtney Knott, Lisa Leuschner Anderson, and Niecey Robinson make this modern take complete.

My Blue Soul is an excellent sophomore effort from Terrie Odabi, and it is a testament to what this woman means for the future of blues. This disc is full of poignant songs that are recorded well and appeal to both traditional and modern blues audiences, making it one of the best releases of 2016. and it will be awesome to see what she comes up with next!

The Lucky Losers – In Any Town | Album Review

The Lucky Losers – In Any Town

Dirty Cat Records

www.theluckylosers.com

www.dirtycatrecords.com

11 tracks / 52:43

Wow, I thought the Lucky Losers’ previous album, A Winning Hand, was really good, but their latest release In Any Town, is truly amazing stuff. The San Francisco-based duo of Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz has really delivered the goods this time! There are a few pieces to this puzzle that make the overall picture so pretty, as you will soon see.

Cathy and Phil have been fronting the Lucky Losers since 2014, but they are no strangers to the music business as they both have successful solo careers. Prior to this collaboration, Cathy released a few of her own album through Vizztone, including the stellar Black Crow which is marked by genuinely emotional vocal performances. Phil has also made his mark with his voice and harmonica, honing his craft to cover Chicago blues, as well as west coast swing, rhythm and blues, and country blues.

The rest of the Lucky Losers includes the killer line-up of Marvin Greene on guitar, Chris Burns on the keys, Tim Wager on bass, and Robi Bean behind the drum kit. And the final pieces of the puzzle are a fine collection of guest musicians (more on this later), and production, recording, mixing and mastering by the legendary Kid Anderson at his Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California. How could you go wrong with all of this good stuff going on?

Well, you cannot go wrong, it turns out – this 52 minutes of killer blues, with nine of the eleven tracks consisting of original music that was written by Cathy or Phil. One of these originals kicks of the set, and “So High” is upbeat and big blues rock. This tune starts off with some sharp harp work from Berkowitz, and it has a decidedly live sound with jangly guitars from Greene and Anderson, natural sounding drums from Bean, and of course a touch of Hammond B3 from Burns. This is all great, but there is also the magical interplay and vocal harmonies from Cathy and Phil that really puts this song over the top.

I mentioned earlier that there are a few guest artists that appear on this disc, and here are a few more details:

- The horn section of Michael Peloquin (sax), Mike Rose (trumpet), and Mike Rinta (trombone) was brought in for a few songs, the originals “Don’t Let ‘Em See Ya Cry” and “Blind Man in the Dark.” The latter features Terry Hanck with a killer tenor sax solo, and in case you are not familiar with him, this award-winning musician was formerly with Elvin Bishop’s band and is a longtime friend and collaborator with Kid Anderson.

- There is also guitar work from west coast blues legend and fellow Bay Area denizen, Franck Goldwasser, and his fleet fingers brings a lot to the uptempo “I Can’t Change Ya.” His staccato chords are almost like a third voice that complements the vocals of Cathy and Phil, and he tears off a screaming solo that fits in perfectly. This is a fun tune that has earned a place in my ever-expanding party mix.

”Give Me a Sign” features Memphis’ Jeff Jensen on his guitar, and he gives his wah pedal a righteous workout on this one. This song is a perfect example of what Anderson can do in the studio, as this slow-grinding blue rocker has perfectly recorded guitar, harp, and organ as well as amazing drum tone. Cathy’s vocals are processed to give an even spookier vibe, and the overall effect is magical. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

There is not enough space in this review to cover every song, but you probably get the picture by now. The Lucky Losers with Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz have definitely figured out how to write and present the blues, and In Any Town is proof of this. This disc is a must-buy, and if you are going to be around the Bay Area be sure to head to their website to check out their gig schedule!

Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing – Skronky Tonk | Album Review

Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing – Skronky Tonk

EllerSoul Records

www.ellersoulrecords.com

13 tracks / 59:35

Little Charlie Baty made his name as a bluesman, playing his guitar with Alligator Records’ Little Charlie and the Nightcats, and later on with the Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue. But this Californian has been waiting to release an album that would allow him to express his love of swing jazz, and twice before he had albums ready to go and things just did not work out. Well, the third time the stars aligned for him, and Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing has released Skronky Tonk on EllerSoul Records; it is thirteen tracks of originals, standards, and a few things that are just a little bit different.

Organ Grinder Swing is an organ jazz trio, with Baty on the guitar, J. Hansen on drums, and Lorenzo Farrell on the Hammond organ. The legendary Kid Anderson recorded this album in January of last year at San Jose’s Greaseland Studios, though it was not released until this spring. Anderson came through once again (like he always does), and Skronky Tonk is a very well recorded disc with a clean sound and fabulous mixing.

The set kicks off with the original title track, and this upbeat jazzy blues tune is simple yet satisfying. Farrell does a fine job of filling in the bass parts with the organ, and Little Charlie is in fine form on guitar – he has a naturally flowing jazz style that is very listenable. Baty also wrote “Cobalt Blues” and “Gerontology,” and the latter gives Hansen the opportunity to shine on the drums.

