The Blues Blog (8) A regular round-up of new releases Readers often complain about my apparently negative approach to our mutual friend the Postman, occasioned by his slavish devotion not just to Gary Moore, but also the likes of Ten Years After, Savoy Brown and Chicken Shack. While I admit that the miserable failure of my efforts to raise his game has been wounding, I take my hat off to him nonetheless for his staying power. It’s in his nature of course, having supported the Foxes for forty years and trod these mean streets in the service of the Post Office for over thirty; but the Blues would be nowhere without that sort of stamina and commitment, and this month’s column on the theme of “survivors” is respectfully dedicated him and his ilk. It will no doubt warm his heart to read that there’s new (old) product from Canned Heat. “The Boogie House Tapes (Vol. 3)”, a collection of outtakes and live cuts from the late 60’s / early 70’s on Ruf Records is primarily aimed at collectors and hard core fans, but that doesn’t stop it being a treasure trove of fine songs expertly delivered. For those who can’t get enough of “On the Road Again”, arguably one of the best songs in the blues rock catalogue there are both 5.24 and 13.23 versions here. If nothing else it’s a chance to reacquaint with a band which has overcome the premature demise of practically all of its early members to regroup under drummer-turned-frontman (survivor-in-chief) Fito de la Parra to remain an outstanding live attraction even today. Less celebrated is the name of Arthur Louis, in spite of his having issued his debut album (featuring the adolescent Mike Oldfield on bass) as early as 1974, and boasting a biography that includes genuine associations with Hendrix and Clapton. “Black Cat” was issued last year to coincide with his Italian tour, and acquaints a handful of new songs with favourites from his back catalogue. Jamaican-born and Brooklyn raised he’s unafraid to merge the laid back Caribbean rhythms of his birth land with a New York-driven energy on tracks such as “Too Many Lies” or the reggae-inspired title track, but overall his easily digestible voice and enthusiastic guitar playing tends towards the AOR, sometimes recalling a more energetic Robert Cray or Sherman Robertson, and at his best a latter-day Buddy Guy. Harmonica Hinds’ career dates back to membership of the Theresa’s Lounge House Band of early 70’s Chicago, alongside Junior Wells and Muddy Waters Jr., while the years since have seen him guesting on albums by Koko Taylor and others and playing live alongside Pinetop Perkins and Willie Dixon. The lo-fi styling of new release “Finally” bears full witness to his long residency in the Windy City where he still performs and whose past luminaries echo throughout this self written and produced collection. “Imelda”, for example, has a distinct air of John Lee about it, and there’s an unmistakable debt to Waters Snr. on “Don’t You Steal My Money”; six minute instrumental “Take Your Time” on the other hand is a more individual showcase for his instrument. The man sings and plays his accessible songs well enough and is ably backed by a four piece band featuring Eddie Taylor Jr. on guitar, and while there are no alarms and no surprises here there’s little to offend either. The largely acoustic “Jack Daniel Time” (Mudpuppy Records) is 84 year-old T-Model Ford’s first release since 2002’s “Bad Man”, and even more than before there’s a danger of holding his former association with Fat Possum against him. As one of their famous discoveries he will be forever compared with Messrs. Burnside and Kimborough, and his more traditional take on Delta sounds seen as tame by comparison to their backwoods voodoo punk. If you can avoid this misreading there’s a lot to be taken from T-Model’s limited recorded output, particularly the debut “Pee Wee Get My Gun”. When he toured the UK in 2007 however, reports of his shows were curiously mixed, suggesting that a blinding gig one night would be followed by a more subdued outing the next, and there are points on this recording from Red’s Lounge in Clarkesville (“Big Boss Man” and “Rock Me Baby” particularly) where he sounds to be flagging. It’s by no means a disaster, and picks up pace towards the end, although repeated listening at the right level of expectation is probably a prerequisite to making this a worthwhile acquisition. Whilst many find it hard to forgive his artistic faux pas in having had a chart hit in 1976 (with the regrettable “Fooled Around and Fell In Love”), Elvin Bishop will be properly recognised as Paul Butterfield’s closest collaborator, playing a crucial part in his band’s seminal and groundbreaking psychedelic blues of the mid-sixties. Now signed to the increasingly impressive Delta Groove label it comes as no surprise that for new release “The Blues Roll On” he has been able to assemble a massive cast of current blues glitterati in support, including Allman’s axemen Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes, Tommy Castro, George Thorogood, James Cotton and even B.B. King. Whilst not essentially a singer Bishop makes a credible job of “Strutting My Stuff” and the title track, while the unaccompanied “Oklahoma” is something of a standout. Elsewhere he wisely draws on the highly regarded vocal talents of John Nemeth and Angela Strehli (both of whom are on excellent form) and others. With a pedigree line-up like this, all pulling their weight, it’s hard to go wrong. If the venture seems at times a little worthy it remains a pleasing collection which, in selecting material from across his forty-year career, could be seen almost as a personal biography of the artist without resorting to the formulaic “anthology” approach. Also making his first appearance on Delta Groove is current Burden/War harmonica player Mitch Kashmar, found here “Live at Labatt”. Immaculately recorded at the 2007 festival in Edmonton by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation it showcases the mellow relaxed vocals and musicianship of an unsung hero who has himself been around since the early 1980’s. It would be surprising if his performance didn’t invite Charlie Musselwhite comparisons, but the pronounced jazz influence that abounds, particularly in Jimmy Calire’s piano playing and John Marx’s guitar, gives the overall sound a character of its own, never more so than on the gentle 9 minutes 27 seconds of Horace Silver’s “Song for my Father”. Enthusiastically endorsed in sleeve notes by label boss Randy Chortkoff, this is a record to be enjoyed at any time of the day, but perhaps best savoured in the small hours of the morning. Neil B. www.rufrecords.de www.arthurlouis.co.uk www.harmonicahinds.com www.mudpuppyrecordings.com http://deltagrooveproductions.com Next