BM ISSUE 151 July 2025

BLUES

BIG AL & THE HEAVYWEIGHTS DEAD DAISIES DEBBIE BOND MATTERS!

DK HARRELL EDUARD SHYFRIN LEDFOOT MARIA MULDAUR MOLLY TUTTLE NATHAN EAST

JULY 2025 151

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Chris Griffiths

LIVE REVIEW

SATCHVAI

Colin Campbell

Ian Potter

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall became

a temple to guitar mastery as

Steve Vai and Joe Satriani brought

their Surfing With The Hydra tour

to town. Looking like rock’s yin and

yang – Vai in all-black and Satriani

in red boots and shades – the pair

launched into a dazzling set of

fretboard fireworks.

This wasn’t just a shred fest.

Backed by Marco Mendoza (bass),

Kenny Aronoff (drums), and Pete

Thorn (rhythm guitar), the duo delivered

a thrilling mix of solo classics

and collaborative moments.

The opening track, I Wanna Play

My Guitar, set the tone – explosive

and melodic in equal measure.

Support came from Ned Evett,

whose fretless glass and titanium

guitars, creative looping, and

strong vocals won over the crowd.

Standout tracks included Mississippi

Ganges and Mars River Delta

2128, finishing with a bold cover of

Are You Experienced.

Surfing With The Hydra is more

than a tour – it’s a celebration

of everything great about guitar-driven

rock. Few dates remain

in the UK before the band heads

to Europe. Miss it and you’ll miss a

masterclass.

Despite decades of friendship, this

marks their first full tour together

as a band. Their chemistry was

effortless, built on mutual respect

and a deep love of the instrument.

Highlights included Vai’s soaring

For the Love of God, Satriani’s

Surfing With The Alien, and their

co-written epic The Sea of Emotion,

Part 1 – a standout for its

powerful interplay and emotion.

Vai’s performance on his Hydra

triple-neck guitar was jaw-dropping,

but the evening wasn’t all

showmanship. Beneath the flash

was heart, soul, and a rich blend of

influences – from Zappa and Crimson

to funk, blues, and beyond.

Their banter, mutual grins, and

shared solos showed two legends

still loving what they do. By the

encore – a thunderous Enter Sandman

and a gleeful Born to Be Wild

– the whole hall was on its feet,

fully immersed in the magic.


ROYAL CONCERT HALL | GLASGOW

ISSUE 151 : BLUESMATTERS.COM 7

New

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ALSO AVAILABLE ON STREAMING

BIG AL & THE H

BLUES P


EAVYWEIGHTS

OWER


Chatting with Big Al, a heavyweight drummer from New Orleans, the home of

so much spiritual and soulful music, is one of those rare pleasures that arrive

all too infrequently. Big Al – Al Lauro – is one of the rare blues musicians who

leads a forceful, demanding band from his place at the back on drums.

Iain Patience

Supplied

When I mention the unusual nature of drummers leading

bands, Al laughs, agrees, shakes his head, and tells me:

“Well, Levon [Helm, The Band] was one, and Buddy Miles.

With my band, I’m really the last original member and I’ve

just kept it going!”

With a new album just released, the aptly named Blues

Power kicks off with an absolute bumper track, “Big

Freight Train.” Mentioning this hugely successful, commanding

opener, Al laughs and explains the idea behind

the track:

“We wrote that in honour of Pigpen – you know, that was

from a long time ago. Jerry Garcia used to call him the

‘little freight train.’ So that’s what that opening track is

really all about – in the spirit of Pigpen.”

Pigpen, of course, was the original frontman with legendary

US band the Grateful Dead. Though he died very

young, in his mid-twenties, he remains a potent memory

of an era when the Bay Area was booming musically.

Big Al & The Heavyweights currently comprises Al on

drums, Marcel Anton on vocals and guitar, Dennis ‘The

Menace’ Cedeno from Brooklyn, and Dangerous Dale

Robertson on harp. Visitors and guests have included

blues greats like Jason Ricci and Luther Dickinson of the

North Mississippi Allstars – both big names happy to lend

a hand at times.

This crossover music pretty much reflects Al’s own musical

roots, interests, and outlook – incorporating a variety

of blues, soul, bayou, and Southern influences that are

invariably soulful and deeply rooted. Surprisingly, he also

played many years ago with Nashville legend David Allan

Coe. Coe is one of those genuinely rare artists who, while

being an integral part of the then-burgeoning Tennessee

music culture that gave us the likes of Guy Clark, Waylon

Jennings, Steve Earle, and John Hiatt, never quite seemed

to catch the fame bandwagon. Perhaps partly because he

took a less-travelled musical road. Al certainly believes

this may have played a part:

“We toured in England with David Allan Coe back in

around 1986, I believe. It was us and Steve Young – he

wrote for the Eagles and Waylon. We toured then with a

band called Spirit, from that era.”

It’s also of note that Al worked in a band with one of

modern blues music’s favourite pickers, Warren Haynes.

When I mention the connection, Al is quick to explain its

unexpected genesis:

“Me and Warren both worked for David Allan Coe. That’s

how we actually met, and we loved blues and roots music

and stuff. So, me and Warren, we decided to put together

a little band called the Unknown Blues Band, to sort

of play on the side. Of course, he came from more of a

Southern rock background, and he’d played with a band

from Asheville, North Carolina. And of course, me being

from South Louisiana, it all morphed into a Southern soul

music affair, with zydeco and blues.”

“Warren loved that music, so when we put those two

combinations together – that’s like my whole musical

career reflected in those genres. Zydeco is the only genre

that’s not recognised by the Academy [Grammys]. It’s

recognised in the roots music world; and Terrance Simien

won a Grammy for zydeco. So he became possibly the

most widely recognised for that kind of work.”

Recently, Al and the Heavyweights lost one of their core

members, with the death of keyboard master Wayne Lohr

– a loss that had a severe impact on Al and the band:

“Wayne Lohr, he’d been with me for fifteen years. Some

marriages don’t last fifteen years. But some people you

play with – he was just a great guy. I miss him every day,

and honestly, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to keep going after

he passed. It was very hard. And when he passed, the

bass player – his old best friend – retired from the road.

There was me and Marcel, and we thought, what are we

gonna do now?!”

“We rehearsed keyboard players, but I didn’t really like

any of them. The whole thing about Wayne was, he had

just an incredible voice! His voice was fabulous – just

amazing. Marcel is also a very good singer.”

Looking back over his varied career, Al smiles and laughs

when confirming how long he’s been a musician:

“I’ve been on the road for thirty-five years now! A few

weeks ago, I was in Lovell, Kentucky, at Stevie Ray’s Blues

Bar, and there was a poster there from 1995. I looked at it

and thought, ‘Oh, my! Thirty years already gone!’”

“We rehearsed keyboard

players, but I didn’t really

like any of them”


When I suggest it can’t be easy keeping a band afloat

and working on the road for that length of time, Al again

laughs before quipping:

“Yeah, it sure is. I think I should maybe be a star by now,

don’t you?”

“Bad relationships! Well, not always. But if you listen to

the new record, a lot of it is about things of that nature,

let’s say! Just listen to the song ‘Wasted So Much Time

With You’ – and I’d be lying if I told you those relationships

don’t have a part to play in it all!”

As for his writing process, Al says he plays a little bit of

guitar but adds:

“It doesn’t start with that guitar stuff. For me, it starts

with words. Usually, the lyrics come first – or maybe I

hear a song or a group that I really like, and it makes me

think, you know what, I’m gonna write a song that has

that feel, that vibe.”

As we close, Al reflects on his early influences:

“I was living here in New Orleans – that’s where I was

born – and we lived next to the fairground, where the

Jazz Fest took place. So I could hear the music and

everything, and we’d go to Mardi Gras parades where

you’d hear it all. And I always especially liked the drums!

It was just such a strong sound, the band marching down

the street. That really motivated me.”

“It’s a very tough business, of course. I like to think I’m

consistent – I’ve been around for a very long time. But

in my view, I’ve never really achieved the spot where I

wanted to be, or felt like I maybe deserve to be, for whatever

reason. But I look at it like this – we’re sort of the

blue-collar band, in a way.”

Despite Al’s quietly unassuming self-deprecation, awards

have flowed – and he is clearly particularly proud of one

from a true home of blues music:

“The Alabama Blues Music Hall of Fame was a great thing

to be awarded. I’ve played in Alabama for many, many

years, and I’ve done many functions and the like for the

blues society there – and they’re big supporters of us, of

Big Al & The Heavyweights.”

“We’ve often played the WC Handy Festival at Muscle

Shoals, Alabama. And it’s usually all musicians from Alabama

– a great group of talented, road-worn artists who

know the business inside out! It’s hard to believe just how

many truly great, great musicians actually come from that

state.”

Now signed with Vizztone Records – a true blues-focused

US label run by Richard Rosenblatt, himself a working

blues musician – Big Al & The Heavyweights are in safe

hands going forward, as Al acknowledges contentedly:

“It’s a great adventure really, and Rosie is a musician, so

he understands what we need and how it all ticks along.”

“I’d be lying if I told you

those relationships don’t

have a part to play in it all”

“When I was pretty young, a guy moved in across the

street from my mother. He was from Walnut Creek,

California, and he had a record by the Allman Brothers,

and some records by Muddy Waters. And being from

New Orleans and that area, I just hadn’t heard those guys

then.”

“It was more like Tex-Mex and Otis Redding, jazz and

stuff like that, I’d been hearing. But he said, ‘Here, listen

to these guys.’ And, man, I’d never heard nothing like that.

So I went out and bought Eat a Peach. Then he introduced

me to Muddy Waters’ album Trouble No More. So I went

and got that record, started listening – it was like a progression.”

“I’d never heard anybody play slide guitar like that – like

Muddy and Duane! I’d never heard it played like Big Eyes

Smith, or harmonica like James Cotton. Then Paul Butterfield

– it was all new and it just floored me! It made a

lasting impression. It changed my life! And I’m enthusiastic

about it all even when I talk about it to this day. It just

meant so much to me.”

