Kreg Viesselman
The Pull
Red Kite Records RKRCD009
www.redkiterecords.co.uk

American singer and guitarist Kreg is definitely not a blues artist but some of the songs he writes certainly have blues elements, and so he may be of interest to some readers. For the most part, his wistful but and heartfelt songs, performed in a lived-in voice old beyond its years, belong in the box marked ‘folk’ or maybe ‘Americana’, but having written that, the opening number ‘Saturday Night’ contains some fine chugging harmonica work from Kreg himself, whilst the title track is strongly gospel influenced – it reminds me of Ray Charles to a degree. This gospel element can be heard too on ‘Lonely People’ which also features some very bluesy electric guitar work from John William Davis. ‘Northstar And The Drinking Gourd’ has a guitar introduction which always makes me think of Mississippi John Hurt, whilst the closing ‘Share Croppers’ seems to be based on the beautiful Bahaman spiritual ‘Great Dreams From Heaven’ and has some Joseph Spence styled guitar work to complement the melody. Reaching back even further is ‘The Man Without A Care’, which includes high keening vocals and delicate kora (West African harp-lute) from Boubacar Diebate – for me this was the highlight of the set.

As I said earlier, not a blues set by any stretch of the imagination – but the aforementioned tracks are good examples of how the blues has influenced and been assimilated into other forms of music.
 Norman Darwen

MATT MINGLEWOOD
The Story 
Norton Records NR0905

This compassionate CD has already won many accolades, e.g., East Coast Music Award winner for Blues Recording of the Year. Does it really need another positive review? Yes, because this acoustic album comes with depth and awareness. Although acoustic, there is lots of musical accompaniment (bass, sax, drums, harmonica, cello, and mandolin). Some may consider it an unplugged album. It is a stark departure from the usual Minglewood blues/rock. Hailing from North Sydney, Cape Breton Island, “down east” culture exudes from Matt Minglewood’s story-telling tunes. Since the late ’70s/early ’80s, when he quickly rose to the top of Canadian blues/rock with a string of successful albums, Minglewood has been a Canadian musical institution.

Are you ready for another chapter in a career that already reads like a quintessential novel? Matt Minglewood has drifted through numerous genres throughout his 40 year career. His most potent power may have been saved until now. Flavoured with a sense of Canadiana, Minglewood performs vocals, guitars, piano, and organ and abandons his guitar god status on The Story. At times the music sounds influenced by country and western. Primarily, the focus is on story-telling songs and evocative lyrics. The 12 Minglewood original songs, along with a remake of the traditional Patriot Game, are about expressing life experiences. From time to time, you’ll have a smile on your face as you listen to these warm, fond memories. The melodies and lyrics are all very moving. Most songs are laid back, but they are all catchy. This isn’t boring acoustic music which requires a music appreciation course to value it. 

The tales begin with the melancholic Ain’t Nothing Pretty which details dirty pictures painted by blues. With a simple and repetitive rhythm, Jealous Man will have your foot stomping. Here, the gentle yet firm guitars capture the urgency of the song. With a tip of the hat to Jerry Lee Lewis and others ’50s rockers, Eight Good Reasons is honky tonk music with Minglewood’s lower register absolutely rumbling on piano. Alex Dean’s sax gives The Price of Love a steamy feel. Peter and Joy demonstrates the flexibility of Minglewood’s powerful voice as does the beautiful title track whose lyrics will move you to tears. Like a Broadway production, Minglewood can tell a story while transforming it into a show.

Except for those who have seen Minglewood perform The Story live, this album reveals his hidden acoustic brilliance. It also has the innate ability to speak to you and guide you like a best friend. If there ever was a Canadian folk/rock hero, this CD proves Matt Minglewood is worthy of the title.
 Tim Holek

GILES
Dancing With Dolores
May Tree Studio MTSCD6
www.gilesmusic.com

This Anglo-Dutch three piece based in the north-west of England are classified as ‘blues-rock’, having the classic power trio line-up of vocals/ guitar (Mark Koehurst), bass (Piet Koehurst), and drums (Terry Shaughnessy), an obvious late Sixties sensibility (covers of Richie Havens’ Woodstock anthem ‘Freedom’ and Leonard Cohen’s ‘Bird On The Wire’ are two of four non-originals on this set) and there is a readily apparent Jimi Hendrix influence - Jimi’s ‘Gypsy Eyes’ is one of the other reworkings. Such a unqualified definition is uninformed though; listening to this CD (and their earlier releases) reveals a band with very original ideas and a sound unlike anyone else around at the moment.

