New Buckwheat Zydeco CD: "Lay Your Burden Down"

I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- BlueNotes is way far behind on his CD reviews.

So today I'll play catchup with Buckwheat Zydeco's latest (truth in journalism here - actually released May 5 - at least it's still May), titled "Lay YOur Burden Down" (Alligator Records).

Buckwheat is actually Stanley Dural, master of zydeco, the accordion, the Hammond B3 and Cajun musical rhythms that can make your body move even if you are as old as BlueNotes. 

But this album is a little different. Yes, it's got all the above stuff, and great New Orleans stylings, but it's also got a a lot of heart and mind behind it. Dural has put together a collection of thoughtful, wide-ranging songs that may not have been origianlly intended for the accordion, but still come up pulsating with the Buckwheat spirit.

Dural takes an old Memphis Minnie tune written by Kansas Joe McCoy, "When the Levee Breaks" (about a famous MIssissippi River flood in 1927), and turns it into a contemporary walk through hard times of hurricane disasters with dirgelike zydeco undertones, led by Dural on the B3 (ain't it a shame that this great song actually had to become popular when Led Zeppelin recorded it?).

Then there's a slow swampy rocker by Florida swamp rootsman JJ Grey, "The Wrong Side," while Grey shares vocals and helps out on piano. There's a somber take on Bruce Springsteen's "Back In Your Arms," and even a Captain Beefheart tune (you remember the Captain, don't you?), "Too Much Time."

Still,  Dural has written or co-written about half of these tracks, and taken as a whole, they create a work of intense emotion, passion and hearty good times. It all seems to be an interesting shift from previous party-like work, adding special guests Grey, Trombone Shorty ( great solo on "Don't Leave Me"), Sonny Landreth and Warren Hayne, who wrote the title great and contributes extra-fine guitar.

It's a fine album, mixing Dural's multi-talented approach, thoughtful songwriting, and elegant production. The music is pretty darned good, too.

Here's a sample of the excellent work on "When the Levee Breaks":

And here's a video of Buckwheat Zydeco at work:

Koko Taylor recovering from surgery

Here's a note from Alligator records on recent surgery for blues belter Koko Taylor:

Koko Taylor, 80, Grammy Award-winning "Queen of the Blues," is recovering from surgery to correct a gastrointestinal bleed. The surgery was performed on May 19 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Her doctors anticipate a full recovery.

Another weekend blues event -- this one for vets

Yesterday's post on blues for this weekend overlooked a benefit concert set for Sunday at the Lawrenceville Moose (120 51st St.).

This one benefits a building fund for a program called Fisher House, which runs housing for the families of veterans undergoing medical care. Thye'd like to build such a facility at the Pittsburgh VA hospital.

Sunday's prorgram runs from 2-6 p.m., costs $10, and and features the blues of Ms. Freddye & Blue Faze, Bubs McKeg and Shot 'O Soul. Call 724-378-8926 for more info.

There's also information on the web site of the Blues Society of Western Pa.

Some blues to look for this weekend

If you're a blues fan, and you don't mind a few hours travel, one of the best blues festivals in the region -- okay, it's not exactly the region, but it's pretty close -- will be happening this weekend at the Western Maryland Blues Fest in Hagerstown, Md. (take the Turnpike to Breezewood and hang a right). Thhis fest has been growing in musical stature the past few years, and now it seems like it can be counted on to deliver a quality show.

It starts tomorrow night, and runs through Sunday, but if you have to pick a day to go, spend the day there on Saturday from noon to about 10 -- there will be eight regional and national bands on two stages, and if experience is a guide, they'll all be good ones. Here's the lineup (check the fest web site for details):

THURSDAY, MAY 28
University Plaza Park, 50 West Washington Street
The Nighthawks 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 29
City Central Lot N. Potomac St.
Ronnie Ray 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Jimmy Thackery and The Drivers 8:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 30
City Central Lot. Gates open at 11:00 a.m.

