Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King: Fat Man’s Shine Parlor

I am sorry to say that a member of our blues community passed on last weekend. Smokin' Joe Kubek had a heart attack just before going on stage, and he has left us much too soon. I loved his style, and his partnership with Bnois King made a lot of wonderful music for us to enjoy even if he is no longer with us.

Below is a Chicago Blues Guide review I wrote for their new CD that I wrote earlier this year. If you get the chance, please buy a copy of the album to show your support for these gentlemen.

Thank you,

Rex

Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King

Fat Man’s Shine Parlor

Blind Pig Records

It is so cool to find an album that was cut by professional musicians that sound like they are having a blast and doing what they were born to do, and a perfect example of this is Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King’s Fat Man’s Shine Parlor, a killer disc from their recent return to the venerable Blind Pig Records label! Smokin’ Joe Kubek was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Irving, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. He is an incredible blues guitarist, and has worked and played with some of the finest in the genre, including Freddie King, Albert King, B.B. King, and his good friend, the late Stevie Ray Vaughn. B.B. even let him play his guitar, Lucille, and how many people can say they have had that opportunity?

His partner in crime is Bnois King, who is no relation to any of the Kings listed in the previous paragraph. Bnois hails from Louisiana where he grew up embracing the traditions of jazz music. He brings a lifetime of experience to the duo, and once you hear him play and sing it you will understand the benefits of over 60 years of practice and gigging -- he picked up his first guitar when Truman was in the White House! This duo has been together for over 25 years, and the Kubek-produced Fat Man’s Shine Parlor is their 17th album together; it has twelve original tracks, all written by them. King provided the vocals and guitar for this project and (of course) Kubek brought his guitar too. They were joined in the Dallas, Texas studio by bassist Sheila Klinefelter and drummer Eric Smith, and they are as good of a backline that you are going to find! Also, Dallas guitar restoration guru Kim Lafleur joined in on three tracks where even more guitar was needed, resulting in a truly cool effect.

The duo has used their diverse backgrounds to bring out the best music of their adopted hometown, and they crank out righteous Texas blues like there is no tomorrow. They kick off their set with “Got My Heart Broken,” a guitar-heavy boogie with Kubek, King and Lafleur in perfect sync. Even with this strong frontline of guitars, they keep a bare-bones mood to the song as Klinefelter and Smith keeping a steady but simple beat. The icing on this cake is King’s crystal clear vocals, which are given with a perfect mix of power and inflection.

The band does not let up as they carry their triple guitar attack over to “Cornbread,” which has seemingly innocent lyrics, but King’s delivery makes it seem like he is not really singing about food. After trading riffs and innuendo for three minutes, they slow down a bit for “Diamond Eyes,” a medium-tempo blues rock ballad that allows for a majestic AOR-style guitar break. After this, on “Crash and Burn” the band embraces early rock and roll / surf rock with some neat backbeat drumming from Smith and growly bass from Klinefelter.

“Brown Bomba Mojo” is a catchy rock tune with a precise doubled guitar riff that keeps repeating, and this song provides Smith with a chance to really cut loose behind the drum kit. The late Steve Hecht, founder of Piedmont Talent, gets co-writing credit on this song, and this killer track it is an apt celebration of a man who helped some of the beloved artists of the blues world.

It would be silly to think that two guitar heroes could get together in the studio and not come out with at least one instrumental, and Kubek and King do not disappoint. “Lone Star Lap Dance” is a light-hearted shuffle with plenty of guitar acrobatics, and a funky walking bass line from Sheila.

Towards the end of the disc, the lyrics stick with the traditional blues subjects, including the travails of life on the road (“How Much”), the restlessness of not being satisfied with what you have (“One Girl by My Side”), and then eventually getting caught stepping out on one’s significant other (“Done Caught the Blues”). Each of these tracks paints a vivid picture and highlights what mature songwriters these two are. Finally, after almost 50 minutes, the album comes to a close with “Headed for Ruin,” an outlaw blues song that reminds the listeners that this record was cut in the Big D.

Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King’s Fat Man’s Shine Parlor is a fun album of rocking Texas blues, and if you are a fan of theirs, or even if you just love rocking blues, buying a copy would be a wise decision. Their energy and synergy are obvious on this disc and their enthusiasm carries over to their live show too, so check out Joe’s website at www.smokinjoekubek.com for tour dates as they will be hitting venues in the South and East Coast states over the next few months!

Smokin' Joe Kubek: November 30, 1956 to October 10, 2015

Rest in peace, brother.

EMG Pickups PJ Bass Set Review

Hello!