Organ Grinder Swing also takes on a nice collection of classics and standards, including “How High the Moon” and Little Charlie does a very respectable job with this Les Paul classic. His tone on “Pennies from Heaven” is slightly dirty, giving the song a new feel. And “Misty” is tight with a cool Hammond lead that gives it a kitschy vintage feel, in a good way.

From the “stuff that is just a little bit different” department, there is “Receita de Samba” which features a cool Latin beat on the snare and a catchy melody from Baty’s guitar. This theme carries over to “Nuages” which was written by Django Reinhardt, and it's the first of a pair of tributes to the legendary guitarist. The other is “Django,” which was written by jazzman John Lewis and it is surprising that the organ carries the melody for the introduction, but things are put right fairly quickly as the guitar takes the lead, with some cymbal heavy jazz drumming from J. Hansen.

Skronky Tonk is a labor of love and it is awesome that Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing were finally able to make it available to the masses. Big thanks should go out to Watkins Ellerson of EllerSoul, who helped make this project come to fruition. Jazz is not always the most accessible form of music, but this trio’s take on it is really cool and you should give it a listen to see if it is your cup of tea. Chances are good that it will be!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: AC Myles – Reconsider Me

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This CD review was originally published in the January 8, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

AC Myles – Reconsider Me | Album Review

Self Release

www.acmyles.com

11 tracks / 41:48

Fresno, California does not get as much publicity as its two big neighbors, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but it is a cool city that helps support one of the largest agricultural areas in the United States. You may not think that there is a lot of blues music going on there, but with half a million people there are plenty of blues enthusiasts to be found. In fact, guitarist and singer AC Myles grew up in Fresno, and he is a fine representative of the town!

AC Myles has a fine pedigree; after touring with his own band as a young man he ended up in San Francisco where he found work as a sideman for killer acts such as Fillmore Slim and Joe Nemeth. This experience honed his performance skills and helped him develop his own brand of blues chops on both guitars and vocals. For his debut album, Reconsider Me, he hooked up with the legendary Kid Andersen, who produced this project as well as recording and mastering it at his Greaseland Records in San Jose, California. Things happened quickly, as they only had to spend two days in the studio, which gives this disc a righteously vibrant feel!

This album is made up of eleven tracks that include four of Myles’ originals and seven special covers. These were not culled from usual list that other artists choose from, as he mostly picked songs that were from some of the artists he has worked with over the years. For this project, AC took on the lead vocals and guitars, and he was joined by Derrick Martin behind the drum kit, Nate Ginsberg on the keyboards, Lisa Andersen with the backing vocals, Endre Tarczy on bass and keys, and Kid Andersen with the rhythm guitar and keyboards.

Things start off with a tight soul tune written by Fenton Robinson, “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” and one thing is for sure: Myles has a fabulous voice. He stays in tune across his impressive range, and his vocals have an honest inflection and character that bring the words to life. Next up is Rory Gallagher’s “Do You Read Me,” which is an ambitious undertaking as Gallagher was a true guitar hero. AC fills the role well, and this turns into a roaring blues rocker with blazing guitars, a thumping bass line, and awesome organ accents. This is one of the top tracks on the album, without a doubt.

After stirring rock with a little gospel in Elvin Bishop’s “Rock My Soul,” the band takes on the title track from Johnny Adams. “Reconsider Me” features some jaw-dropping falsetto, and extra cool roadhouse piano over the solid foundation of Tarczy’s bass and Martin’s drums. This duo also sets up Roman Carter’s 1965 classic, “Queen Bee,” for Myles’ best James Brown imitation.

The most pure blues tune on Reconsider Me is “Death Bed Blues,” which was penned by Myles. His lead guitar has a super-clean tone in this 12-bar Chicago-style tune, and Andersen backs him up well. The slow tempo creates tension for the classic low-down lyrical themes that are sung with emotion and gusto.

AC laid down two very strong original rockers, “Call ‘em All Baby” and “Three Ways to Fall,” and then the set ends with Fats Domino’s “Blue Monday.” But, this time it a Fillmore Slim arrangement with funky wah-wah rhythm guitar and 1970s-issue electric piano. Myles digs deep (and even wails a bit) for this closer, leaving things on a happy note.

If there were anything that is missing with this release, it would be more of AC’s own material. Myles’ career has advanced to the point where his fans would surely like to hear a more personal take on his music. He is a fantastic singer, guitarist, and arranger, so surely he can perform whatever thoughts he puts down on paper and make them work.

It is true that AC Myles has talent galore, and Reconsider Me proves it on every track. This is a solid album of soulful rhythm and blues that is expressed with his own style thanks to his years of experience. Check it out, and we should all hope that he starts working on a follow-up soon!

Mahalo!