Again, Al’s easy laugh chimes when I ask about inspiration

for songwriting:

EXPLORE



SOUL.

STYLE.

MULDAUR.

For over five decades, Maria Muldaur has been a vital and vibrant presence in American roots music,

weaving her distinctive voice through blues, folk, jazz, and gospel with effortless grace. Her deep

love for early blues and jug band traditions has fuelled a career rich in authenticity and soul. In this

exclusive interview, she talks about her musical journey, her passion for preserving the blues, and the

legendary artists who’ve inspired her along the way.

Colin Campbell

Alan Mercer

A Life Drawn to Music

“I just always was drawn to music from a very young age,”

says Maria Muldaur, reflecting on her lifelong passion.

Speaking to Blues Matters during a heartfelt and informative

interview, the legendary singer discussed her world

of blues and roots music – a path that began with cowboy

songs and eventually led to her 44th album, a tribute to

classic blues queen Victoria Spivey.

Muldaur recalls being five years old and enchanted by the

voices of Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, and Hank Thompson,

thanks to an aunt who introduced her to country and

western music. “I was singing ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made

Honky Tonk Angels’ at age five,” she laughs.

Soon, her tastes expanded into the vibrant early rock and

roll scene, featuring the likes of Muddy Waters and James

Cotton. “I always loved music and dancing; it just gave

me great pleasure.” By junior high, she had formed her

first all-girl a cappella doo-wop group, continuing in high

school. But just as commercial pop began to dilute the

raw power of early rock and R&B, Muldaur was drawn to

something deeper.

“I noticed there was a scene emerging in Greenwich

Village – what they now call the folk revival of the early

‘60s,” she explains. It was here she encountered the rich

tapestry of American roots music: Appalachian ballads,

gospel, protest songs, and the blues. “It wasn’t a conscious

decision. It was like being drawn by a magnet.”

A Blues Queen’s Blessing

Muldaur’s musical path changed when she joined the

Even Dozen Jug Band, thanks in part to a suggestion from

blues legend Victoria Spivey. “She told my friends, ‘You

guys need some sex appeal – get that little gal who plays

the fiddle and sings.’ So they asked me to join, and I did.”

Spivey, a pioneering artist who ran her own record label,

took Muldaur under her wing, playing her old 78s of

Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie. “She gave me a lot

of pointers and said, ‘It’s not enough to sound good, you


have to look good. That’s what they call stage presence.’

She must have seen something in me!”

One Hour Mama:

A Tribute Album Full of Soul

Muldaur’s new release is more than just a collection of

songs – it’s a full-circle tribute to the woman who helped

launch her career. “I had already recorded three of Victoria’s

songs back in 2006,” she notes, referring to One

Hour Mama, Handyman, and T.B. Blues, recorded with

the late James Dapogny and his vintage jazz ensemble.

For the rest of the album, Muldaur curated a

collection of Spivey tunes, each chosen to honour

the authenticity and playful spirit of the blues

matriarch. Two tracks – Organ Grinder and Funny

Feathers – were recorded in New Orleans with Tuba

Skinny, a young street band that reveres early jazz

and blues styles. “They just nailed it,” says Muldaur, who

had previously collaborated with them on her album

Let’s Get Happy Together.

Back in the Bay Area, she assembled a local ensemble

that included members of the California Honeydrops

and a remarkable young pianist who, in her words, “is

channelling Fats Waller.” The project was a labour of love,

grounded in history but bursting with vitality.

Keeping the Flame Alive

True to the spirit of Victoria Spivey, Muldaur

wanted the album to reflect not only great music

but also a sense of fun and charisma. Two

standout duets – one with Taj Mahal and

another with Elvin Bishop – pay homage

to Spivey’s partnership with guitarist

Lonnie Johnson.

“They recorded some very funny,

tongue-in-cheek duets, so I picked

a couple in that style and brought

in Taj and Elvin to help bring

them to life.”

At 44 albums in and

counting, Maria Muldaur

remains as enthusiastic

and purposeful as ever.

Her dedication to the

blues and to honouring

the voices that came

before her is unwavering.

“It’s just something I was

always drawn to. It gave

me great pleasure then,

and it still does.”


stuff and make all eyes be on you.” The line appears in her

new album’s liner notes.

“I’ve never thought of this as a career. That word only

came into my vocabulary recently. It’s a journey. If you’re

doing it to get rich and famous, you’re in the wrong

business. But if you do it because you love it, and because

you know the sacred job of a musician is to uplift people’s

spirits, then you can do it for a lifetime.”

Singing the Stories That Matter

The track What Makes You Act Like That?, a duet with

Elvin Bishop, is a highlight. Originally recorded by Lonnie

Johnson, Maria enlisted long-time collaborator and master

guitarist Danny Caron. “All that fancy guitar picking

you hear – that’s note-for-note what Lonnie played on

the original,” she says.

Pianist Chris Burns, who has worked with Maria for

over 36 years, lends his soulful playing to Don’t Love No

Married Man, a Spivey original. The track also features

Johnny Bowens of the California Honeydrops on saxophone

– a personal favourite of Maria’s.

Playing With Taj: Blues With a Wink and a Smile

Another standout track is the rollicking duet Gotta Have

What It Takes with Taj Mahal. “I’ve known Taj since 1962.

We’re pals, and we’ve collaborated before. He’s just so

much fun to do duets with.” Their chemistry recalls vintage

blues duos like Butterbeans and Susie. “There’s this

great back-and-forth repartee – tongue-in-cheek, a little

risqué, but always clever and comical.”

Live performances of the track are already in the works.

“I’m going on a blues cruise with Taj this autumn, and

Danny Caron will be there too – so we’ll definitely do

it.”

Singing With Soul

For Maria, early blues’ frank but playful approach to

sexuality is part of its charm. “It was healthy, cheeky –

and decades before women’s liberation, these women

were singing about what they expected in their lovers,

both in behaviour and, let’s say, stamina!”

Songs like Don’t You Feel My Leg, which she first

recorded on Dr. John’s advice, still garner as many

requests as Midnight at the Oasis. “People love these

songs. They’re still fresh and funny and real.”

The Evolution of the Blues

“Here in America – and worldwide – there’s more blues

than ever: more festivals, more labels, more bands. And

this is music that wasn’t created for commercial success.

It was created from the heart, to express real life. Who

thought Victoria Spivey’s songs would still be turning

heads a hundred years later? But they do!”

A Groove and a Connection

“For a song to work, it has to be both personal and

universal,” Maria says. “There’s a magical alchemy that

happens in a great blues song. A person can express their

pain – and in doing so, tap into yours. By the end, there’s a

healing that happens.”

One example she offers is Trouble in Mind: “I’m blue, but I

won’t be blue always.” She performed the song with Willie

Nelson and Leon Russell – a clip she highly recommends.

Memphis Minnie’s Timeless Fire

In 2012, Maria recorded First Came Memphis Minnie,

inviting Bonnie Raitt, Ruthie Foster, Phoebe Snow and

others to reinterpret Minnie’s work.

She’s also championed rising artists like Candice Ivory,

whose Charlie Hunter-produced Memphis Minnie tribute

offers a modern, raw take. “Minnie’s songs are just that

good – over a hundred years later, they still feel fresh. Because

they’re about heartbreak, survival, strength – and

those don’t go out of style.”

Still a Vital Voice

After 44 albums and countless performances, Maria

Muldaur remains a guiding light in the world of blues. She

doesn’t chase trends – she sets her own.

Her latest release, One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria

Spivey, is available from Nola Blue Records on July 11th.

For more information, visit: mariamuldaur.com

Wisdom From the Legends

When asked about the best advice she ever received, Maria

quotes Victoria Spivey: “Get up there and strut your

EXPLORE


The British Blues Influence

When the Blues Got Louder,

Stranger… and Even More Fun

In this month’s article, Justin Sandercoe reflects

on how the Blues evolved through the 70s

By now, you’ve probably felt

how deep the Blues runs. But

in Unit 4, we’re not just feeling the

Blues—we’re watching it evolve!

The 1970s were a wild time for the

genre. The traditional Blues sound

didn’t disappear—but it did get

stretched, twisted, electrified, and

occasionally dipped in funk. This

unit is all about that evolution—

how the Blues went global,

collided with Rock, Soul, and R&B,

and survived through a new

generation of masters.

We start with the British

Blues Invasion, where

young guns like Clapton,

Beck, and the Stones gave

their heartfelt (and loud)

take on the Blues, then

sent it right back across the

Atlantic. It’s raw, exciting, and

packed with juicy licks to steal.

Then we dive into the ’70s Blues

masters—Roy Buchanan, Buddy

Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Winter—

artists who kept the Blues alive,

each in their own unique way. It’s

Blues with new edges, strange

twists, and a whole lot of soul.

And finally, we follow the Blues as

it morphs into full-blown Rock.

From Duane Allman’s furious slide

to Angus Young’s smirking solos

and Jimmy Page’s wild phrasing,

you’ll hear how deeply rooted in

the Blues these Rock icons really

were. The form changed, but the

feel? Still there.

The Guitar Side:

Welcome to Pattern 4

This unit introduces Pattern 4

of the Minor Pentatonic. It fits

beautifully over the R5 Barre

Minor chord shape and opens new

doors up the neck.

If you’re already familiar with

Pattern 1, this one will feel like a

familiar cousin—especially once you

apply the classic “B String Up A Fret”

rule. Some of your old licks will work

here too… with a twist. String 2 will

keep you on your toes, and you’ll

find yourself adapting fingerings as

you go. That’s part of the fun!

It’s a great moment to pause and

reflect: how far you’ve come, how

much you now know—and how

sometimes, that’s when the real

questions begin…

So… What Should I Play?

As your Blues vocabulary grows,

you’ll probably hit a surprising

wall: too many licks, too many

ideas—and no clue where to start.

That’s when the idea of a thread

comes in handy.

A thread is a simple concept that

helps you *connect* licks and

ideas—like repeating a rhythm,

sticking to one string, using only

slides, or even “playing” words in

your head. Some days, inspiration

will flow naturally. Other days, the

thread is your backup plan.

