2009 - DIDDLEY SQUAT, LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO by Dorothy L. Hill

Issue
AUGUST, SEPTEMBER,OCTOBER
2009

DIDDLEY SQUAT LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO
by Dorothy L. Hill

Jim Cobb and Sylvia Carrell

I was so pleased when I learned that the band Diddley Squat was booked to play Biscuits & Blues on July 19, 2009. I first got a taste of this band in 2004 when they played the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas. This East Texas band has been wowing audiences at festivals and small clubs all over the country and competed in the prestigious International Blues Challenge on several occasions. Since I last saw them they added vocalist Sylvia Carrell to the band and drummer Val Nail joined them in 2006. The core group remains -- Jim Cobb in the guitarist and lead vocalist roles, Rick Sims on alto, tenor and baritone saxophones and Rodney Beal on bass.

This group is distinctive for the colorfully descriptive original compositions of Jim Cobb and Rodney Beal. The tunes were salty antidotes sprinkled into the set along with some cover tunes which validated their grasp of the blues.

With the announcement, “we ain’t in a hurry tonight,” the band launched into a jump blues excursion on “Ain’t In A Hurry.” “Caught You With Your Pants Down” written by Beal was filled with growling vocals by Cobb with a slow-grinding R&B groove. They resurrected a ‘50s rockabilly "Don't Roll Your Bloodshot Eyes At Me" with enthusiasm. The humorous jump blues of “Hard Man” (a take-off written by Cobb of “A Good Man is Hard To Find”) was punctuated by the tasteful saxophone interjections by Sims. Carrell who also played an assortment of percussions throughout the evening was outstanding on the Albert King tune “Born Under A Bad Sign” with classic blues sensibility. A showcase was the slow blues tune “Milk of Magnesia” which was the title of one of their CDs and relates to tequila and the sins thereof Sims was just absolutely spellbinding on baritone saxophone. Carrell precisely channeled Memphis Minnie on a delightful vocal excursion of “Chauffeur Blues.” Their rendition of “T-Bone Shuffle” gave Cobb an opportunity to explore his inventive guitar styling and Sims sizzled on saxophone as he worked his way through the audience serenading them up close and personal.

The energy of the band was matched by the enthusiasm of the sparse audience.
Sims constantly jumped off the stage to work the room and Cobb’s ad libs and story-telling gave a personal touch to the occasion. I am very fond of drummers who use brushes and Nail’s brush work on one tune was impeccable.

Bassist Beal was tastefully solid. Their choice of material made for an interesting evening encompassing an eclectic mix of styles.
But as Cobb said, tongue-in-cheek, when asked to do “Happy Birthday” for a patron, "we’re a blues band we don’t do anything that starts with happy,” Diddley Squat knows blues and now I hope you know a little about Diddley Squat!

----- Dorothy L. Hill

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	Issue AUGUST, SEPTEMBER,OCTOBER 2009

	DIDDLEY SQUAT LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO by Dorothy L. Hill

	Jim Cobb and Sylvia Carrell	I was so pleased when I learned that the band Diddley Squat was booked to play *Biscuits & Blues* on July 19, 2009. I first got a taste of this band in 2004 when they played the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas. This East Texas band has been wowing audiences at festivals and small clubs all over the country and competed in the prestigious International Blues Challenge on several occasions. Since I last saw them they added vocalist Sylvia Carrell to the band and drummer Val Nail joined them in 2006. The core group remains -- Jim Cobb in the guitarist and lead vocalist roles, Rick Sims on alto, tenor and baritone saxophones and Rodney Beal on bass. This group is distinctive for the colorfully descriptive original compositions of Jim Cobb and Rodney Beal. The tunes were salty antidotes sprinkled into the set along with some cover tunes which validated their grasp of the blues. With the announcement, “we ain’t in a hurry tonight,” the band launched into a jump blues excursion on “Ain’t In A Hurry.” “Caught You With Your Pants Down” written by Beal was filled with growling vocals by Cobb with a slow-grinding R&B groove. They resurrected a ‘50s rockabilly "Don't Roll Your Bloodshot Eyes At Me" with enthusiasm. The humorous jump blues of “Hard Man” (a take-off written by Cobb of “A Good Man is Hard To Find”) was punctuated by the tasteful saxophone interjections by Sims. Carrell who also played an assortment of percussions throughout the evening was outstanding on the Albert King tune “Born Under A Bad Sign” with classic blues sensibility. A showcase was the slow blues tune “Milk of Magnesia” which was the title of one of their CDs and relates to tequila and the sins thereof Sims was just absolutely spellbinding on baritone saxophone. Carrell precisely channeled Memphis Minnie on a delightful vocal excursion of “Chauffeur Blues.” Their rendition of “T-Bone Shuffle” gave Cobb an opportunity to explore his inventive guitar styling and Sims sizzled on saxophone as he worked his way through the audience serenading them up close and personal.

		The energy of the band was matched by the enthusiasm of the sparse audience. Sims constantly jumped off the stage to work the room and Cobb’s ad libs and story-telling gave a personal touch to the occasion. I am very fond of drummers who use brushes and Nail’s brush work on one tune was impeccable. Bassist Beal was tastefully solid. Their choice of material made for an interesting evening encompassing an eclectic mix of styles. But as Cobb said, tongue-in-cheek, when asked to do “Happy Birthday” for a patron, *"we’re a blues band we don’t do anything that starts with happy,”* Diddley Squat knows blues and now I hope you know a little about Diddley Squat! *----- Dorothy L. Hill*

	home	back
	BluesArt-Journal - is an electronic publication. Worldcopyright © 1998-2009 BluesArtStudio, BluesLife, USA - AUSTRIA. All rights reserved. Made with Macintosh