A few months back I got a smoking deal on an old Fender PJ bass because the electronics were on the fritz and it sounded terrible. So I did what any self-respecting bass hack would do – I grabbed an EMG PJ pickup set and stuffed those puppies in. It was as easy as pie, and I got exactly the results I expected. These are two things that do not happen very often for me!

EMG has been around since Rob Turner founded it in 1976 in Santa Rosa, California. This company has done a lot better than the metric system, which was launched in the US right around the same time. Though they started out making guitar pickups, bass pickups followed shortly thereafter, and have been a staple in the low-end world ever since. Besides making awesome replacement parts, many manufacturers install them as standard equipment – most notably Gibson, Steinberger and Spector.

The pickups have a ceramic magnets, and the kit comes with pots, wiring, a battery connector and pretty good instructions. Everything is prewired and quick-connect connectors are used, so no soldering is required. It was a super-easy installation, particularly as I already had a control cavity to stuff the battery into.

This active pickup set sounds like all of the other EMG pickup I have had in a bass before. They are high fidelity with more bass than a passive pickup and it is clear as a bell with no hum. But the disadvantage is that they sound like EMG pickups so it they are rather sterile without a lot of character or warmth, so you had better like the sound to start with. Fortunately, I do! These pickups cut through a loud mix like nobody’s business, and the bass will definitely be heard, with the advantage of a consistent tone and volume across all frequency ranges.

This EMG P-J set is not super cheap, with a list price of $209 and a street price of $159, but you will certainly save some money by being able to install them yourself. If you like the tone, or just need more power and clarity, give one a try. What could go wrong?

Mahalo!

Mick Kolassa – Ghosts of the Riverside Hotel | Album Review

Mick Kolassa – Ghosts of the Riverside Hotel

Swing Suit Records

www.mimsmick.com 12 tracks / 50:29

Mick Kolassa has lived and breathed the blues for the past 50 years and he is not only an accomplished singer, songwriter and guitarist, but he is also on the Board of Directors of the Blues Foundation. Taking this a step further, the proceeds from his new CD, Ghosts of the Riverside Hotel, are going to the HART Fund and Generation Blues charities that are administered by the Blues Foundation. If you are not familiar with these organizations, please look them up as they help artists in need and kids that are getting into the blues.

This new disc is 50 minutes of solid entertainment, with eight Kolassa originals and four really cool covers. This project was recorded in Memphis and was produced by Jeff Jensen; it features a retinue of Mick’s friends, including Jensen, Brandon Santini, Victor Wainwright, Annika Chambers (yay!), Watermelon Slim, Reba Russell, and a whole bunch more. The album title honors the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale Mississippi, which has hosted a passel of fine musicians over the years, including Ike Turner, Duke Ellington, Howlin’ Wolfe and Sam Cooke. Bessie Smith passed away there back when it was a hospital, and even John F. Kennedy stayed there. Those are some pretty amazing ghosts!

The cover tunes were chosen well, and prove that Mick loves the blues – all kinds of blues. There is a spooky blues-rock take on Hank Williams’ “Ramblin Man” that could re-define what the song means to you. The band took the depression-era “One Meatball” and turned it into a lounge act with Mick channeling his inner Cab Calloway and Reba doing the Andrews Sisters part while Wainwright plays the ivories. But the standout of the covers has to be “Mama Told Me Not to Come.” This is nothing like the Three Dog Night version, but instead it is straight-up blues with the amazing Santini howling on his harp and Chris Stephenson holding things together with his organ. By the way, Randy Newman originally wrote this song for Eric Burdon, which might help you win a trivia challenge some time.

The covers are awesome but the originals are special too, as Kolassa shares his love for all kinds of blues. One of my favorites is the closer, “Delta Town,” which has a crazy beat and some gnarly style changes. Mick growls out the lyrics as Watermelon Slim does his job with the harp and dobro and Walter Hughes plays his mean slide guitar. Before I forget to mention it, Bill Ruffino and Robinson Bridgeforth hold down the backline throughout, and one could not hope for a better rhythm section.

The most poignant track on his album is “Nothin’ Left to Lose (Robin’s Blues), a tribute to the late comedian and actor, Robin Williams. This slow blues song features wonderful sax work from Kirk Smothers, which almost approaches the realm of jazz. But the lyrics are what really make the song, as they recount the feelings of a man who is putting on a happy face for the world while he is falling apart inside.