BECK'S STAGE
The Kelly Bell Band 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Bonerama 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Janiva Magness 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Roomful of Blues  6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

BUD LIGHT STAGE
Bad Influence Band 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Mike Stern Band 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The Derek Trucks Band 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, MAY 31 - FAMILY BLUES PICNIC
City Park Bandshell, Free Admission
Rhythm Kings 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Jumptown1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Ruby Hayes Blues Band 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Campbell Brothers 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

That's a pretty good weekend lineup. From what I've learned about the regional bands they have, they sound pretty darned good. If you haven't been there before, give it a shot. I think you'll like it. It's a nicely run fetival with good music.

On Saturday, you can join the Blues Society of Western Pa. is taking part in the Circle C Walk. Check it out.

Then onTuesday, (June 2), you'll find the funky young bluesman Bernard Allison at Moondog's. Sure, it's a school night, but it's early. And he's a great performer.

Catching up with new CDs

Since we've been talking a little in recent posts about different kinds of blues for different kinds of blues fans (great taste, less filling?), it's time to present some new CDs. These aren't from national bands, but from regional groups -- our region and others (yes, Virginia, there are others).

First is a local duo who took part in this year's International Blues Challenge lineup for the Blues Society of Western Pa. -- J 'n' K, for John Elmer of Harrisville, and Karl Brandt of Mercer. They write their own songs, play guitar (John) and harp (Karl), sing harmony and swap vocals on a set of acoustic blues, "Trouble's Gonna Find Us." 

I'd never heard them before, but they play a nice set here, with basic guitar and harp work, some good writing, and spare but effective accompaniment. I like their vocals --  their voices work together nicely, and in fine acoustic tradition, the music lays back and provides an effective backdrop for the singing.  Elmer does most of the vocal work, but their voices are just as effective when combined.

They seem be an analog kind of band -- no web site or MySpace page, and in the note they sent me with the CD, said they're sure they will never Twitter. That's enough right there to earn them a spot in the BlueNotes Hall of Fame for Independent Thinking.

Here's a video of the duo performing "You Let Me Down" from the CD at the blues challenge finals:

Another acoustic duo from another region (I guess California is a region) is made up of Doug Adamz and Dan Hayes, two West Coast guys who've been around since the heady days of acid rock and blues and stuff like that in the '70s. They've put together a very nice album of folky acoustic blues called "Blues Duo" (Blue Skunk Music).

They also feature guitar and harp, write their own music, and swap nicely honed vocals throughout. You can hear some hints of spicy blues guitar and saucy harp on this laid-back example of how good a couple of musicians can sound when they combine good writing with good musicianship in a set that sounds both spontaneous and professional. Bothe have years of road work under their guitar straps, and it pays off in a very enjoyable CD.

I couldn't find them on YouTube (apparently they haven't worked together a lot), so here's a clip of "Money, Love & Time," sung by Hayes, from the CD:

The nature of the blues, again

As usual, Bluzer has written a cogent comment on the nature of the blues (at the bottom of the previous post), while BlueNotes was basically muttering into his beer about American Idle. 

So I suppose I should make a few remarks.

I think I'm more of a blues purist than usually comes across in the blog. I agree with Bluzer about its origins, its power, its timeless nature, and its emotional hold on people.And when I listen to the music for my own pleasure, I usually listen to the great old stuff. And some great younger bluespeople. And given a choice, that's what I like to see in person.

The trouble is, there are a lot of younger performers using the blues almost in name only, or only a few of its roots, rather then the whole tree. There are a lot of albums by these artists, and lot of them say they are taking the blues in new directions. Well, once you change direction too much, you really don't have the blues any more.

But BlueNotes, bless his weary soul, tries to write about some of this unblues, which is quite often good enough to stand on its own, but is not really blues. I suppose I could just wait for the "real" blues CDs to roll in, but they seem to come less often these days. So I try to find something worthwhile that might interest blues fans, who seem to like a variety of blues styles. And I agree with Bluzer that it is a personal decision as to what blues music means. Or is.

So forgive me if I sometimes paint the blues with too broad a brush. I'm trying to look for something for everybody. Or maybe that's the problem. BlueNotes' head is spinning. Perhaps that old railroad iron is in order.

And no, I've never watched "Dancing With the Stars." And I've never really watch the Idol for more than a few minutes at a time.

An odd thought about American Idol

I just noticed that lower-keyed Kris Allen became the new American Idol, over the apparent flamboyant fave, Adam Lambert.

