Browse Tag

blues

Big Mama Thorton

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Big Mama Thorton – Just Like A Dog

El Toro ET15.138
Just Like a Dog (Barking Up the Wrong Tree) – My Man Called Me / Stop A-Hoppin’ On Me – I Smell a Rat

Big Mama Thorton

Big Mama Thornton, and her incredible voice, need no introduction (so I hope). This EP gathers four tracks. On side A, you’ll find the rocking Just Like A Dog (this lady has something with the dogs) and the mellower My Man. The flip opens with the Rumba-tinged Rhythm’n’Blues of Stop A-Hoppin’ On Me and ends with the jungle beat of I Smell A Rat. All songs were recorded with Johnny Otis Orchestra except for Stop-A-Hoppin, which features Burt Kendricks & His Orchestra.

Tiny Topsy

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Tiny Topsy – Aw! Shucks Baby

El Toro ET-15.140 –
Aw! Shucks Baby -You Shocked Me / Come On, Come On, Come On (With The Charms) – Miss You So

Tiny Topsy - Aw! Shucks Baby

By no means tiny, Tiny Topsy (real name Otha Lee Moore ) had strong lung power and a voice that could peel off the wallpaper. This Ep gathers her first single from 1957 and two A-sides from her second and fourth singles. Aw Shucks is powerful and features a Ray Felder tenor saxophone solo. You Shocked Me is less exciting and a bit too repetitive.
Things get better with Come On, Come On, Come On, which features the Charms on backing vocals. Miss You So has a solid drive on a slow boogie beat led by the guitar.

Johnny Heartsman

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Johnny Heartsman – Hot House Party

Koko Mojo Records – KM-EP 111
Johnny Hartsman Band – One More Time – Eugene Blacknell – Jump Back / Johnnys Houseparty 1 – Johnnys Houseparty 2

Johnny Heartsman - Hot House Party

Heartsman’s first instrumental is good, albeit a tad repetitive. Fans of the Stray Cats would probably be interested in hearing this one. The b-side is occupied by Johnny’s Houseparty parts 1 & 2. This tune sounds like an answer to Honky Tonk with sax, organ and screams provided by The Gaylarks, who happened to be there. Eugene Blacknell and his Savonics complete the set with a groovy number featuring hot sax and dirty guitar. The perfect soundtrack for a crime B-movie.

Ella Johnson

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Ella Johnson - Bring It Home!

Ella Johnson – Bring It Home!

El Toro ET15141
What a Day! – No More Love / They Don’t Want me to Rock No More – Bring It Home to Me

Ella Johnson - Bring It Home!

The great Ella Johnson, who recorded with her brother Buddy falls right on that blurry line between Rhythm’n’Blues and Jazz with a dose of Rock’n’Roll. The singer possesses a beautiful voice, very clean yet expressive. The tight arrangements remind those of the Big Band era, and there’s plenty of room for soloists to express themselves (superb rocking sax part on They Don’t Want Me to Rock No More). You’ll love this EP if you dig Dinah Washington and Ella Mae Morse.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

McKinley James

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McKinley James – Who Will The Next Fool Be

Fun-Guy Records – FG-5906 [2020]
Who Will The Next Fool Be / Thunderbird

McKinley James released this single on James Heath’s Fun-Guy records. He’s backed by his father, Jason Smay (JD McPherson, Los Straitjackets) on drums and Ray Jacildo on Hammond organ.
The A-side is a soulful rendition of Charlie Rich’s Who Will The Next Fool Be. The young boy has a surprinsingly very mature and deep voice and the Hammond lays down a perfect backing.
The B-side is a cover of ZZ Top’s Thunderbird (from their 1975 album Fandango.) While the original is a boogie blues, James version slows things down, and in his more than able hands, the song becomes a mean blues with a superb guitar part.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Aces (the)

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the aces

Aces (the) – No One Rides For Free

the aces

El Toro ETCD 6044
You’re Gonna Loose – Stole Something From Me – Shed Some Light On Me – Knee Deep In Mud – Drinkin Song – Need Your Lovin’ – Down In The Cave – Mr Highway Man – House On The Hill – Kanka Kanka

If you believe that Eric Clapton is a blues god, well, nice to meet you and see you later. But if you like your blues raw, dirty, primitive, and threatening, the Aces are the band for you. With two guitars, drums, harmonica, and distorted vocals, this California (Santa Rosa) combo plays a lo-fi electric blues with a hypnotic beat that takes its roots in the likes of Hound Dog Taylor and RL Burnside. They add a good dose of garage with a “straight in your face” powerful wall of sound. Imagine if the Cramps had taken their main inspiration in Chicago blues instead of rockabilly. But enough of comparison they build their own sound, keeping things simple and effective, no flashy licks here or 20 minutes solos, but guitar player Derek Irving keeps things varied, playing slide guitar on some tunes and sitar on others, like on “Down On The Cave” with its “Smokestack Lightnin’” inspired riff.
It’s music with guts and sweat and, in the end, a truly great album.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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