Mick Kolassa’s Ghosts of the Riverside Hotel is a fantastic album that is chock full of first call musicians and good production values, which are reasons enough to buy a copy. But, when you throw in the fact that the proceeds will further blues music education and help out musicians in need, this CD should be at the top of your list. Maybe it is a good idea to start your holiday shopping early!

2015 Blues Blast Music Awards Round-up

Hello!

I was glad to see that they decided to have the 2015 Blues Blast Music Awards in Champaign, Illinois. This is a college town that is quite a hike from downtown Chicago but it worked out well last year to have artists and fans head 2 ½ hours south to attend an awards show. They improved over last year’s plan and held it on a Friday night instead of Thursday, which made everybody’s planning a little easier.

At first glance, the Fluid Event Center seems like an odd building for a big blues show, as it is an old lumberyard barn that has been converted to a multi-use facility. It worked very well with a huge main hall that is cavernous when compared to the clubs that had been used before last year. The size of the room allowed two full-sized stages to be set up, so that there was little downtime for band changes, which helped keep the event on schedule. The stages were also generously sized and positioned higher so that everybody could better see the action.

And there were plenty of folks that made the trip to Champaign for the 5:00 start time. There were a few dozen artists on the bill, and all of the seats would have been taken if everybody were in the hall at the same time. This did not happen often, as there was good catering and drinks that were reasonably priced. The prices were light-years away from downtown Chicago prices, with $4 domestic beers and meals that were under 10 bucks. Not to mention that parking was FREE and plentiful.

It would be hard to go wrong after a set-up like this, and when you figure in the fabulous entertainment and the opportunity to meet some of your favorite blues artists the $45 ticket cost was the bargain of the year.

It would be hard to describe all of the performances, but here are a few highlights:

For blues-rock lovers, Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Alter Boys tore the house down, and Markey Blue was just amazing beyond words. Once again, the Andy T Nick Nixon band was the house band, and they did a stand-up job of supporting the artists that were not able to bring their bands with them to the show.

But for pure entertainment value, I have to give props to Matt Isbell and the Ghost Town Blues Band, who were one of the last bands up for the evening. They entered with their traditional march into the hall and rocked out for their 10-minute set – I have to say that they were the only band that brought trombone and Led Zeppelin to the Fluid Event Center. The fairly subdued crowd really woke up and started paying attention when these guys were on stage!

It was great to see Eddy Clearwater and Jay Sieleman get their lifetime achievement awards, as well as finally getting to see Deb Ryder and the marvelous wiunderkid Magnues Berg in person. And it was also fun to connect with artists whose music I had reviewed, and none of them seemed too upset with me!

All-in-all, it was a worthwhile evening and I am sure that nobody regretted making the trek to Champaign for the show. I would certainly not mind heading out there for the 2016 Blues Blast Music Awards, if that is where Bob decides to have it.

Mahalo!

Blues Blast Magazine DVD Review: Chaz DePaolo – Live In Iona

Hello!

This DVD review was originally published in the June 5, 2014 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Chaz DePaolo – One Night Live in Iona | DVD Review

Smoke Tone Records

www.chazdepaolo.com

www.smoketonerecords.com

11 songs / 1:20:36

Chaz DePaolo is not only an extremely talented blues and rock guitarist, he is also one of the hardest working men in show business. He has been on tour for ages, playing 150 shows a year all over the U.S., Canada and Europe, sometimes barely making ends meet, but plugging along for the love of the music. Along the way he has earned a loyal cadre of fans and caught the ear of some fine artists, and has shared the stage with the likes of Buddy Miles, Jose Feliciano, David Maxwell, Blue Lou Marini, and Blues Blast Magazine perennial favorite Michael Packer!

Besides releasing four solid albums, he can also be heard on projects from Little Milton, Kim Wilson, Rory Block and Charlie Musclewhite. One Night Live in Iona is Chaz’s first DVD, and this disc provides his fans with something fresh as he has not released a new CD since 2009. This is a recording of the March, 2013 show at Lebanon, Pennsylvania’s Zion of Iona Methodist Church. DePaolo handles the vocal and guitar chores, and he is joined by Hank Kaneshige on bass, Cliff McComas on drums, and Rob Chaseman on the sax.

This DVD is set up so that it can be watched in its entirety, or individual songs can be selected from the main menu. If the entire show is watched there are no pauses between songs, and all of Chaz’s interplay with the audience is included. Up front there is an intentionally grainy introduction that shows the stage being assembled and the arrival of the band. At the end of the disc there is a bonus five-minute question and answer session with DePaolo, in which he sits with an acoustic guitar perched on his knee while he candidly talks to the interviewer.

