Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues – Big Bill Morganfield vs. Kelly Richey vs. Blonde Blues
BIG BILL MORGANFIELD
Blues With A Mood
Black Shuck
The son of Muddy Waters, Big Bill Morganfield has been releasing his own music since the nineties, and is now up to album number six. He says, he “… wanted to put together a set of tunes … which stay close to the musical genre of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and several other of my musical heroes.”
However, seven of the eleven songs are originals, and it says a lot for him that they match up to the covers in every way. He’s also got together an insanely good band to help him out with guitarists Eddie Taylor, Jr. and Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin (a Muddy Waters band alumni), as well as Mark Williams, Jim Horn, Chuck Cotton, Augie Meyers, Colin Linden, Doc Malone and Tom “Mookie” Brill.
He’s keeping the blues up to date with the slef penned ‘Money’s Gettin’ Cheaper’, before a cover of a Willie Dixon gem, ‘Ooh Wee’. But it’s not all doom and glom as he demonstrates on ‘Tight Things’ and ‘No Butter For My Grits’. It’s old school blues with the odd nod to jump and swing, with a Chicago groove running right down the centre.
The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree with Big Bill, and this comes heartily recommended.
http://www.bigbillmorganfield.net/
KELLY RICHEY
Sweet Spirit
Sweet Lucy
Kelly Richey has been playing the blues for over thirty years now, but on the basis of this, there’s no sign that she’s ready to slow down yet, as she and her trio power through a set of rockin’ blues.
It’s music firmly rooted in the Jimi Hendrix tradition, which led to a swathe of seventies blues rock trios. Ms Richey may not be the best singer in the world, but her workmanlike (workwomanlike) voice matches the gritty music that blasts out of the speakers. The self penned material is excellent, although you’re glad of a breather by the time you get to the fifth track (and first slow paced) ‘Everybody Needs a Change’.
But then its chocks away as they head off into my favourite tune, ‘Fast Drivin’ Mama’. There is a fine ballad in the shape of ‘Dyin”, but then it’s back to what Kelly Richery does best of the rocking ‘Workin’ Hard Woman’.
BLONDE BLUES
Envision Nu Blues
Blonde Blues
We’re off to North Carolina now, to catch up with vocalist and song writer Cindy Adams, for whom the band is named.
It’s a mixture of original material and covers, although as yet, the self penned songs don’t match up to songs like Buddy Guy’s ‘Hammer & Nail’ and ‘Best Damn Fool’ or the Al Kooper ballad ‘I Luv U More Than U’ll Ever Know’. But the signs are there on numbers like ‘Satisfied’ to show that they could end up writing a few classics of their own.
The best songs are both covers – the aforementioned ‘Best Damn Fool’ and a song from Doyle Bramhall II called ‘Say One Thing’, which is where the band, the songs and the production all fall into place. However, given that the entire album seems to have been recorded in one day, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. They’re heading back into the studio to record a new album, and are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
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.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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