Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Zac Harmon – Right Man Right Now

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This CD review was originally published in the February 18, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Zac Harmon – Right Man Right Now

Blind Pig Records

www.zacharmon.com

www.blindpigrecords.com

11 tracks / 53:14

Zac Harmon is a real-deal bluesman with killer guitar chops, solid songwriting skills, and the ultimate rhythm and blues voice, but despite this wealth of talent his solo recording career got started a bit later than one might think. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he started his guitar work in the South with blues musicians that included luminaries such as Sam Myers and Dorothy Moore. But by the early 1980s he felt the allure of Los Angeles where he hoped that his music career would blossom.

Though he started out as a session player, Harmon found success in the City of Angels as a songwriter and producer with many record, film, television, and advertising credits, and one of the high points was his production work on Black Uhuru’s 1994 Grammy-nominated album. But after writing and performing a few blues songs for a film he was working on, Zac felt the calling to return to his blues roots so he put together his first solo release, Live at Babe & Ricky's Inn. This was a turning point in his life and he went on to earn a Blues Music Award for “Best New Artist Debut” for The Blues According to Zacariah.

Right Man Right Now from Blind Pig Records is Zac Harmon’s seventh solo release, and it is certainly a nice piece of work. Zac handles the majority of the vocals and guitar playing, and he is joined by a core band of Buthel on bass, Cedric Goodman on drums, and Cory Lacy with the keys. A few guest artists made it onto this disc too, as you will hear throughout. As Harmon is an accomplished songwriter, it should be no surprise that nine of the eleven tracks on this album are originals, and there are two pretty awesome covers thrown into the mix for good measure.

The album kicks off with eight originals in a row, the first of which is “Raising Hell” which features Lucky Peterson on organ and Anson Funderbaugh on guitar. This bouncing track has a bit of Texas blues from Funderbaugh, Chicago stylings from Lucky, and silky smooth (yet hearty) rhythm and blues vocals from Harmon. This is a good times party anthem, which is always a killer way to start the set.

The next two tracks continue with traditional themes that you have come to expect from modern blues. “Ball and Chain” is about a lover that is a stone cold bummer, and is set to a slide guitar fueled swampy blues that is punctuated by the funky bass of Buthel and a bit of talk box. And “Hump in Your Back” is a slice of braggadocio about what a smooth lovin’ man the singer is, and it is a righteously funky with a rocking backbone. This song includes blues hero Bobby Rush on vocals and harp, and once you add in Les Kepics on trumpet and Chuck Phillips on sax this ends up being one of the standout tracks on the disc.

Then the party gets put on hold and the tone becomes serious with “Stand Your Ground,” with its simple yet powerful lyrics that are inspired by the significant events surrounding this controversial Florida law. The accompanying music is hard-edged blues with a somber mood provided by Peterson’s Hammond. This sequencing of songs works well, and Harmon starts the cycle over again with three more traditional songs and then another dash of reality with “Back of the Yards,” which is about the loss of so many young men due to inner city violence. This tune is surprisingly funky, thanks to Buthel’s bass and some slick organ playing from Mike Finnigan.

The two covers are placed near the end of the album, and they are not the ones that you hear every blues artist using, and Zac’s takes on Little Milton’s “Ain’t No Big Deal on You” and John Lee Hooker’s “I’m Bad Like Jesse James” are breathtakingly good. The latter is a 7 ½ minute opus that slowly bangs along and builds dramatically with its jangly guitars and warbly harmonica from Chef Deni. Harmon’s voice is perfect for the quasi-spoken word vocals and howls of this one, and it will surely get stuck in your head for a day or two after hearing it.

Right Here Right Now is a solid effort from Zac Harmon, and this modern blues collection stands on its own with a unique sound and voice. Harmon’s songwriting is relevant, his voice is like butter, and his guitar playing is clean and red-hot. Zac is one of the artists that will help carry the blues music into the future, so make sure to check out this album.

