Damn Right, I’ve Got The Blues – Ron Dziubla vs. Atomic Roadkings vs. Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans

Damn Right, I’ve Got The Blues – Ron Dziubla vs. Atomic Roadkings vs. Brad Vickers & His Vestapolitans

RON DZIULAS
Ron Dziubla’s Nasty Habit
Rip Cat

Veteran, tenor and baritone sax man Ron Dziubla honed his considerable chops by backing the legendary twang-master, Duane Eddy.  But 2013 sees him putting out an all instrumental set of fifties styled grooves.

And he’s awfy good.  There’s nine originals and a couple of well chosen covers in the shape of Jimmy Forrest’s ‘Night Train’ and the oft covered ‘Harlem Nocturne’.  Mr Dziulas can certainly give his forefathers a run for their money, and anyone who gets off on the likes of Big Jay McNeely, Sam “The Man” Taylor and King Curtis will find themselves moving and a shaking to this one.  Highlights are a plenty, but it was ‘Loose’ that got me shimmying like a young ‘un.

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ATOMIC ROAD KINGS
Ark EP
Rip Cat

I do like an EP.  Means it’s all wheat and no chaff.  And that’s definitely the case here as moothie man, Eric “Jailhouse” Von Herzen (Rhythm Lords and Walter Trout), Kyle Jester on vocals & guitar, formerly with Candye Kane & Earl Thomas, Bret Harding (Social Distortion) and drummer Tom Essa “Slim Crowbar” on drums, formerly with Mississippi Mudsharks, set off on some rock’n’roll and rockabilly tinged rhythm and blues.

From the opening ‘Voodoo Woman Blues’. with a guesting Kid Ramos, straight on to Fabulous Thunderbirds soundalikes like ‘Automatic’, and the slow burning ‘Easy Baby’, this is some mighty fome righteous music.  Get yourself some now.

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BRAD VICKERS & His Vestapolitans
Great Day In The Morning
ManHatTone

I first encountered Mr Vickers and his Vestapolitans on his 2011 release “Traveling Fool”.  I said, “The original material is highly enjoyable, as Mr Vickers moves around from rockin’ blues to jump blues to ragtime, hitting all points inbetween.”  And, as always, I was right.

This time around, it’s all change as he embarks on a hip hop concept album about his relationship with the Feds.  Or, could be it’s more of the same.  Yup, it’s the latter and very nice it is too.  There’s 12 originals which leaves room for some covers of material by Tampa Red and Memphis Minnie.  Unusually, for a blues man, he’s a beliver in positivity, which would normally grate with me, but somehow it’s OK here.

It’s very old school, and all the better for it.

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Don’t forget to tune into Mr H every Thursday at 8pm, Her Majestys Great British time, when you will find him Rockin’ The Blues on that there internet radio.