This isn’t about showing off

everything you know. It’s about

creating something meaningful—

following a thread until the music

starts to play itself.

So whether you’re practicing a

lick backwards, improvising with

one finger, or pretending a string

is broken—stay curious. Keep

exploring. That’s how Blues

stays alive.

Ready for More?

Class 3 is starting now with hundreds

of students—but you can join the

waitlist for Blues Immersion: Class 4,

opening in December 2025. Each class

is a guided deep dive into a different

corner of the Blues—and Unit 4 might

just be the most exciting yet.

BLUES

IMMERSION


TALKIN’

HEAVY

WITH DK HARRELL

Emerging as one of the brightest young stars in the contemporary blues scene,

DK Harrell brings a fresh yet deeply rooted sound that honours the genre’s rich

tradition while pushing it forward.

Colin Campbell

Laura Carbone

Hailing from Ruston, Louisiana, Harrell has quickly gained

attention for his soulful voice, expressive guitar playing,

and commanding stage presence. In this exclusive

interview, he sits down with Blues Matters to reflect on

his musical journey, the legacy of the blues, and how he’s

carving out his own path in a genre shaped by legends

and his new release, Talkin’ Heavy.

Fresh from a rousing set at San Diego’s Gator by the

Bay Festival, guitarist and vocalist DK Harrell is turning

heads with his old-school flair and deep-rooted passion

for the blues. “People enjoyed us, we got them dancing

and feeling good,” Harrell smiles, still riding the high of a

successful performance.

A CHILDHOOD IMMERSED

IN SOUND

Harrell’s musical journey began before he could walk.

“From what my family tells me; I was always listening to

music. If it wasn’t Ray Charles, it was B.B. King. If it wasn’t

B.B., it was James Brown. It was so cool to see someone

get on stage and dance, rock a piano, or lead a big band.

That’s what inspired me.”

FROM HARMONICA

TO LUCILLE

Surprisingly, Harrell’s first instrument wasn’t guitar but

harmonica, inspired by Little Walter in the film Cadillac

Records. “I got bored with it as a teenager and moved on

to guitar, my guitar was out of tune for about two years,

I’m glad I didn’t play in public back then.” But everything

changed with his first gig at the B.B. King Symposium in

Indianola, Mississippi, in 2019. “For a first gig, I got to play

Lucille. It was unreal. And I made $200 which is way more

than most musicians make their first time out.”

LEARNING TO LEAD

“From 2019 to 2022, I was nervous. I hoped people liked

me, but I was still learning how to lead a band. You must

understand the dynamics, the flow of a show. It’s not just

about playing; it’s about putting on a performance. By

winter of 2023, I finally felt confident. I could say, ‘This is

what I do, and I know what I’m doing.’”

THE PUSH TO PROVE

THEM WRONG

Oddly enough, the best advice Harrell received wasn’t

advice at all. “Someone told me I wasn’t fit to be a

bandleader. It crushed me at first. But it gave me the drive

to prove them wrong.” The blues chose him as much as

he chose it. “My grandfather, C.H. Jackson, always played

blues records around me, it was a part of my life from the

beginning.”

While other kids were nodding along to rap beats or

Beyoncé’s chart-toppers, DK Harrell was caught by something

else entirely, the soul-deep tug of the blues. “My

cousins, who were like my sisters, were listening to all of

that, but it was something about the rhythm, the beat, the

lyrics, it made me fall in love.” His defining moment came

watching Lightning in a Bottle, the 2004 documentary-concert

film. “Ruth Brown said the blues was the only

music where a man could cry and be respected for it, that

changed everything for me.”


BORN TO FEEL

“I’m emotional. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I try to be

open with people. There’s no other genre that lets you

do that like the blues.” Even when peers teased him for

his taste, calling blues “boring” or “too sad” he stayed the

course. “I’m stubborn,” he admits. “I knew what I liked,

and I wasn’t going to change that.” Fast forward to today,

and the same peers who once mocked him are now fans.

“Some come to shows and say, ‘I don’t usually like blues,

but your music changed my mind.’” One young festival

worker told him flat-out: “You made a believer out of me.”

BLUES WITHOUT BORDERS

Harrell sees his role as more than just performer, he’s a

cultural bridge, carrying blues into younger generations

and new geographies. “We’ve had the youngest, most

passionate crowds in Europe, Spain especially. Folks in

their 20’s telling me they love Muddy Waters and Big Joe

Williams, that’s amazing.”

FROM CLUBS TO FESTIVALS

At Switzerland’s famed Marian’s Jazz Room, during a fivenight

residency, the crowd started off reserved. “They

told us the Swiss were a tough crowd. But by the end of

each show, we had them on their feet. The club owner

kept telling us, ‘Too loud. Turn it down.’ Every night!” Harrell

laughs. “But even he admitted, by the end, that the

performance and energy were great. He just wasn’t used

to that Chicago foot-stomping, big-bad blues.”

SETTING THE STAGE:

BUILDING A LIVE SETLIST

“I asked my godfather, Mr. Sipp, for help on setlists. He

told me to start with two or three up-tempo songs to grab

attention, then bring it down, and ebb and flow between

fast and slow. It’s about pacing, you get people dancing,

then give them a breather with a slow song, pick it back

up once or twice, and then close strong. All my songs

tackle different subjects, I want every listener to feel

something new with each track.”

FROM INSPIRATION TO

LYRICS: DK’S SONGWRIT-

ING APPROACH

Unlike many guitarist-songwriters who begin with

chords, Harrell’s process is lyric-first. “I can’t sit and say,

‘Okay, this is a C, then G7, then F minor.’ I hear melodies

in my head and write the words around them. Leave It at

the Door,” began simply as a catchy phrase.” In the studio

with Rick Estrin and Kid Andersen, he refined the lyrics

to match his “teddy bear” stage persona. “They weren’t

saying the song was bad, just that it didn’t fit my image.

We cleaned it up and got a great track in the end.”

RECORDING TALKING

HEAVY ENGINEERING

WITH KID ANDERSEN

Harrell credits engineer-producer Kid Andersen for

translating his vision into studio magic. “Kid hears the

story behind each song,”

On his latest record, Harrell digs into personal history

with the song, Liquor Stores and Legs Inspired by

childhood curfews, the song title comes from his grandmother’s

warning: “The only things open late are liquor

stores and legs—and I won’t have drunk grandbabies. We

were bad kids,” he laughs. Today, the song reclaims that

youthful defiance: “Now I’m grown, I can get drunk, chase

ladies, and have fun—grandma, you missed out on life’s

best parts.”

No Thanks to You:

The narrative is stark: unreturned calls, absence during

hardship, and then sudden pride when Harrell found

success. “I was crying during the fifth take,” Harrell

admits. “Kid hit every emotional mark. It’s about a child

deserving unconditional parental love, and when it never

arrived, saying ‘No thanks to you,’ reclaiming my own

worth.” In fact, Harrell recently severed ties with his father,

citing “negativity and a lack of genuine effort.” Yet,

he insists: “I love my father, but I dislike his character. If

he worked on himself, maybe we’d have a relationship.”

That tension fuels the album’s emotional core.

Talkin’ Heavy:

“Some people call it a political song,” he admits, “but it’s

not about bashing politicians. It’s showing the reality that

everyday people see. You can’t say you’re ‘for the people’

when most of your decisions benefit only a few. Leaders

should make decisions that benefit 80 to 90 percent of

people. That’s the human side I want to show.”


Vibe With Me:

“My generation probably smokes more weed than any

other since Woodstock,” he laughs. “So, I wanted to mix

that with romance. Because, I mean, what’s better than

being treated affectionately… and being high? It’s a feelgood

summer jam,” he says with a grin. “A love song for

this generation.”

Grown Now:

“It’s not about age,” Harrell clarifies. “It’s about responsibility

and handling your business. You’re gonna be broke,

hungry, jobless, but it’s going to get better. As long as

you’re making the effort to be better, it will get better.”

What Real Men Do:

“I’ve dated women who just didn’t like

being treated right,” he says. “Then

they’d go through heartbreak after

heartbreak and come back years

later saying, ‘You were the nice

guy. I should’ve stuck around. I

know women who are nurses,

have their own cars and homes

but their boyfriends have no

job, don’t cook, don’t help with

kids. What does he bring to the

table? I wanted to say what a lot

of women are too proud to admit

that they do want love, care, and real

connection. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I’m hoping that open-minded people accept it, because it

is very different, in my opinion. It’s not the typical 12-bar

blues. It’s not slow blues all the time. There’s a little bit

of everything in it. The theme of the album is that It’s a

display of humanity and of culture.”

PREACHING THE

BLUES GOSPEL

“If you’re not familiar with blues, or you know someone

who isn’t, make every effort to get them to try it. Be open.

Give it a chance. There are so many different styles, and

it doesn’t have to be just one sound. The best way to experience

it? Not just by listening to records, go to the live

shows.” DK Harrell’s message is simple but urgent: the

blues is still alive, still evolving, and still speaking truths

worth hearing. With artists like him at the helm, it’s in

very capable hands.

EXPLORE


COLIN &

ROBBIE

IN THE

US OF A

PART 2: MISSISSIPPI MUSINGS

“What are you doing next week?”

“Not much,” says I...

Welcome to a special three-part series capturing an unforgettable journey through the American South,

taken by photographer and writer Colin Campbell alongside blues musician Robbie Reay. Over the next

three issues, we’ll follow their week-long adventure from Memphis to Clarksdale and beyond, exploring

legendary venues, meeting blues icons, and tracing the roots of the music that continues to shape the

world. Packed with colour, culture and unexpected encounters, this story is a heartfelt homage to the

spirit of the blues and the people who keep it alive.

DAYS 3 & 4 – BEALE STREET TO THE DELTA

After a late night soaking up southern hospitality, Day

3 saw us heading back to where it all began for so many

blues legends: Beale Street, Memphis. Robbie had the

honour of playing the New Daisy Theatre, one of those

iconic venues steeped in music history. With Memphis

James leading the way and the hat being passed around,

the spirit of the blues felt very much alive. Robbie’s rendition

of Jeckyl Can’t Hide was a fitting tribute to the greats

who had graced that same stage. An invitation well worth

accepting.

