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 SWAMP DOGGIF I EVER KISS IT…. HE CAN KISS IT GOODBYE! 1)PASS THE SUGAR , 2)IF I EVER KISS IT (HE CAN KISS IT GOODBYE), 3)ALL NIGHT LOVER MAN, 4)WONDERFUL IS THE WORD, 5)WALKING BLUES, 6)LET'S BUMP THE DONKEY, 7)THE WHISKEY SONG with Leon Haywood on Hammond Organ, 8)IF All ELSE FAILS (WE'LL HAVE EACH OTHER), 9)WAM BAM (THANK YOU MAM), 10)SLIDING ON THIN ICE, 11)THE LIE THAT HAD TO BE TOLD, 12)RETURN OF THE DONKEY(REPRISE) |
 David Jacobs-Strain "Stuck On The Way back". Northern Blues /Crosscut . This is one of the most promising acoustic and folk roots blues musicians. This guy was born in 1983 in New Haven, CT, but soon he moved with his family to Eugene, Or, where he grew up. When he was only nine years old he became friend of Emily Fox, a musician who taught him all acoustic guitar secrets. David deeply loves old Lightnin’ Hopkins, Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson or Skip James’ recordings and, although he is deeply influenced by all these great musicians, do not think you will find these musicians songs versions on this cd. David goes further up and he tasteful and cleverly mixes his own compositions with different ideas he has picked up from other guitar players such as John Cephas, Del Rey, John Jackson, Paul Geremia, Otis Taylor.... An interesting cd with a very personal conception that you will little by little discover. GREAT. Vicente 'Harmonica' Zúmel |
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When the most pure and essential soul combines with modern funk and r&b, the result will be something really amazing. And it is in that particular moment when the magic of this powerful woman called Marva Wright comes up. Her enormous vitality is present all over the cd and her vocal strenght reaches a very high level. Marva gives us a wild singing with ‘shouters’ details she has learned along the years from different New Orleans r&b singers she listened when she was a child living in Louisiana. This last piece of work of the new Louisiana soul queen is a step forward in Marva’s non-stop career who deserves to be on the top of international soul scene. Good luck... Marva! VERY GOOD . Vicente 'Harmonica' Zúmel |
 Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band "Rendez-vous With The Blues". Ambitious new project this last piece of work of guitar magician and virtuoso, Mr. Melvin Taylor. In each new recording Melvin sets very high standards, because he courageously risks himself into new musical adventures. What can be expected of a blues guitar player who opens a cd with a song like 'Coming Home Baby' greatly inspired on Herbie Mann's 'Live at the Village Gate'?. Also mention the flavoury Lucky Peterson's contribution on Hammond B-3 and guitar together with a shinny horn section in some tunes. Ten colorful, smart powerful songs that perfectly show all Melvin's creative personal aspects which will let us see his abilities in jazz, funk, blues, pop or even rock performing, all cooked with the same simplicity than an italian cook prepares some 'spaghettis'. GREAT .Vicente 'Harmonica' Zúmel |
 VARGAS BLUES BANDLast Night Dro East West CD/DVD 0927463002 CD-Songs: Scratch Me Back, Big Boss Man, Blues Magic, Bound For Memphis, Make Sweet Love 2 U, I Play The Blues For You, Can't You See What You Are Doing To Me, Do You Believe In Love, All About The Girl, Last Night, Killing Floor, Black Cat Boogie. DVD: Manish Boy, Black Cat Boogie, Body Shock, Back Alley Blues, Del Sur, Illegally, Buenos Aires Blues, Hard Time Blues, Madrid-Memphis, Born To Be Wild, Chill Out (Säcalo), Blues Latino, 2001 Blues. Here comes the ambitious project done by Javier Vargas, one of the Spanish blues guitar players with a greatest international renown, who brings us a double live cd. The first one was recorded in Chicago, at Buddy Guy's 'Legends' blues club, and the second cd is a DVD that will satisfy all hard-blues lovers. If you like this musical style, this is a good record to buy. Besides you will find a good example of the kind of blues that is being now played in Spain. Javier Vargas perfectly represents the powerful effective blues that can move a huge audience to a big mass concert. If you want to know a little bit more about Spanish blues artists, you must get a copy of Javier Vargas' 'Last Night' cd. Pay attention to the very special guest musicians: Sugar Blue on harp and Larry McCray on guitar. GREAT .Vicente 'Harmonica' Zúmel |