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Deb Ryder – Let it Rain

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This CD review was originally published in the May 7, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Deb Ryder – Let it Rain | Album Review

Bejeb Music

www.debryder.com

11 tracks / 46:54

Sometimes an album comes along that just has everything going for it: solid songwriting, talented personnel that click with each other, and top-shelf production values. Deb Ryder’s sophomore solo album, Let it Rain, checks all of these boxes and then some. This disc proves that her excellent debut CD was no fluke, and that she definitely has a role in the future of blues music in the United States.

Deb Ryder is originally from Illinois, where she got an introduction to the Chicago music scene courtesy of her father, an in-demand musician and club owner. Her family moved to Los Angeles, where she often had the opportunity to sing at the Topanga Corral (owned by her step-father), opening for great artists such as Big Joe Turner, Charlie Musselwhite, and Taj Mahal, as well as her mentor, Etta James. Fast forward a few years, and you will find her still in the City of Angels, and making a name for herself as a powerful singer and songwriter.

For Let it Rain, Ryder could not have done any better than having Grammy-winner Tony Braunagel come on board as producer and drummer. They were joined in the famed Ultratone Studios in Studio City by bassist Ric Ryder (her husband), Mike Finnigan on the keys, Johnny Lee Schell and Kirk Fletcher on guitar, and the killer horn section of Lee Thornburg and Lon Price. These folks are all first-call musicians, and there are also a few guest artists that joined in to really make this a special project.

Like her debut, Might Just Get Lucky, this album is made up solely of songs that were written by Deb, and you will find that she is a very good songwriter and she does not limit herself to one sound. This record is a journey from Illinois to Louisiana, and she nails the blues sound as it is found in both of these places, as well as everywhere in between. The set opens strongly with “That’s Just How It Is” and the band is tight with killer leads from Fletcher’s guitar, and Finnigan setting the tone with his Hammond B3 as Ric Ryder and Braunagel hold the bottom end down. Deb’s voice is worthy of this fine accompaniment, as her voice is powerful and dripping with soul.

The next track brings the well-arranged horns and Schell’s guitar into the mix with the cool Latin-tinged shuffle, “Can’t Go Back Again.” This song is backed up by the swinging “You Won’t Be True” and gloriously dark “Guilty As Sin,” couple of tunes about a woman done wrong. A tasty bonus is some righteous harmonica work from guest artist Kim Wilson on the latter. You know, you just cannot beat lines like, “You’ve been talking in your sleep, and Betsy ain’t my name.” Ryder’s timing and phrasing are spot on as she adds plenty of drama to the proceedings.

Deb Ryder is not afraid of jumping into the deep end of the pool and she wrote a couple of heartfelt gospel and soul tunes, “Cry Another Tear” and “Hold Your Lamp High” to really change things up. Her voice can take on all of the genres that she tried on this disc, and these two songs are no exception. Of course, she is helped out by her steady backline and some wonderful work from Finnigan on the organ. This record really delivers the goods, and things never get dull!

On “Ma Misere,” Braunagel lays down a heavy Cajun beat as he is joined by David Fraser on accordion, and none other than Albert Lee on guitar. There are definitely benefits to recording in LA, and having Mr. Telecaster just down the hill from you in Malibu has to be near the top of the list. After this super-fun song, the disc closes out with “Round and Around,” a more bare-bones Delta and gospel-inspired track that features lovely resonator guitar from Schell and some nice harp courtesy of Wilson. This was a wise choice to end the set, as it brings the listener back to the roots of blues music.

There is not a miscue through all eleven of these tracks and kudos for this studio magic need to go out to Schell, who recorded and mixed the album.

Deb Ryder’s Let it Rain is the real deal, and we will certainly be hearing more from her. Though you will certainly love this disc, keep in mind that her talents go beyond the studio. Judging by her show last month at Malarkey’s in Long Beach she is a tremendous live performer too, so you should be sure to check out her live show if you are around the Southland -- it will definitely be a good use of your time and money!