This is no ordinary church performance -- they made up for a relatively small stage by bringing in a full lighting truss and a fog machine, and visually it is appealing. The image quality is clear (this was shot in HD) and they did not skimp on the cameras, with at least four in play for this performance. Also, the audio portion is very well recorded and mixed, and as far as live recordings this is about as good as you could hope for. This means that there is little to distract the viewer from the band’s performance, and is electrifying.

Chaz has a hearty voice with obvious emotion and his guitar work is complex. His command of electric blues is undeniable, and his playing is flavored with hints of jazz and funk. His technical skills are tempered by a genuine feel for the music, and Chaseman, Kanashige and McComas have a tight connection to DePaolo so that they work together as a single entity.

The band runs through two tunes from, Flirtin’ with the Blues, including the opener, “Chicago 101.” DePaolo starts this short instrumental with a classic 12-bar blues riff, and introduces each member of the band before trading solos with Chaseman. Kanashige and McComas hold down a solid bottom line and deliver the goods without showing off, which would be a temptation with such a small ensemble. The other song from this album is “Stormin’,” a blues rocker with a slightly funkier backline and an assortment of tones that show that his Stratocaster is not a one-trick pony.

Much of the evening was spent covering five songs from his most recent release, Bluestopia. A standout of these was “Woman in a Black Dress.” This is a sexy slow-rolling blues number that Chaz belts out with heartfelt emotion while never missing a cue on the guitar. DePaolo accepts this leadership role with ease and he is truly a bluesman of the highest order.

Chaz draws on his history with The Groundhogs, the English band that he fronted for 2 ½ years, by including two of their songs. “No More Doggin” is a fun rock and roll song that can also be found on his Bluestopia album. “Cadillac Baby” is of the same ilk, though on this evening he got the Iona audience involved with a little call and response (and they actually did it!).

Of course, Chaz is first and foremost a guitar player, and he proved it handily with “Voodoo Style Chazy,”his interpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s classic blues rocker. In this same vein, for the encore they pulled out a new song, “Slo Bite,” a tribute to the late Roy Buchanan. DePaolo shows off his chops on this slow-burning instrumental that is packed with innovative guitar pyrotechnics and a dynamic sax interlude from Chaseman.

One Night Live in Iona is a fun DVD that gives great insight into Chaz DePaolo’s live show that is always tight and entertaining. Rumors are that there will soon be a CD with just the audio portion of this show, but the visual part of this package is equally compelling and should not be missed. If you are a fan of electric blues go ahead and splurge for the DVD – chances are good you will watch it again and again!

Mahalo!

Inventory Update: 4rd Quarter of 2015

Hi there!

Another three months have gone by, and here is the quarterly list of what is stacked up in the studio. The pile has grown since last time, but things are always coming and going. If you see anything here that you cannot live without, drop me a line. It is all good stuff…

First off, the basses:

∙ EBMM Stingray 5

∙ EBMM Stingray 4 (x2)

∙ 1974 Aria Telecaster Bass

∙ MIJ Fender 1962 re-issue Jazz Bass

∙ MIJ Fender 1970 re-issue Precision Bass

∙ MIJ Fender 1975 re-issue Jazz Bass

∙ 1985 MIJ Fender PJ Bass

∙ MIJ Fender 1987 Jazz Bass Special

∙ MIJ Fender 2005 Precision Bass (All Black Model) – on loan to a friend

∙ ESP Phoenix-B (2 of them – one black, one burst)

∙ ESP M-IV

∙ ESP Vintage 4

∙ ESP Original Series Amaze AS – straight out of Japan!

Electric Guitars:

∙ 1979 Yamaha Studio Lord Les Paul copy

∙ MIJ Fender ‘62 re-issue Stratocaster

∙ MIJ ’52 re-issue Telecaster

∙ MIJ Fender 1987 Keith Richards ’67 re-issue Telecaster

∙ 1990 Gibson Les Paul Standard

∙ 2010 Gibson Explorer with custom pimp paint job

∙ Memphis Cigar Box Guitar by Mat Isbell

Acoustic Guitars:

∙ Martin D-18 Golden Era (the King)

∙ Martin Backpacker steel string

∙ Martin S1 soprano ukulele

∙ Kala solid mahogany soprano ukulele (on loan to a friend)

Amplifiers:

∙ 1967 Acoustic 260 Guitar Head

∙ Genz Benz Shuttle 9.2 with Aguilar GS112 and GS112NT Cabinets

∙ Fender Acoustasonic 30 DSP

∙ Fender Champion 300

Check in again on New Years Day to see what is still around. As always, you know it will be different!

Mahalo!