Day 4 began with a move across the yard to Shack 482,

but not before a coffee-fuelled stroll across the tracks.

Breakfast came courtesy of the wonderfully welcoming

Bluesberry Café, where Arthur “Art” Crivaro served up

hearty food and good vibes while Massimo Bevilacqua,

an Italian student of Stefan Grossman, provided the early

morning blues. Then, as if scripted, in walked Watermelon

Slim. Cutlery was nearly dropped, jaws certainly were.

The vibe intensified later when Robbie was invited to play

that evening with Massimo. It was one of those sets that

Lunch was a more relaxed affair at Ghost River Brewing

Co., just a short stroll from the action. Then it was time to

pay homage to W.C. Handy, the Father of the Blues himself,

with a short porch performance outside his former

home.

Refuelled and re-inspired, we headed south once again

on the legendary Highway 61, rolling into Clarksdale as

the sun dipped low. Our bed for the night? The rustic and

eccentric Shack Up Inn, where we checked into the Sunset

Shack. The experience was part time travel, part living

museum. With a freight train rumbling by in the distance

and cotton fields stretching out to the horizon, it was as if

the Delta itself was breathing the blues.

Naturally, a performance or two followed. Robbie played

to the train, jammed in the fields, and traded licks at

Ground Zero Blues Club, joined by the brilliant Lady Adrina

for a spine-tingling version of Sing the Blues, followed

by an impromptu interview. As always, the people made

the night: warm, generous, and ready for the music.


just worked. No rehearsals, no notes, just two musicians locked in

and letting the music speak. With Art on percussion and Watermelon

Slim jumping in on harmonica, the set became something

unforgettable.

And as if that were not enough generosity for one day, Art noticed

Robbie was missing his cigar box guitar and promptly lent him one

from his own collection for the rest of the tour. It is gestures like

that that make you fall in love with the blues community all over

again.

With cigar box in hand, we headed south again to pay our respects

at Robert Johnson’s grave, just as the skies opened up in dramatic

Delta fashion. Dockery Plantation and the real crossroads were

our next stops, where the legend of Johnson lingers like the thunderclouds

that chased us down the highway.

We closed the day at the Auberge Clarksdale Hostel, catching

Big A. Sherrod & the All-Stars (featuring Heather Crosse and Lee

Williams) tearing through Don’t You Lie To Me. We even caught up

with Omar Gordon for a roadside chat, another bright talent in a

town overflowing with them.

Then it was back to Shack 482 to rest up for whatever magic Day 5

might bring. Check out the video (right) for live music and more...


“I AM ONE MUSICIAN AWAY FROM

ROBERT JOHNSON WITH JOHNNY

SHINES AS MY FIRST MENTOR FOR

THE LAST DECADE OF HIS LIFE”


IT’S A

LOVE THING

DEBBIE BOND

If you were looking for an artist who captures the essential soul and the musical

vibe of Southern Blues, your search could start, and end, with Debbie Bond. She embodies

the entire spirit of the blues, in her guitar playing, which is always sweet and

soulful, and her wonderful voice, which tells her stories with passion and verve.

Andy Hughes

Robert Sutton

In a male-dominated industry, it’s always a real

pleasure to find a woman who has forged a reputation

based on her ability to do anything a man can do, and

very often do it better. That’s a spirit and an ethos

we applaud and support here at BM Towers, so it was

a great pleasure for BM’s Andy Hughes to get the

background story on this previous pearl of Southern

Blues, starting with the ignition of the fire that lit her

interest in blues music.

“Interestingly, it was in 1967, in Sierra Leone West

Africa, that I first heard American blues and soul - the

African diaspora reverberating back and forth! I had

no idea when I heard Wison Picket’s “Midnight Hour”

that he was born in Alabama and recorded in Muscle

Shoals, Alabama. I had no idea of the iconic recording

legacy of this part of Alabama and that I would eventually

record there myself.”

“I then had an acoustic guitar and did my first performance

on Sierra Leone TV. Since there was only one

station in the whole country at the time, I had my first

and last taste of major national fame! “

“I was in my first band in Brighton in the mid-70s,

playing bluesy R&B and singing background vocals.

Around that time, I also got to see Bonnie Raitt, BB

King, Johnny Guitar Watson and completely fell in

love with American music. It wasn’t until I ran away

from home back to the US, age 22, that I ended finding

Johnny Shines here in Alabama and began to get a

real blues education, alongside raw, real-deal blues

men and women. More than forty years later I remain

entrenched in this amazing Alabama blues culture.”

Regular readers, and musicians, will know that often,

an interest in the guitar starts because there is one, or

more, around the house, and the interest that is going

to grow into a talent, and then into a career, is first

brought forward from hearing a guitar played, followed

by the urge to see how it actually feels to make

those sounds. Debbie is no exception to that tried and

trusted rule.

“I came from a musical family. There was always a

piano in the house, my mother played and sang. My

grandmother (on my father’s side) was a wild one in

the 1930’s who travelled all over the US singing, and

she even did a stint in Mexico. Meanwhile, my mother

was studying voice when she met my father in seminary.

Yes, I am a daughter of a preacher man who left

when I was 11. Probably this was my first case of the

broken-hearted betrayal blues! “

“Around then I saw a young woman playing guitar

and singing in a campsite, and was mesmerized and

determined to somehow learn to do that. Soon after,

my mother fulfilled my dream and bought me my first

guitar to keep me occupied while she worked that

summer. Serendipitously, a young American woman,

daughter of a family friend, came to live with us to

help take care of my brothers and I. She was proficient

at harmonica, guitar and singing and gave me lessons.

I dug in deep that summer and haven’t stopped

since! Music was certainly a healer and comforting

companion in good and hard times.”

Debbie’s own passion for blues has been forged in a

furnace of blues legends, she has worked with many

of the best, and been influenced by many more. It’s

tricky to pick one, but no harm in asking anyway! And

Debbie is up to the challenge, after a short time to

think about it.

“I have been truly blessed to have a life that has been

steeped in deep traditional blues. Lord, I am one musician

away from Robert Johnson with Johnny Shines

as my first mentor for the last decade of his life. Then


came Little Whitt and Big Bo, a duo that I toured Europe

with in 1995 after Johnny Shines passed away in 1992.

Eddie Kirkland came next when I was invited to do a State

Arts Council Apprenticeship with him and continued to

work with him over the years until he passed away. I was

a very shy young blues player but my love and urge to

play the blues has been so strong. I couldn’t have planned

these blues adventures. All these musicians were huge

influences.”

“Then there was the late great Willie King. Willie King

had the biggest impact on me as an artist. We were

friends and I also worked with him for a couple of decades

after Johnny Shines passed away. We met at Johny

Shines’ funeral. Later, I became the second guitar player

in his band, The Liberators, and we played juke joints,

back woods get-togethers, festivals in Mississippi and

Alabama and toured Europe with him three times. “

“Willie was a great improvisor and groove meister.

He preached the message of blues as a healer and its

transformative power. He saw “the juke joint” as sacred

ground where people come together to exorcise the

challenges of life through a shared experience – grooving

and dancing together and expressing our common humanity.

He preached and practiced ‘one love energy’. He

felt the blues was sent down to bring people together. If

you think about what black people have been through in

this here USA, past and present, the blues helped people

get through the travesty, terror and tragedy of Jim Crow

segregation and violence, and continued institutional racism.

Willie preached the blues was for everyone (as did

Johnny Shines) and he was on a mission to all bring folks

of all backgrounds together. Blues power. I loved Willie so

much. His blues was a love thing. He was a civil rights and

social justice person. They called him the Bob Marley of

the blues for this reason. I wouldn’t trade anything for my

time with him. He always taught me that it was our job as

blues musicians to take the spirit of the juke joint to every

stage, big or small. Because of this I usually kick off my

shows with a Willie King song! “

“I have mentioned these important male blues musicians

I worked with. I have also backed many blues women –

Shar Baby, Elenor Spencer, Sweet Claudette and loads


with Caroline Shines, Johnny Shines’

daughter. We are about to tour in

France together – that’s another

dream come true!”

Guitars. Sometimes they are just the

tools of the trade, sometimes they are

like inanimate children, to be loved

and looked after throughout their

lives. Debbie is a fervent member of

the ‘family’ approach to her instruments,

as she explains.

“I only have two guitars, both American

made Telecasters and both with

rosewood necks. They are my babies.

I am in love with them. One I have had

for over forty years. The other for

around twenty years. Together with

my vintage Princeton Amp - this is the

recipe that makes my sound, my tone.

No, they are not just tools of the trade.

They are my babies – my attachment

is beyond words.”

Debbie is fortunate to be able to avoid

the long weeks and months on the

road away from her nearest and dearest,

she works and plays right alongside

her husband, British keyboard,

and harmonica maestro ‘Radiator’

Rick Asherson. So how did the two

come together?

“This is another serendipitous story.

We met through Willie King. Willie

and I had been friends for years, doing

gigs and blues in the schools when

we could. He called me up one day

in 2002, not long after his Freedom

Creek Blues Festival, and said he had

a “Brit guy staying with him I needed

to meet!” I said “please put him on

the phone!” In the first conversation

we found out we were both at Sussex

University at the same time, 1976,

and had friends in common. We soon

moved in together and were married

on Freedom Creek the following year.

Willie King was our master of ceremonies

and we had our reception in

a local juke joint. Here we are twenty-three

years later still loving traveling

the blues highways and making

music together.”

Now as any married readers will know,

a relationship of any length doesn’t

just happen without occasional bumps

in the road. But when you are together

24/7, and have to fall out and make

up while keeping the proverbial show

on the road, the standard problems

are multiplied several times. But also,

so are the pleasures, as Debbie is keen

to point out, with a very big smile on

her face as she does so.

“I wouldn’t trade this kind of collaborative

love and life partnership for

anything. This is my second go-round

with being married to a musician!