What does this mean? Well, first, it means that BlueNotes was paying attention to this underwhelming lowpoint of American musical culture.You can hold that against him if you want.

Second, it just might mean -- from what I've seen -- that taste and style might just have a little more musical meaning than histrionics. Don't get me wrong. I love my Little Richard. But I love my Little Richard as an early bluesy crooner at least as much as I love my "Tutti Frutti." Check out oldies like "Send Me Some Lovin'."

What might this have to do with the blues? It might mean that flashy blues rockers don't really convey the full meaning of the basic blues music that we love. It might mean that style is not as important as substance.

Or it could just mean that BlueNotes is way too old to be hip to American Idol. Or it could mean that Kris had more friends voting.

Just thought I'd bring it up.

Jenni Muldar's "Dearest Darlin' "

Ever since the heady days of the mid-1960s, I've been a fan of Maria Muldaur. My earliest memories go back to 1968's "Pottery Pie" with Maria and then-husband Geoff, even though they went back a few years before that to the Jim Kweskin jug band days. And it's impossible to forget her sensuous contribution to music history, "Midnight at the Oasis."

A few years ago, Maria turned up for a couple of shows at the Club Cafe on the South Side, and provided two tasty nights of her greatest hits plus her latest recordings in that intimate little club that was a perfect fit for Maria and her music  (Hint: We could use some more of that).

This is a very roundabout way of getting to Jenni Muldar, Geoff and Maria's daughter, who has been coming into her own as a performer in the last decade, and now with her new CD "Dearest Darlin,'" (Dandelion Music, her own label), she presents a fine and dandy release of great old soul and jump blues, filtered through her talented vision.

The titale track itself is an update of the 1957 Bo Diddley song, with his rhythms in the background and Jenni's vocals giving a lighter, upbeat flavor.  One of my favorite tracks is her gritty and soulful take on James Brown's 1961 "Lost Someone." Sounds like a young and female Otis Redding.Here's a sample of "Dearest Darlin' ":

She also reaches back to produce a jumping cover of Big Maybelle's 1954 recording of "I've Got a Feeling." There's a great sense of fine old music here, and Jenni gives them all a contemporary touch, but never loses the soul and spirit of the music. "Just Kiss Me Once" is an earthy new take on a 1951 tune that makes her sound a lot like her mother's daughter in a lilting, teasing, sensual vocal -- "... just kiss me once and you'll be back..." Yes! Here's a taste of "Kiss Me Once":

The arrangements all sparkle, and the backing band is sharp and crisp, hitting the right notes and setting the right mood, never overpowering her vocals. The CD closes with her soft and lazy original ballad, "Comatose Town," in which her voice turns dreamy and soft and swings you gently into the misty neighborhood she sings about.

This a little gem of an album. Jenni moves through a variety of styles with ease, and with effortless vocal skills. I'd love to see her at the Club Cafe soon.

Some thoughts about "blues people"

I wrote here a couple weeks ago about the death of Jim Weber, the president of the Blues Society of Western Pa. Everyone knew him as a tireless fan of the music and of the society that works to forward it. 

Over the weekend, I ran into a blues society member who told me that Jim had written his final "President's Blog" post on the BSWPA the day before he passed away. Once I looked it up, I thought I should share it here. It's a genuinely moving tribute to the "blues people" he knew.

Here's what Jim wrote on April 30, headlined "Blues people are the greatest":

I have always said that the blues people were the greatest people. I said it once more after the IBC Finals on April 26. I thank everyone who "brought the blues to me." The webcast was a wonderful way to include me in the blues challenge. I felt like I was at the show and that I was still a part of the group. Watching the music on screen and listening to all of you who sent greetings live to me, was wonderful. Again I want to thank each and everyone of you. Without all of you, there would be no blues in the 'burg. Thanks for being such good friends and for being a part of my "family." Hugs to everyone. ~Jim Weber

Over this past weekend, Jim's widow, Jonnye, posted her own message of thanks on the society home page. You can read it here.

I thought it might be nice to share all this with a wider audience.