Mahalo!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: D.A. Foster – The Real Thing

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This CD review was originally published in the February 5, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

D.A. Foster – The Real Thing | Album Review

VizzTone Label Group

www.dafostermusic.com

www.vizztone.com

12 tracks / 48:45

It is appropriate that D.A. Foster titled his new album The Real Thing, because if anybody is the real thing, he is. He was the heart of The Shaboo Inn of Connecticut from 1971 to 1982, and during that time the 1000-seat venue hosted almost 3000 concerts, featuring young and upcoming acts that included the likes of Aerosmith, AC/DC, Journey, Cheap Trick, and the Police. It was like a 1980s rocker’s dream come true! But a lot of great blues acts made their appearance there too, such as John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, T-Bone Walker, Buddy Guy, and a probably a few hundred more. After the club closed its doors (thanks to the scourge of the disco era), a few months later it was destroyed in a fire.

But the story does not end there, as D.A. had a lot left in his tank. He started a production company and ran his own band with luminaries such as Matt “Guitar” Murphy” and Harvey Brooks. Foster brought his fine blues vocals to the table with this project to continue on with a performance career that has been brewing since 1979. Over the past 35 years, everybody under the sun has joined him onstage, including Keith Richards, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. You would be hard-pressed to find a better pedigree than his.

Moving forward to 2015, D.A. has cut a fine disc, The Real Thing, which has its own roster of strong personnel; all of them are first-call musicians. Besides D.A.’s vocals, there is the Grammy-winning Phantom Blues Band to contend with, including Mike Finnigan (Big Brother and the Holding Company) on the keys, Tony Braunagel (Robert Cray, and many more) behind the drum kit, Larry Fulcher on bass and Bonnie Raitt’s Johnny Lee Schell on guitar. Other Phantom alumni to be found here are Darrell Leonard (trumpet), Joe Sublett (sax), and Lenny Castro (percussion). Braunagle and Finnigan produced this effort, and it is a polished piece of work, to be sure!

The twelve tracks span classic rhythm and blues and jazz ground as well as a few lesser-known covers, starting off with Dave Steen’s “Good Man Bad Thing.” This is a straight-up funky R&B tune which is a nice intro to Foster’s soulful voice, backed by some excellent B-3 work from Finnigan, sweet backing vocals from Julie Delgado and Nita Whitaker, and horns aplenty.

Not surprisingly, there are a few tunes by Don Robey, who was one of the most prolific R&B writers of the 1950s and 1960s. “Ain’t Doing Too Bad” puts the horns in the spotlight, and Schell brings a little more funk to the party with his syncopated rhythm guitar work, as well a rocking solo. The other Robey contribution is “This Time I’m Gone for Good” which shows off more of Foster’s impressive vocal range.

For pure fun, Eddie Hinton’s “Super Lover” takes first prize. It brings a little bit of everything to the table: fun lyrics, offbeat percussion (courtesy of Castro), machine-gun horn arrangements, and seductive backing vocals. This one should definitely go into your next party mix!

A different line-up was used for three of the songs, with uber-versatile Grammy-winner Josh Sklair on guitar and the hard-working veteran David Garfield on piano. With Josh’s leads and David’s subtle chording, “We All Fall Down” ends up with more of a jazz-rock feel. Bill Withers’ 1985 ballad, “You Just Can’t Smile it Away,” puts Garfield more forward in the mix, and gives guest artist Lee Thornberg a chance to shine on a beautifully muted trumpet (or is that flugelhorn?) solo. And the band’s remake of the oft-covered “Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You” provides room for FInnigan to take over a bit on his Hammond, lending it a gospel/roadhouse feel.

The album closes out all too soon with George Henry Jackson’s “Down Home Blues,” which is the grittiest and most traditional blues track to be found on this disc. For this one, D.A. pushes his voice into the raspy range, which is a lovely contrast with the backing vocals of Delgado and Whitaker. The backline of Braunagel and Fulcher hold tight in the pocket as this awesome songs ends things on a killer note.

If you were a fan of the good old days at The Shaboo Inn or if you just like solid rhythm and blues, D.A. Foster’s The Real Thing would certainly be a wise investment. Check it out and see for yourself!

Mahalo!