Dang, I couldn’t, and wouldn’t, pursue

a life in music any other way. Rick

plays keys, keyboard bass, harmonica

and sings. We got half the band under

the same roof! “

“Our mixture of skills works so well

together and create a cool division

of labour. Our personalities are very

different and we balance each other

out. Fire and water, yin and yang. This

of course also can make for some

interesting friction that results in

challenging growth and lots of magic!

I would find this musician life hard if I

was alone and had to leave my loved

one behind. We both LOVE being

on the road and then the contrast

of being home together. It’s all an

amazing adventure. Of course, this life

can be hard too, stressful, painful and

challenging on the deepest level. But

I have my best friend and collaborator

with me most all the time to help

each other muddle through. I feel so

very blessed to have this partnership.

He never ceases to amazing me. In

the last couple of years Rick is really

seriously getting into sound. I am NOT

a technology person. His passion for

this area has meant we were able

self-produce our latest CD and will we

certainly do the next one entirely from

scratch ourselves. There is never a dull

moment.”

And with a new album on the way

very shortly, newcomers can address

the spirit of Southern Blues, and then

pick up the back catalogue, and hear

the magic created by the very special

relationship between Debbie and

Rick, and their mutual love of blues

music. And they are coming to visit

and play in the autumn. Check our gig

review for dates and venues. I’ll see

you there!


BLUES IN A

STATE OF MIND

ROBIN TROWER & DAVY

KNOWLES TURN UP THE HEAT

Abbe Sparks

Arnie Goodman

Summer arrived early in New York this year, bringing

with it a blaze of blues and rock talent that lit up venues

across the city and beyond. Among the highlights were

two guitarists whose ages and backgrounds may differ,

but whose shared love for expressive, high-octane playing

made for unforgettable shows: the legendary Robin

Trower and the ever-rising blues-rocker Davy Knowles.

From sold-out theatres in New Jersey and Connecticut to

iconic Manhattan venues, both artists brought their own

brand of fire to the stage, proving that the language of the

blues knows no generational boundaries.

ROBIN TROWER:

STILL ELECTRIC AT 80

Robin Trower’s recent tour stop in the Tri-State area confirmed

what blues-rock fans already know: age has done

nothing to dull the English guitarist’s tone, taste, or touch.

At 80, he still radiates emotion through every note, with a

vibrancy that belies the decades he’s spent on the road.

Trower’s setlists on this tour drew from across his storied

career, with a focus on his latest studio release Come and

Find Me, which arrived this spring via Provogue Records.

His tone remains unmistakable — thick, syrupy, and soulful

— evoking the ghosts of Hendrix and the grit of classic

British blues, yet still sounding completely like himself.

During our conversation, Trower was as humble as ever.

When asked about the musicians who shaped his playing,

he returned to the greats: “BB King, Albert King, and Jimi

Hendrix. I count Howlin’ Wolf as a great influence, too.”

That reverence for the blues tradition shines through on

every track he plays, whether it’s an original song or a nod

to his musical heroes.

Trower spoke warmly about his time in Procol Harum,

the band that first brought him to international attention.

“Gary Brooker asking me to join was a real turning point,”

he said. “That opened the doors for everything that came

after.” Later came his partnership with the late Jack Bruce

of Cream, a collaboration that Trower remembers fondly:

“Jack just knew exactly what the vocals and the bass

needed to do to support the guitar. We were both very

proud of the Seven Moons album. ‘Different Places of the

Heart’ is probably my favourite of all the songs we did

together.”

Trower continues to record prolifically — with another

studio album already “in the can” — and even hinted at a

forthcoming live album captured during the current U.S.

tour. When I asked whether a documentary was in the

works, he laughed and replied, “No, I’ve got enough going

on already!”

Still, Trower remains deeply committed to using music as

a platform for reflection. “The world has become a darker

place,” he admitted, “but I believe there are more good

people than bad. We’re going to win in the end.” That belief

filters into his lyrics, just as it did in the 1960s, making

his new material as relevant as ever.

DAVY KNOWLES:

A MODERN GUITAR SLINGER

WITH OLD-SOUL ROOTS

Sharing the spotlight this summer was Davy Knowles,

who delivered an electrifying set at The Iridium — the

hallowed venue once frequented by Les Paul and now

a magnet for guitar talent. Knowles first made waves

as a teenager with his band Back Door Slam, and nearly

two decades later, he continues to evolve, impress, and

inspire.

Knowles’ most recent release The Invisible Man has

earned rave reviews, showcasing not just his fluid guitar

style but also his songwriting maturity. “It’s a more personal

album,” he said. “A lot of the songs are drawn from

life experiences — it leans into the 1970s sounds I’ve

always loved.”


Despite growing up on the Isle of Man, Knowles found his

way to the American blues via his dad’s record collection.

“My dad was a folky and a huge music fan,” he recalled.

“He introduced me to John Mayall, Peter Green, and

eventually Mark Knopfler. Hearing ‘Sultans of Swing’ in

the car — that was the moment. I just kept rewinding the

tape. That was what I wanted to do.”

His passion only deepened as he discovered Rory Gallagher,

Jimi Hendrix, and later toured with Gallagher

alumni Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O’Neill. That experience,

he said, was “like being a kid in a sweet shop.” Knowles

now splits his time between the UK and Chicago —

where, as fate would have it, Buddy Guy introduced him

to his now-wife at his Legends venue. “He just pointed at

her and said, ‘That one’s for you,’” Knowles laughed.

a man who has nothing left to prove but everything still

to say. Davy Knowles — the torchbearer with a twist —

blends vintage flair with youthful energy and heartfelt

grit.

In their own ways, both artists embody the enduring appeal

of blues-based rock: raw emotion, shared heritage,

and the unspoken bond between fingers on strings and

hearts in the audience. Whether you’re a long-time fan

or a new arrival to the genre, this summer’s shows were

a thrilling affirmation that the blues isn’t going anywhere.

It’s alive, it’s loud, and in the hands of players like these,

it’s still growing.

With a new trio album (MKO, short for McAvoy, Knowles,

O’Neill) due later this year and another full-band

record already in the works, Knowles is showing no signs

of slowing. His trajectory reflects not just a love for the

guitar, but a belief in storytelling, collaboration, and the

staying power of blues-rock in the modern age.

A CITY CELEBRATES

GUITAR HEROES

As New York continues to reassert its

place as one of the world’s most vibrant

live music capitals, nights like

these remind us of the power

of performance. Robin

Trower — a master of

tone, touch, and tradition

— plays with

the confidence of


Keep it in the Family

NATHAN EAST

Nathan East’s storied life has covered all the points on his musical compass,

from jazz via Fourplay; funk playing with Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and

Earth Wind and Fire; rock touring with Toto and blues as bassist with BB King

and as Eric Clapton’s go to four string sideman.

Paul Davies

Supplied

However, this abbreviated rosta only scratches the

surface of the deep well of artists he has played with on

a bucket list to almost die for. But there’s one destination

that he has finally reached and it’s a family affair. With his

incredibly talented son Noah, they have released their

Father And Son album of original and heartfelt cover

songs with a stellar cast of guests plucked from Nathan’s

singular book of contacts.

Nathan has also just completed a run of European dates

with Eric Clapton and with both himself and Noah sitting

in front of me on a zoom call I ask how this Father and Son

project began: “The piano that you you can see behind us,

and in the video, we were constantly playing that and we

just thought, ‘hey, we could make an album’,” beams this

very proud father. The piano in question is placed beneath

a huge and ornately framed print of Gustav Klimt’s

The Kiss which is symbolic of the love of music and life

that the East’s poetically convey throughout this familial

musical collaboration.

Noah is a trained classical pianist and he must have absorbed

all the music his father was involved in creating as

he grew up: “There was music all day and I was so blessed

to grow up around so much great music and it just

gravitated me towards the piano,” confirms this confident

young musician. “I grew up kind of listening to everything,

just because of who he’s played with. I was originally

classically trained, but my piano teacher introduced me

to a beautiful jazz arrangement of Yesterday, which we

have on our album,” he says. “That was what pushed me

to want to learn more about jazz.” Noah elaborates: “Ever

since I was about thirteen years old, I wanted to learn

that field of music and from then onwards I wanted to

play everything,” he reveals. This early exposure to various

musical stylings provokes the same query as to what

piqued Nathan’s initial interest to go forth and master an

instrument: “The spark for me was Vince Guaraldi and his

music on the Charlie Brown Specials,” he chuckles. “As a

little kid, I remember looking at the TV thinking, how cool

is that. So, that sparked me to ask my high school if I could

play the piano, which they didn’t have available in my

junior high school, and I also took up the cello,” he adds.

“A few years later, I discovered the bass and I took that

up, and it was just all the great musical things that were

happening. Quincy Jones came on the scene, then John

Coltrane and Miles Davis and I thought I gotta have a

piece of this.” A fast learner, Nathan’s professional artistic

career got its start with the ‘walrus of love’ as he shares:

“The very first gig that I had was with a band called Power

in San Diego. I was only sixteen years old, touring the

United States backing Barry White and playing the Apollo

Theatre, Madison Square Garden. Big venues. That was

the start and it let me know that this is kind of cool and let

me look a little further down this path.”

I ask Noah if his dad ever took him on tour when he was

growing up: “He would sometimes take me on the road.

I remember going out when he was with Toto and, of

course, growing up with Eric when I was a little kid.” His

eyes widen at these memories: “I even remember being

in London and hanging out at the Royal Albert Hall. It was

amazing to soak all that up, and that definitely compelled

me to want to pursue a life in music as well.”

The mere mention of Eric Clapton and the Royal Albert

Hall leads me on to rib Nathan that he must almost feel

like a resident musician at this venerable venue given

the record amount of times that he has played it: “It must

be well over one hundred times and it is still one of my

favourite venues to play,” he laughs after just completing

another RAH run with Clapton. This brings me to enquire

as to how he first came to join Eric’s band of blues troubadours:

“I think we were destined to meet,” he sagely

states. “I was working with Phil Collins on the Philip

Bailey Chinese Wall album. We did that in Shepherd’s

Bush over at the Townhouse Studio in 1984. Anyway, we

went out to the pub in Guildford one evening after the


wanted to capture the essence of a jazz duo playing piano

and bass. We decided that was one of the first songs that

we would cut at East West Studios in Los Angeles, California.”