What goes around comes around too – the apocalyptic sleeve, the scorching and forthright attack  ‘Letter To Bush’ and the anti-war and eco-concerns of the title track are bang up-to-date relevant. Musically the set opens with a couple of minutes of raw, down-home, John Lee Hooker styled guitar work before the rhythm section kicks in; ‘Freedom’ is next, hinting at the direction Hendrix might have taken had he lived to pursue his interests in funk and jazz. Mark also seems keen to explore these directions (the band’s previous album was entitled ‘Blue Funk’, of course) whilst keeping to a blues-rock approach. The cover version I haven’t so far mentioned is the Tina Turner’s ‘Nutbush City Limits’, a real stormer which works far better than expected! ‘Mind Your Own Damn Business’ is a soul styled shuffle, the nearest thing to a 12 bar on the CD.

Despite the references to Hendrix in this review, this is no tribute or rip-off act; rather he provides a well-known reference point for the band’s individuality and desire to avoid the obvious. If you want other comparisons, check the subtle vintage Peter Green inflections of ‘Fallen Angel’ or the Ray Davies styled vocal of the title track – or think Jeff Beck.

What comes across most strongly though is the idea of a band unwilling to play to the gallery but wishing to follow and develop their own musical pathways. That makes them worth listening to; that they do from an exciting and adventurous blues base makes it even better!
 Norman Darwen

Lou De Adder
Slow Down
START 02
www.loudeadder.com

This is veteran Canadian singer and guitarist Lou’s second CD, following on from 2005’s ‘LouD’. Like its predecessor, this is a mixture of styles, though with the common thread of Lou’s always bluesy playing, stretching from the relatively straight shuffle of ‘Searching For My Baby’ to the pop-rock ballad trappings of ‘Believe’ with some very unusual flute from Leo Sullivan (who supplies gutsy sax elsewhere) and the folk-rock inflected ‘Comin’ Home’, which features pedal steel guitar from Doug Johnson. Much of the set though falls loosely into the blues-rock category, though with little unexpected twists and several tracks featuring jazzier playing than is usual in this genre. There is plenty of muscular playing from Lou and the horns in particular, and Lou’s singing is relaxed and convincing on a programme of all original and worthwhile material, underpinned with excellent support from the likes of John Marmora (organ on four tracks), Steve O’Connor (piano on two numbers, organ on a further three) and a rhythm section of Brett Piekarz (bass) and Franko Woodcock on drums – oh, and Steve McDade on trumpet.

Last year’s set certainly impressed me a lot. This year’s model shows that that was no flash in the pan. This guy has talent and he knows how to use it.
 Norman Darwen

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
DELTA HARDWARE
09463-60122-2-3 Real World; Music from EMI

SONGS:  Church Is Out; One Of These Mornings; Sundown; Black Water; Clarksdale Boogie; Just A Feeling; Gone Too Long; Invisible Ones; Town To Town; Blues For Yesterday

Charlie Musselwhite,  has a lustrious career that continues to grow. This CD takes on new dimensions in format, rhythm patterns, and style. Charlie continues to sing and blow an admirable harmonica to different beats. Yet he hardly ever loses that blues feeling in his songs. He plays guitar in one of the ten tracks.

This CD starts out with an upbeat, high energy rock blues, “Church Is Out.” It reminds one of Snoopy dancing when church is out. The rockish background continues for  a few songs, and then turns to more blues. “One of These Mornings” seems to be an offshoot of Delta blues or advanced country music. “Black Water” concerns Hurricane Katrina and the state of the world in general. “Invisible Ones’ focuses on the homeless. “Town to Town” ponders the matter of drifting from town to town.

In “Clarksdale Boogie,” the lyrics like “hip shakin’ mama, wild as she can be, she’s all over me” don’t seem to fit the slow and steady boogie rhythm pattern. In “Gone Too Long,” he informs his ex-lover that she has been gone too long to take her back.The CD ends with”Blues For Yesterday,” in which Charlies  blows a soft, gentle and melodic harp and sings with softer vocals with a country tinge. In his words, “I got the blues from  yesterday and my, did we have fun!”

This CD is full of dramatic and genuine songs. That is because Musselwhite  presents music with a feeling, which is music from the heart. It is a treat to go on his varied and enjoyable musical journey, in which Charlie incorporates his musical lifetime experiences from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago urban blues and beyond. Consider taking this real, musical journey yourself.  You will be glad you did. For more information on this CD, which will be released on May 16, 2006 on Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records, 
check out: http://www.realworldrecords.com/musselwhite
 Maria Bainer