A Friday night with Duke Robillard, Ana Popovic, Jason Ricci

Confronted with two stellar blues shows on one Friday night, BlueNotes was befuddled. Should he devote his full attention to just one show, or share himself with several fine artists? Much like the eternal BeerNotes dilemma: So much beer, so little time.

Once I got to the Thunderbird Cafe to see Duke Robillard, it all became as clear as a crisp blue note. Robillard was just opening his first set when I got there -- the opening act by Jimmy Adler had been canceled (Jimmy was gracious - said it would have been a privilege).

When Duke's fiirst set ended at about 10:30, it was clear that I'd have enough time to whip the BlueNotesMobile across the 40th Street Bridge and hang a right for Blawnox, where the Moondog howls, and end the night with Jason and Ana.

So let's take a look back at all these fine musicians and see if I remember any of what happened.

Duke Robillard is just as I'd remembered -- hadn't seen him for a couple of years, so he's gotten little older. But who hasn't? He's a great guitar player with a fine sense for the blues, and he brings a crackling band, complete with saxman, upright bass and a keyboard player with piano and organ.

You can tell he loves blues that jump and swing, just like Roomful of Blues, the band he helped to create back in the late '60s. So when he did "Frankie and Johnny" as a swinging instrumental, it was not a surprise, but it was a real pleasure.

If i remember correctly, he did a fine old T-Bone Walker number titled "You Don't Love Me (And I Don't Even Care)." I hope I remembered that right, 'cause it was really fine, and a great lyric as well.

I love Duke's guitar work -- nice fat tones, liquid blue notes that swoop and soar, and jazzy riffs with lots of himself thrown in to let you know that it's not just the blues, it's Duke's blues. He's been around the blues block for decades, and he's taken all the influences and styles and made them his own. It's a pleasure to watch him work. And to hear him work. He's got a new CD as well, "Stomp the Blues Tonight." I've only heard snippets, but if it's like the rest of his work, it's worth a listen.

After a quick handshake with the Duke, it was time to head for Moondog's. Ana Popovic was already in high gear when i got there. Her guitar work seems to get better evey time I hear her, and this was my first time seeing her in a club, up close and personal, where the intensity level of her guitar work is higher and harder and reminded me a little bit of some of the  jamlike '60 psychedelic blues-rock that once expanded the young BlueNotes mind.

I had seen her set last year at the Wheeling blues festival, and was impressed with her playing and her stage presence. The level she reaches when she's 20 feet away is another story. If a blues guitar can make you high, and take you higher, then she does. Okay, gin and tonic helps, but produces no music of its own, save tinkling ice.

She basically blew away the crowded club with fierce blues licks, extended and mind-bending solos, and a passion that seemed to flow from her soul to her fingertips. Ana bends her head back, closes her eyes and lets the music flow, and its intensity can catch you by surprise.

The blues is a passionate, emotional music, and she seems to be able to find that emotion and take it to the next level. She doesn't really play traditional blue tunes. She plays blues that rocks and soars, that makes startling journeys through your head, then your heart. Up close, it's a magical trip.

Yeah, I liked it.

After an intermission in which fans lined up for CDs and autographs (Popovic was unfailingly gracious), she launched a second set  that included high-powered harp-fanatic Jason Ricci.  Just when you thought you couldn't go no higher, Jason lifted you up. They fed off each other's solos during some extended jams, pounding home the music with ferocious abandon.

This wasn't subtle music. This was music that grabs you, shakes you, torments you, and leaves you feeling like you've been ridden hard and put away wet -- a very good feeling.

Ricci, by the way, is touring behind his new Electro Groove CD, "Done With the Devil," a high-energy harp masterwork of blues-rock.

And it was great to see both clubs full of fans, with an energy level that seemed to fuel all the performers. Truly a fine night for the blues.

A blues note from France

Billy Price, who's touring in France with blues guitarist Fred Chapellier in support of their new album, "Night Work," sends along a note with a couple of links to some praise for the new CD, and a web radio play list with "Night Work" at the top.

This one is a French site (sometimes hard to open, and this is the playlist.

By the way, if you're in the neighborhood, Billy and Fred will be at Espace Manureva (Charlevill-Mezieres) Monday and Tuesday nights. I'm sure he'd be happy to see you.