Nathan adds: “I heard Noah working on this piece,

and the word Utopia came into my head. Then I kind of

combined the words: Utopia Noah. Right in the middle,

it was the word (Uto)pianoah,a third word emerged out

of that, and it was this kind of cosmic thing,” they heartily

laugh.

session and Phil introduced me to Eric out there. Then I

also met him at Live Aid after I played with Kenny Loggins

in Philadelphia. He was at the side of the stage and heard

the band and he introduced himself to me. And then it

was destined to be as Phil Collins produced his album

called August, and called me to play on it, and from that

tour onwards we started touring and we did our first Royal

Albert Hall concerts.” He continues: “I think it was to be

one night. Then one turned into six nights, and then six

turned into twelve, eighteen and twenty four nights and

it continues to this day. It’s amazing,” smiles this blessed

seasoned musician as he adds: “There was a chemistry

that was unique to that band that I haven’t quite experienced

ever again.” He mulls this thought for a while:

“We all kind of had the same feeling like, ‘wow, this was a

magical time of making music together’.”

Eric plays on a couple of Father And Son tunes: “He was

gracious enough to guest on a couple of songs. One of

which was Hard Times that we had recorded on his Journeyman

album. It’s a Ray Charles tune, and Noah picked

up the part and kind of turned it into an organ feature

piece. Eric was kind enough to come play on that, and

also on a song called Close To Home that was written by

Lyle Mays that we used to play with Eric as kind of like an

intro.”

Noah particularly impresses on this beguiling record’s

second song Noah Utopia which also contains a special

meaning as he tells me more about it: “It’s an original

song that we wrote here at the house, and we really just

With a stellar cast of musicians guesting and bringing

their elite level talents, I ask how they arranged all of

this: “It was a very natural progression of events,” asserts

Nathan. “For the song, How Deep Is Your Love, which was

one of my favourite ever Bee Gee songs, we recorded it

with Seiko Matsuda in Japan. The year before, I had produced

her album called Seiko Jazz 3, and Noah arranged

it, and so when it came time we included it on our album.

We were guests on her album, and then she was happy

to be a guest on our album, which was very organic.” He

furthers: “Billy Valentine we had just met, and he’s another

incredible singer and dear friend. And when we asked

him if he wanted to sing on Hard Times, he just said, ‘what

time, where, I’m there’. It was the same with Hubert Laws.

I played in his band fifty years ago, and we’ve been good

friends ever since. He played on the original Killer Joe

with Quincy Jones and half a century later he came and

blessed us with a beautiful performance on that song as

well.” It was all played and recorded live in a recording

studio as they confirm: “That’s the beauty I find of making

music in the studio with everybody there, as we were

playing the song, ideas flow, ‘hey, what if we modulated

here’? What if we did this etc...as opposed to sort of phoning

the parts in now, which is a lot of the ways it’s being

done today.”

Nathan and Noah are taking their collaboration out on

the road together:

“We have some shows coming up in LA. We’re playing a

place called Vibrato that’s owned by Herb Alpert. It’s a

beautiful jazz club. Then we’re playing some local clubs

up and down California,” he says. “Next year, we have

already booked Baden Baden, Mr. M’s jazz club, March 12


generosity of BB King.” He continues: “Every time we

spoke on the phone, the first thing he would say is, ‘how

are my twins doing’? He was one of the most gracious

musicians that I ever worked with, and we had the pleasure

of recording many albums together and also playing

live and at Eric’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. I miss him

dearly.” Amen to that.

- 14. Our friend, Mark Marshall, has a three day festival

where he invites a lot of young musicians and this will be

our third year doing it as artists in residence, so that’ll be

fun. Around that we will also tour some dates in Germany

and Europe.” I ask Noah what it is like sharing the stage

with his legendary father: “It’s an absolute dream. I can

see why so many people all over the years have been

calling him to share the stage with them. It’s the energy

and the camaraderie and we never know exactly what

magic is going to come out each night. I look forward to

every show we do.” He adds: “We just came back from

Europe, doing a few Father And Son duo shows mostly in

Germany, and it was the first time we just did piano and

bass with no band and just to have that moment with us

and the audience. It was like how we do it in our living

room. So that was pretty cool. I can’t wait to get back on

the road.”

Noah certainly sees furthering his solo career in this jazz/

blues genre: “I want to establish myself as a solo artist. I

love every aspect, whether it’s being a sideman, whether

it’s being a session player, even though that’s kind of

winding down a little bit, I want to keep that alive, but

kind of doing it all and just being as versatile as I can,” it’s

a clear case of go East young man as he coolly relates his

musical desires.

As my wonderful time talking with this generous and

lovely couple is coming to an end, I’m compelled to ask

Nathan about his memories working with the very much

missed blues titan BB King: “Oh, my goodness...when we

were recording the album, Riding With The King, with

Eric, my children were maybe one year old.” Nathan has

a twin sister: “I brought them to the studio, and BB King

sat each one of them on his lap and he rolled up a pair of

dollar bills and made rings and put one on each one of

their fingers. Then when we got home, we took the rings

off, and they were $100 bills. That was just the kind of

And just like Columbo, I have one more question which

is, given all of the musicians he has already played with,

is there any artist left that he would like to work with:

“There have been a lot that I missed. Prince was one of

those guys that I was hoping would be nice to work with

as Miles Davis was. But, Pat Metheny is a guy that I think

I really would love to work with,” Noah also firmly nods

his head at this suggestion. “Also, James Taylor. We often

do these multiple artists gigs where I’ll be in the house

band, and he’ll sing a song, but every time he comes over

and says, ‘I hope you don’t think this means that we’ve

worked together. Don’t count this gig’. He adds: “We’ve

got to do something. I love his music.”

“You know, pretty much a lot of people that I’ve had a

chance to work with over almost a fifty year career, I

think the common thing is they’re making music from the

heart. It’s all coming from that one place, and being in

the studio with Stevie Wonder, and just watching him sit

down at any keyboard, and the music just comes through

him. It’s a fantastic experience. It’s like this spirit is coming

down through his fingers. You have to hit the record

button, because he’ll write five songs while he’s learning

the bridge of one song. It really is something just to be

around these people, to see their creative juices flow, and

how they’re able to constantly come up with music that

moves the human race. I feel very fortunate.”

Their own blessed creation of music can be summarised

as ‘To wake the soul by tender stroke of art’

as A Pope once wrote. Fortunately, their

Father And Son recording does just this as

Nathan and Noah head East together.

EXPLORE

“the common thing is they’re

making music from the heart”


“my ambition was to

convey how we are

tortured by the notion

of time” - Eduard Shyfrin

IN THE SHADOW OF TIME

SHYFRIN ALLIANCE

It has to be said from the outset that Eduard Shyfrin isn’t your average

blues musician. He is engaging and interesting, a somewhat

complex character with a fascinating history. Born in Ukraine, he

rose from foreman of a steel plant to become a business oligarch

after his homeland gained independence.

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

Supplied

He has a PhD in metallurgical engineering, and is among

the world’s most respected quantum physicists and

mathematicians. He wrote the bestselling From Infinity

To Man: The Fundamental Ideas of Kabbalah Within the

Framework of Information Theory and Quantum Physics.

He has contributed many papers (often published in The

Jerusalem Post) and has written an award-winning children’s

book. He is also a hugely successful businessman.

Eduard has financed the reconstruction of the oldest

synagogue in Kyiv and sponsored similar work in Moscow

and other Russian cities. He is Vice-President of

the World Jewish Congress. So, you can imagine that

lockdown didn’t come easy to Eduard. Having learned

classical piano in his youth and grown up listening to his

parents’ mostly jazz music collection, he decided to rekindle

his love of music. Having written his first collection

of songs, he surrounded himself with some of Europe’s

most respected musicians and, under the name Shyfrin

Alliance, released the album Upside Down Blues last year.

The follow-up, In The Shadow Of Time, is due for release

in September.

When I got the opportunity to talk to Eduard, I was excited.

I was familiar with the first album and had enjoyed it.

But I was also a little nervous. I started out by asking him

what it felt like to now be considered a blues musician.

“You know, the fact you use the word musician is already

good for me. I’ve never thought of myself as a blues

musician. Despite the fact that I adore blues and jazz, and

I grew up with jazz and blues, it never crossed my mind

that I’m a blues musician or jazz musician. So it all came,

not of course out of the blue, but when I was like 62. At

the age of 62. Still, it’s a bit surrealistic for me.”

I wondered what the motivation was to go specifically

into blues. I knew jazz had played a part in his childhood.

“That’s an interesting question. The answer is we never

know what the light was, you know. That’s difficult. In

general, you can say that circumstances – but circumstances

are denounced by God. Maybe the time has

come, like in Ecclesiastes, there is time and season for

everything.

“Recently I published an article in The Jerusalem Post

– it’s on my Facebook – called ‘Why Does God Love

Blues?’ You know I’ve been studying Kabbalah for many

years, along with information theory. I published a book

on it that did quite well on Amazon. I’m now working on

another book that ties Kabbalah and information theory

together. I asked myself: what’s so special about the blues

pentatonic? Why is it pleasant for our ears, despite the

fact that there are thousands of variations? There must

be something fundamental.

“I did some research. Most of the slaves who created this

music were taught Christianity in Protestant churches.

From there, I looked into the history of church music –

right back to the music played in the Temple of King Solomon.

It was very strictly controlled: twelve musicians and




a chorus. The blues pentatonic actually matches the

chanting during Jewish prayer.

“Martin Luther, who declared that people should

be allowed to use their own language in church,

was also a musician. I analysed the blues pentatonic

and realised it aligns with the golden ratio. That

same ratio appears in art, sculpture – and even in

the Ark of the Covenant, which God gave Moses

precise measurements for. The proportions match

the distances between notes in the minor blues

pentatonic. At that point, I stopped my research and

published my paper.”

