Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Anthony Charles and the Blues Dolphins – Blues from the Kino Border

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This CD review was originally published in the July 21, 2016 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Anthony Charles and the Blues Dolphins – Blues from the Kino Border

Self Release

http://anthonycharlesandthebluesdolphins.com/

10 tracks / 52:09

Anthony Charles was born in New York City where he received formal training as a musician and he has been playing out in some way or another since the 1960s. His musical path in life led to one of the more obscure expressions of the art form when he worked as a jingle singer for commercials, but the blues had a strong hold on this man. A few years back he decided to learn blues harmonica, and after two years of work in the studio we now have the first album from Anthony Charles and the Blues Dolphins, Blues on the Kino Border. It turns out he is a fine blues singer and songwriter, and is pretty good on the harp, too!

Now based out of Columbia, South Carolina, Anthony got a group of fine musicians together to cut eight original songs and a couple of cool covers for this album. The main personnel for this project include Rick Ramsey on bass, James Casey on drums, Shrimp City Slim on piano, and John Hartness on guitar. A few guest artists pitched in as well, including guitar work from Warren Scott, who passed away during production; this album is dedicated to his memory.

The songs on Blues from the Kino Border mostly follow traditional blues structures, but many of the lyrics come from situations and issues of today. The first song in the set, “Highwater Stomp,” is a shuffle about the effects of hurricanes Sandy and Isaac in 2012. You will hear that Charles has a strong tenor voice, and a nice touch on the guitar. The backline is stout as Ramsey’s bass parts really pops, and Casey is a human metronome on the drums. On this song, guest artists Brittany Turnipseed and Ashley Kent also provide sweet backing vocals as needed.

After the opener, the band picks the tempo up for another shuffle, “Bad Neighbor Blues.” On this track Shrimp City Slim provides a cool background of barroom piano and pulls off a rough and ready solo before Anthony takes the next break on his harp. This is a subject that most everybody can relate to, and the same can be said about the relationship woes that are described in “Kennel Cough Blues” and “Password Blues.” Charles uses vivid imagery and witty exaggeration to bring the lyrics home on these fun tunes.

But it is not all fun and games here, and things get real with “Kino Border Blues.” This song honors the Jesuit priest Peter McNeely who has worked for the humane treatment of migrants in the Nogales area. Anthony howls the lyrics with gusto, and there is a slick Latin feel to this song courtesy of Casey’s steady work on the toms, as well as healthy doses of violin and mandolin from James Graddick. There is also a glimpse at the fragility of our bodies and the need to take better care of ourselves in the slow-rolling “Heart Stoppin’ Blues.” But, most sobering of all is “Transubstantiation Blues,” which takes a hard look at the troubling institutionalized violence that plagues the United States.

There is also a pair of cover songs that the band included to honor musicians that have inspired them. Bessie Smith’s “Jailhouse Blues” is a harmonica-heavy tune that captures the spirit of the original, and the guitar parts of The Reverend Marv Ward and Warren Scott are spot on. There is also “Something in the Milk Ain’t Clean,” a song that was originally done by one of their favorite local artists, Drink Small. This tune closes out the album, and it is wonderfully performed with multiple guitar tracks and fabulous piano from Shrimp City Slim.

Blues from the Kino Border is a solid first effort from Anthony Charles and the Blues Dolphins. This record checks all of the boxes, with thoughtful lyrics, good songs, and strong musicianship. Give it a listen for yourself, and be sure to like their Facebook page so you can keep up on their gig schedule. If you find yourself in South Carolina it would be worth your time to check out one of their shows!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Sugar Daddy Blues Band – Somebody’s Watching You

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This CD review was originally published in the January 9, 2014 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Sugar Daddy Blues Band – Somebody’s Watching You | Album Review

Self Release

www.sugardaddybluesband.com

10 tracks / 32:40

Any blues fan that has ever gone to see a show at a club has had the opportunity to buy a copy of the band’s self-made CD, and in the real world the quality of these discs can vary greatly. Sugar Daddy Blues Band’s third release, Somebody’s Watching You, sounds like one of these self-produced projects, but it is definitely one of the better ones.

Sugar Daddy Blues Band is based out of Greenville, South Carolina and this trio includes John Hawkins on drums and harmonica, Warren Rollins on guitar and keyboards and Mike Lagerholm on bass, keyboards and guitars. Each member supplies lead and backing vocals, and their ability to switch instruments and vocal responsibilities is a tangible asset for the band. All three have been in the music business for over three decades, and their experience shines through on this effort.

If you do the math, you can figure out that with a run time of 32 minutes, none of the ten tracks on this album are very long. There are no writing credits available, but all of these songs appear to be originals. The CD kicks off with “Somebody’s Watching You,” a fast-paced blues rocker with wailing lead guitars. The backline is tight, and it is readily apparent that these three guys can really play. This song is an honest indicator of what the listener will get from this CD – straightforward blues rock that sounds like it was recorded live in the studio.

After the first track ends, the initial buzz of hearing something new fades a bit, but then the listener can start noticing the lyrics and song structure and it turns out that the Sugar Daddy Blues Band has some writing talent and a sense of humor too. “Things Just Ain’t What They Seem” is a dark rock song about a fellow who thinks his lady is stepping out on him, but the listener is left on his own to figure out why things are not as they appear to be. The slow smooth rocker “Dorian Grey” dramatizes the plot of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is certainly something you will not run into very much in the blues world (or any other musical world, actually).

The band changes things up a bit from track to track which keeps the album fresh throughout. “Sandman” is a sweet ballad that brings tasteful keyboard work and heavily processed lead guitars into the fray. “You Kissed Me Once” has a spaghetti western theme song sound with more than enough cowbell. A standout track is “Lightning in a Bottle” which is heavy and slow and has a catchy rhythm that uses a few different guitar tones and effects to arrive at a fun texture.

Though the songs come from a multitude of inspiration points, the vocals stay constant throughout. This is surprising as all members of the trio share vocal responsibilities, but they are somehow able to lay down the same smoky and growly inflections.

As this is a self-produced and recorded album it is not super-slick, with a mix that is too heavily weighted towards the bass and ride cymbal, abrupt song endings and background hiss to be found here and there. But it has a consistent tone and feel throughout and as such it comes off almost like a live show, which is a great way to find out what this band is all about.

Sugar Daddy Blues Band’s Somebody’s Watching You is a good CD that is full of well-written and catchy songs, so give it a listen if you get a chance. This trio is not afraid of hitting the studio, so it will be interesting to see what they come up with next!

Mahalo!