.....................................SHORT REVIEWS  The Story Of The BluesColumbia/Legacy Records C2K-86334 This double cd matches older bluesmen with today’s young folks. Players and singers capitalize on the universal language, the ‘blues’. There’s Bob Dylan beside Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Steve Ray Vaughan along with Bukka White; you can’t beat that. A great sampler. Mark A. Cole  Robert CrayTime Will Tell Sanctuary Records SANSP-84613-2 It’s hard follow the past efforts. This cd grows on you, gradually. Time Will Tell , but of course. A lackluster effort, but any Cray turns to gold. Mark A. Cole Story Of Tone-Cool, Vol. 1  Tone-Cool/Artemis Records 751-160-2aWith a stable like Tone-Cool, this a cool sampler. With openers like Susan Tedeschi and the North Mississippi Allstars, this cd with loaded with contempories. Bonus double cd! Mark A. Cole  Michael BurksI Smell Smoke Alligator Records ALCD 4892 Flying V guitarist Michael Burks is blazing on this release. As all things get older, Burks’ axe playing gets better as well. Smooth runs and pickin’ are heard. Mark A. Cole Best of Carl Weathersby Evidence Records ECD 26127-2 Songs like ‘Come To Popa’, ‘My Baby’, and his rendition of Buddy’s ‘Feel Like Rain’ are classics. Carl delivers some smooth music and hip-shaking stuff. Vocals are strong. Mark A. Cole  Dimitri ResnikLearnin' My Lessons The Hard Way Rusty Nail Records RNRCD103-2 Composer and guitarist Resnik has fresh taste. Head of a trio, Dmitri closes with the traditional ‘A Closer Walk With Thee’. A low bass line and a level set of drums, Resnik completes the picture. Mark A. Cole  Arthur 'Big Boy' CrudupThe Very Best Songs Wolf Records BC005 This cd is comprised of twenty-three tracks. Crudup is raw, gravelly, and but he knows his music and his musical heritage. Pre-war bluesmen, like Arthur, passed the torch. Songmaster Crudup was responsible for “Dust My Broom’ and ‘That’s All Right’. Also he recorded for Victor, Trumpet, and the Delmark label. Mark A. Cole  Portland's Genuine BluesAllegro Corporation ABR-7001 Like most big cities, Portland has the blues, too. Bands like Paul deLay Band spice up the mix. Check out some fine blues from Bobby Sims, Robbie Laws, and Linda Hornbucket with No Delay. This cd supports the Oregon Food Bank, as well. Mark A. Cole  B. B. KingReflections MCA Records B0000532-02 B. B. King has shared life with millions, he has touched the world. Still, he plays on. Reflections is introspective, revealing King and Lucille alone with his favorites. Capping it all, it’s the Louis Armstrong anthem, ‘What A Wonderful World’. A crowning achievement! Mark A. Cole  BooZoo HoodooThe Songs Of BooZoo Chavis Fuel 2000 Records 302-061-278-2 The New Orleans flavor is all over this. BooZoo was a fantastic stylist of zydeco music. Party with BooZoo Chavis, take an earful and kick up your heels. Fourteen tracks by the regions’ artists. Standups include Marcia Ball’s ‘Dance All Night’, and ‘Crying In The Street’ by Svare Forsland with Leigh ‘Lil’ Queenie’ Harris. Slap your thigh and get the beat! Mark A. Cole  Midnight Blues PartyClassic Blues, Soul, Rockers and R&B Electro-Fi Records 3372 This double cd has twenty-seven bluesmen and blueswomen who have virtually no fan exposure. Baby Huey’s rendition of ‘Messin’ With The Kid’ was great, and Buddy Lamp’s ‘Have Mercy Baby’ is a singer’s dream. Blues Bull’s ‘I’m A Loser’ also sets the tempo from the start. You’ll enjoy this listen. Mark A. Cole  Guy DavisChocolate To The Bone Red House Records RHR-CD-164 Lyrics mean things to some people; to others, they don’t. Davis is a songmaster, telling everybody about his ware. With a fine-tuned, acoustic band; Guy interweaves his story with plenty of pluckin’. Selected songwriters, meet Guy Davis! My favorite is Davis’ re-do of Charles Brown’s ‘Drifting Blues’; a spellbreaker! Mark A. Cole  Toni Lynn WashingtonBeen So Long NorthernBlues Music NBM-0016 