The forthcoming album In The Shadow Of Time

explores aspects of space and time and their impact

on us all. At this stage, I was sent the tracks simply

in an alphabetical list. I knew the order would be

important to Eduard. It was also an opportunity for

him to talk a little about each track.

“Some of the compositions were created quite

quickly while others took a long time. The most

difficult for me was ‘Insanity Blues’ because my

ambition was to convey how we are tortured by the

notion of time.

“The first track was ‘In The Shadow Of Time’, questioning

who is in the shadow of time pushing us.

‘Point A Point B’ is the story of the time we spend

in this world. ‘The Pendulum’ is about the general

law of our existence – going to the right and to the

left with no variation. All the time while I worked on

those, ‘Insanity Blues’ was in my mind. The whole

concept of the album is a reflection on time. Consider

we are sitting on the event horizon of a black

hole. You see the infalling star and you will never

see it again. Consider now – what is now? In physics

there is no definition of now. Einstein was worried

about that; he wrote about it.”

At this point, I mentioned some more tracks the PR

company had sent me.

“They don’t belong on this album. They are part of

the next album, which is already almost finished. It’s

a jazz-blues album – all but one track is done. I’m

planning to release it at the beginning of next year.

There’s a track called ‘On The Edge Of Rain’ which

was inspired by B.B. King’s The Thrill Is Gone. I

wanted to try and convey some kind of impressionism

with slow blues.”

I’ve interviewed a lot of songwriters over the years,

and the concept of an almost fully formed song

arriving from out of the ether comes up often. Most

musicians sleep with a phone or notepad at the

ready. I mention this to Eduard.

“I agree with you. Absolutely. My belief is that the

song is given to those who are ready to accept it.


I do believe that my physical activity is

directly connected with my life experience,

with my Kabbalah studies, with my

views on the world. It didn’t come out of

the blue.

“You cannot discover the theory of relativity

if you just know simple arithmetic.

You have to climb the stairs of knowledge,

and then you arrive at a certain

point – when your expertise is over.

And you begin wandering around. That

means you’re ready. It’s not a guarantee

that you’ll receive a breakthrough from

above, but it’s a necessary condition.

Without it, you never will.”

Musically, the album is stunning. Eduard

has surrounded himself with top-tier

collaborators.

“I’m working with a very, very good arranger.

His name is Fred Luzignant – he

works at the Rotary of Nice. The process

is like this: I send a video of me playing

the song on the piano. Fred begins the

arrangement. He sends me version

after version, and I send it back with

corrections, asking him to change things.

Eventually, we get a working draft.

“During rehearsals, before recording, I

hear it with the musicians. I’m there all

the time – I spent eight to ten hours a

day in the studio. That’s the most important

time for me. I might say, ‘please solo

this’, or ‘add saxophone’, or ‘delete this’.

The final touches happen during rehearsals,

but I take part in all the stages.”

Vocally, Eduard has a very deep voice.

He delivers the lyrics more like speech

than traditional singing – but with great

effectiveness. Now based in France, I

couldn’t help but be reminded of Serge

Gainsbourg. Eduard seemed pleased by

the comparison, also quoting Charles

Aznavour and Leonard Cohen as other

references he’s heard.

In conclusion, Eduard Shyfrin is a compelling

character creating high-quality

music with deep-rooted meaning. He

might not fit the profile of a traditional

bluesman – but he has a love of cigarettes,

strong coffee, and good whisky.

That ticks a lot of boxes for me.


EXPLORE


Christone Kingfish Ingram

Nellie Tiger Travis

CHICAGO BLUES

FESTIVAL 2025

Colin Campbell

Laura Carbone

Millennium Park, Chicago and other venues

/ 6th to 8th July

Jamiah Rogers at Rosa’s

Lounge Stage

Now rolling into its 42nd year, the Chicago Blues

Festival once again turned Millennium Park into

holy ground for the blues faithful. Three days

of sweet sunshine (proceedings were briefly

postponed due to weather on Sunday) opened

with a soul-stirring night at the historic Ramova

Theatre, featuring Bobby Rush and Billy Branch.

The festival laid down more than just music—it

told stories, paid its dues, and reminded the

world that blues music is not just history, it’s a

living, breathing force. Over half a million people

showed up: seasoned blues hounds, wide-eyed

newcomers, and everyone in between, soaking

in a free celebration that stitched together Delta

grit, South Side swagger, and fresh fire from the

next generation. This wasn’t just a concert—it

was a communion.

FRIDAY, JULY 6 –

B.B. SHINES, THE DELTA SINGS

The second day opened with a deep bow to

royalty. D.K. Harrell lit up the Pavilion with fiery

solos and powerful vocals. Dawn Tyler Watson

followed, her dynamic voice and soulful delivery

making “Lost” a standout. John Primer and Steve

Bell then delivered a seasoned Chicago blues set,

blending smooth guitar and harmonica with delta

grit—“Gravel Road” a particular favourite.

A Centennial Tribute to B.B. King unfolded under

the Pritzker Pavilion’s sweeping curves. On what

would have been his 100th birthday, Mayor

Brandon Johnson officially declared it B.B.

King Day in the Windy City. Jonathan Ellison,

D.K. Harrell, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

channelled Lucille’s spirit in turn, with Ingram’s

blistering solos honouring the King’s legacy.

Blues Matters’ Colin Campbell and

Robbie Reay hanging with Dawn

Tyler Watson

Down at the Visit Mississippi Crossroads Juke

Joint Stage, Johnny Rawls’ Soul Review brought

a sizzling Southern soul set, his deep vocals and

tight band igniting the crowd. Lady Adrena fol-


Millennium Park, Chicago Blues festival

lowed, her smoky voice a blend of juke joint

and gospel revival—“The blues is my life,” she

declared, and we believed her.

Meanwhile, Rosa’s Lounge provided hushand-listen

magic, with acoustic slide guitar,

moaning harp, and whispered vocals. Sheryl

Youngblood stood out with gritty licks and

heartfelt lyrics. Friday delivered scale and

soul in equal measure, and the music never

blinked.

SATURDAY, JULY 7 –

QUEENS REIGN AND

YOUNGBLOODS RISE

Rosa’s Lounge Stage opened with the Stefan

Hillesheim Band, delivering soulful slide

blues and standout keys from Sumi “Ariyo”

Ariyoshi. Vickie Baker later took to the Visit

Mississippi Crossroads Stage with The V

Souls and The Groove Crew. Her risqué

“Honey Hole” had the crowd roaring.

Thornetta Davis

Mavis Staples and her guitarist

Rick Holstom

Saturday’s mainstage belonged to the women.

A tribute to the late, great Denise LaSalle

took centre stage, with Mzz Reese, Thornetta

Davis and Nora Jean Wallace delivering fiery,

gospel-tough soul. The city officially made it

Denise LaSalle Day, and these queens carried

her sass and independence like a crown.

A collaborative set followed with Joey J. Saye,

Stephen Hull, and Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport

in an unplugged acoustic showcase,

each trading solos in a joyous “Ain’t Nobody’s

Business.” Latimore extended the soulful

energy, bridging blues and R&B in style.

Nora Jean Wallace Pointing

On the Harris Theatre Rooftop Terrace, the

next generation brought fresh flair. Band-

With, led by DeAngelo Davis Jr. and Blake

Schaffer, reimagined Etta James and Donell

Jones with youthful conviction. These weren’t

covers—they were promises.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram headlined the

evening with a set that left no doubt about

his rising status. He played among the crowd,

drawing fans onstage and delivering blistering

takes on “Not Gonna Lie” and “Outside Of

This Town.” The blues has a new champion,

and the crowd knew it.


SUNDAY, JULY 8 –

STORMS, SOUL,

AND THE SPIRIT OF CHESS

Sunday brought drama—not just on

stage. Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport

opened with an intense electric-blues

set, rich in Mississippi roots and personal

storytelling. His song “Fatherless Child”

was a highlight. Jimmy Burns followed

with his mix of doo-wop, acoustic soul,

and electric blues—nostalgic, yet fresh.

The main stage opened with a salute to

Chess Records, celebrating 75 years of

blues legacy. Led by Jackie Dixon and

hosted by Janine Judge of the Willie

Dixon Blues Foundation, the tribute

honoured a label that gave voice to the

giants. But just as the energy rose, a

sudden downpour forced evacuation to

underground shelters.

When the clouds broke, the music returned

stronger than ever. C.J. Chenier

brought Creole fire with accordion-driven

zydeco, blending Cajun energy with

electric blues. Then, Lurrie Bell and

saxophonist Frank Catalano delivered

a spontaneous, thrilling set, with Steve

Bell’s harmonica howling like a chainsaw—raw

and electrifying.

Mavis Staples closed the festival with

a set that sanctified the weekend. Her

voice—gravel, gospel, and soul—carried

decades of struggle, hope and faith.

“Why? (Am I Treated So

Bad)” turned the park

into a revival. The

storm had passed,

and the message

rang clear: the

blues endures.

FINAL THOUGHTS –

BLUES STILL WALKIN’

Chicago Blues Festival 2025 didn’t just

honour legends—it gave them a seat

at the table while the next generation

set it on fire. From rooftop rookies to

torchbearers like Kingfish bending

strings like prayers, this year’s

festival showed that the blues

aren’t stuck in the past. They’re

evolving, restless and ready to

raise hell when the amps are hot

and the soul is willing. Rain or

shine, the blues roll on.

LOOKIN’

FOR THE BLUES

The Dead Daisies are one of the worlds foremost rock bands, considered in some circles

as a supergroup. It’s members have seen active service with the likes of Motley Crue, Dio,

Whitesnake, Glenn Hughes, House Of Lords, Angels (Australia), Ozzy Osbourne, Alice

Cooper, Ted Nugent and more. I first became aware of vocalist John Corabi back in the early

1990s when I bought the debut album by the band, The Scream, it was clear then that John

was an exceptional performer, so it was no surprise to me that he was the man Motley Crue

turned to when they needed to replace original singer Vince Neal.