Washington’s sultry blues will bowl you over. Love songs for sure ... some snappy stuff, too. A warbler of many colors, Toni Lynn stretches her lungs, and she uses specific older material. In many respects, a strong jazz beat floats along. The work was also produced by veteran Duke Robillard. Mark A. Cole  Dave HoleOutside Looking In Alligator Records ALCD-4881 Slide guitar par excellence. Aussie Dave Hole is burning his axe, and that’s a good thing. This cd is chock full of gems, like B.B. King’s ‘You Move Me’ and Jimmy McCracklin’s ‘He Knows The Rules’. Hole’s vocals continues to grow, as well. Mark A. Cole  Cathy JeanI Want Cathy Jean Productions CJ97982 A Baltimore songstress, Cathy Jean belts ‘em out. I Want features a host of local artists, plus Cathy’s singing. A whole bunch of new material makes this a stand-up cd. Recording companies ... pay attention, there’s new talent in town. Mark A. Cole Shout, Sister, Shout A Tribute To Sister Rosetta Tharpe M.C. Records MC-0050 Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s gospel was an influence to many, particularly to blues people. Her voice was mimicked by singers far and away. The cast of females seen on this cd, attests to her popularity. Tharpe was a prolific writer and performer; too bad the world hadn’t seen more of her work. Mark A. Cole  Eugene ‘Hideaway’ BridgesJump The Joint Armadillo Records ARMC-00015 From across the big pond, Eugene Bridges electrifies his brand of jump blues. His guitar playing has finesse, and is never overpowering. A second-generation bluesman, Eugene breezes through the flirtatious ‘She Want To Dance With Me’. Kudos to ‘Walk The Mean Streets’, a dynamite tune. A grand collection of tunes. Mark A. Cole  Juke Joint Saturday Night, Vol. 2Juke Box Favorites Ecko Records ECD-1054 The twelve songs featured on this disc are from the Echo Record stable. Artists include Denise LaSalle, Chuck Roberson, soulmaster Bill Coday, Barbara Carr, Lee Shot Williams, Ollie Nightingale, and Dr. ‘Feelgood’ Potts. All beginning with ‘Lick It Before You Stick It’; oh, what a pick-up line. Whew! Mark A. Cole  Steve GuygerPast Life Blues Severn Records CD-0002 Guyger is an excited harp player, to say the least. A talented artist, Steve, has long runs and large lungs. A recent remastering and re-mixing, even enlarges the track list. Chicago harp styling can be expected; Guyger floats expressive notation. Mark A. Cole Motor City Josh Acousticly Sound 1995-2001 No Cover Productions NCP-021 I’m confused: Is Josh from Detroit, or from Mabelton, Georgia? Anyway, the cd is acoustic and it is good (but, leave out ‘The Kitty Cat Song’). His voice has gravelly tone, and is seemingly older. He has good guitar skills, and displays some tough chording. All in all, the disc is remarkable, for its acoustic sense. Mark A. Cole  Asie PaytonJust Do Me Right Fat Possum Records 80353-2 Asie Payton was discovered too late. He’s country blues! Mississippi neighbors to Junior Kimborough, Payton never liked recording, but he played a mean guitar. These country blues come from the heart ... Asie’s. Mark A. Cole  Mike Morgan & The CrawlTexas Man Severn Records CD-0014 The latest Mike Morgan cd has a bit of boogie, a bit of spanish tuning, and a heavy dose of rock. When it does get ‘bluesy’; it gets down. ‘Give Me Back My Wig’ is the classic example. Tough guitar and flexible harmonica. ‘Five Thousand Miles From Home’ is also a playground for the axeman. Mark A. Cole  K. W. WilliamsTexas Country Blues Preacher Self-produced An acoustic venture that’s quite good. This cd was brought to my attention by the folks at Southwest Blues magazine. Williams is a thumper on the box, and he keeps splendid time. K.W. wrote and/or arranged the music. Dobro-based blues! Mark A. Cole  Jimmy ThackeryGuitar Blind Pig Records BPCD-5083 This is Jimmy’s seventh cd: What a ride it’s been. Thackery melds the line between blues and rock. He’s really a rocker disguised as a bluesman; or the is the other way. I especially like the tune ‘Sinner Street’: It has ‘Bolero’ a ring to it. Boogie, bop, jump, and blues for all. Mark A. Cole |
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Marva Wright "Marva". AIM /Allegro