Steve Yourglvich

Supplied

The self-titled album that John co-wrote on and recorded

is considered by many critics as musically their best work

but sales at the time dipped and after five years the label

re-instated Vince Neal. In September 2024 the band

released the hard rocking Light ‘Em Up album, what we

didn’t know then was that at pretty much the same time

the band had caught the blues bug and due somewhat

to lucky circumstances secreted themselves away in the

iconic Fame Studios, immersed themselves in the history

of the studio and the Muscle Shoals legacy and recorded

Lookin’ For Trouble, an album of well known blues tracks

given the Daisies treatment but also shown love and

respect.

I managed to get John to find time for a call a few days

into the bands European tour. They have eight UK dates

coming up starting at Belfast on August 13th.

I started by asking John how the tour had started and if

he had played in the UK many times previously:

“It’s going great. We just played a festival in Bilbao called

Legends Festa and we’re also in Essendon, Germany. We

have a few more shows to go. We’ll be touring the UK

for two or three weeks in August. Yes, many times. I’ve

played in the UK with The Scream, Union, and Ratt. I also

do acoustic shows there. The Dead Daisies have been

playing in the UK for the last 10 years, including festivals

like Download and several tours.”

Obviously we want to ask you about Lookin’ For Trouble,

the blues album you’ve just released and how that

came about:

“It was somewhat of an accident. We were in Nashville

with our producer, Marty Fredrickson, and had been

talking about a Netflix documentary on Muscle Shoals.

We thought it would be cool to go down there to write.

Our manager arranged it, and we drove down in my

motorhome for about nine days. The album was totally

unplanned. We wrote and recorded Light ‘Em Up pretty

much at the same time. The Dead Daisies are usually very

fast in the studio. We typically write, record, and mix an

entire album in about a month. This time, we completed

two records in 29 working days. The hardest part of the

blues album was arranging the songs to sound like the

Daisies. Most of it was recorded live off the floor.”

You can certainly hear the energy and spontaneity in

the tracks. The songs you’ve chosen are all well-known

blues standards, aren’t they?:

“Yes, they are. Some people asked why we picked such

obvious songs. The reason is that these were the songs

we first heard second-hand from other artists. In the 30s

to 60s, blues was not embraced by white America. It took

British artists like The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton

to embrace it, repackage it, and send it back to America.

For example, I first heard Cream’s version of Crossroads,

thinking it was their song, not a Robert Johnson song. David

Lowy became obsessed with the Rolling Stones after

hearing their version of Little Red Rooster. These were




“PEOPLE SEPARATE

MUSIC INTO GENRES,

BUT THE BEST MUSIC

OFTEN BLENDS THEM”

the songs that introduced us to the blues.”

We’re in a similar age group and I remember growing up

listening to the Beatles and the Stones and then bands

like Cream, as you say, and Zeppelin. And then you read

interviews, and they mention these blues guys and you

think, oh, okay, yeah, I’ll go and check that out. And then

through that, I discovered Wolf and Muddy and those

guys. And then, you know, dug a bit deeper:

“Exactly. As a kid, I was obsessed with bands like Foghat

and Savoy Brown, who were huge blues fans and many

of their hits were covers. They found these deep blues

tunes, repackaged them, and presented them to young

kids like me in the 60s and 70s. This whole experience has

been very enlightening.”

You mention what’s become known as the British

Invasion with those bands going to the USA. They often

re-invigorated the careers of some of those old blues

guys as well didn’t it:

“Yes, and it helped revive many of their careers. There’s

a documentary about Brian Jones, who started The

Rolling Stones primarily as

a blues band. They were

once offered a TV show and

refused to do it unless they

could have a blues artist like

Muddy Waters on with them.

They would just sit on stage

in awe watching him play.”

People often like to separate

music into genres, but

really some of the best music

kind of seeps between

the cracks. I mean, the Allman

Brothers, people think of them as a southern rock

band, butthere’s so much soul and blues and everything

all in that melting pot together:

“It’s true. People separate music into genres, but the

best music often blends them. The Allman Brothers are

a great example; they’re considered southern rock, but

their music is a melting pot of soul, blues, and more. They

mixed rock, R&B, gospel, and soul. Later, after listening to

J-Mo’s (Jaimoe Johanson) extensive jazz collection of artists

like Coltrane and Miles Davis, Duane Allman became

obsessed and started incorporating jazz phrasing into

his guitar solos. It’s unbelievable he was only 24 when he

died.”

I always think it’s really good when guys like you and

the band make a record like this because hopefully,

you’ll introduce a fresh audience to the blues. The

video documentary you’ve made about the album adds

a lot of historical background too:

“Absolutely. I believe the blues is the mothership of

everything except classical music. We’ve always tipped

our hats to artists we grew up with, like the Beatles, the

Stones, and The Who. This time, we decided to go back

and honour the artists who influenced them. The documentary

is meant to help people understand their musical

lineage. I hope it will lead listeners to research the history

of songs like Black Betty, tracing them back to Lead Belly

and even an earlier 1933 version by Iron Head. Those artists

“walked the walked” and their lyrics were authentic.

They often played the Chitlin’ Circuit where they would

get paid $5 or $10 a night, but more importantly, received

a bed, food, and drinks.”

It’s great that you researched the tracks so much, I’m

sure that helped breathe life into the songs which you

showed respect to while still giving them a Dead Daisy

twist:

“Well with Crossroads for example, Marty and I spent a

lot of time thinking about the whole Devil at the crossroads

story and how Johnson went from being a not very

good player no one wanted to play with to re-appearing

as one of the best anyone had seen. We decided to add a

new bridge section with the

lyrics “I remember the day

where I lost my way... I sold

my soul at the crossroads” to

make the legend explicit and

lyrically tie the song together.

Central to our approach

on most of the songs was

the question, ‘What would

Zeppelin do?’ referencing

the way they recorded When

The Levee Breaks by Memphis

Minnie. For The Thrill

Is Gone, we decided to slow

it down and give it a Since I’ve Been Loving You feel, possibly

in a 6/8 or 7/8 time signature, to honour B.B. King’s

landmark version while making it our own. The track was

recorded live, and we kept the initial guitar solo to preserve

its spontaneous magic although at one point Doug

(Aldrich) thought he could do a better version, but after

sleeping on it and coming back fresh the next morning he

decided against it. The whole project was an eye-opening

experience. To avoid simply copying famous versions, like

Steven Tyler on Walkin’ the Dog, we researched earlier

recordings by artists like Rufus Thomas. We are now

deep in the blues rabbit hole and are already thinking

about a Volume Two.”

Someone I think deserves special mention is Sarah

Tomek:

“Yes indeed, Sarah came in at short notice and was

amazing. We were expecting to be using Brian Tichy

but he became unavailable right before the recordings.


Marty, who knew Sarah from their band Loving Mary

that backed Steven Tyler, suggested bringing her in. She

came in and impressed everyone with her great feel and

groove. We knew she must be good because anyone who

has worked with Tyler will tell you he is very particular

about drumming, and she’s worked with Samantha Fish

too. She crushed the recording of Crossroads, and was a

fun person with a great sense of humour to have around.”

It would be remiss of me not to ask about your background,

I first became aware of you in The Scream:

“My first trip to the UK was with The Scream, it was like

going to Mecca, as it was the home of my heroes like

Zeppelin, The Stones, and Humble Pie. The UK has always

embraced everything I have done, including the Motley

record, Union, and my solo acoustic work. On that first

trip I was really angry with my manager for booking us at

the large Astoria Theatre, fearing it would be empty for

our first visit. However, the show was completely sold out

with hundreds more outside, I was totally stunned and

amazed. I couldn’t have predicted how my career would

pan out.”

“I was happy in The Scream, but then two and a half

years later got a call to join Mötley Crüe. The record we

released in 1994 wasn’t widely accepted, but I see it as

having made an awesome record that suffered from bad

timing. I’m proud of all my work with Mötley, including

another record called Quaternary and starting work on

what became Generation Swine. I’m okay with being the

“easy or lazy” target for the band’s change in success and

moved on to form Union, whose records were good. However,

the second record was crushed by the emergence of

Napster. I maintain a forward-looking attitude, I play the

hand I’m dealt and if it doesn’t work, I’ll play another.”

“About 15 years ago, when I was turning 50, and feeling

down about my career my father called and gave me a

new perspective. Dad confessed he had wanted to be an

artist but instead did what he was “supposed to do”: he

joined the military, served in the Korean War, and put his

art aside. I had no idea. He told me “You’re a bigger man

than I’ll ever be, because you did it doing what you love to

do,” pointing out that I had handled all life’s responsibilities

by playing my guitar.”

“I may not be as famous as Mick Jagger, but I’m happy,

healthy, and grateful to be able to tour and play music

for people who are interested. I hope that in 25, 30, or

40 years, someone will discover my music. I just signed a

deal for a solo record, which will be my 20th album. You

don’t really think about the volume of work when you’re

in the middle of creating it. I did that all-acoustic record

to wipe the board clean, so people wouldn’t just associate

me with the heavy Motley Crue record. The album

had redone versions of songs like ‘Hooligans’ and ‘Father,

Mother, Son,’ and the other half was new material.

Over the last eight or ten years, the acoustic shows have

become very popular. I don’t want to be pigeonholed; my

influences range from Sly and the Family Stone to Frank

Sinatra and Led Zeppelin, and I want to be able to draw

from all of them.”

“MUSIC JUST NEEDS

TO BE GOOD;

WE SHOULD

STOP WORRYING

ABOUT WHAT

BOX IT FITS IN”

“I’ve always faced pushback when trying new things. The

industry and fans want you to grow, but they don’t want

you to change. I hate the whole genre thing that started

in the 80s. The greatest 15 years of music, for creativity

and eclecticism, was from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul to

1980. Back then, you could see James Taylor one night

and Black Sabbath the next. Festival bills were diverse,

with bands like Zeppelin and Sly and the Family Stone

together. Now, audiences are segregated by genre, and I

hate it. I told my label I don’t know what the new album

will be, but I just want to give them 10 great songs. I don’t

want to think about what category they’ll fall into. Music

just needs to be good; we should stop worrying about

what box it fits in.”

Dead Daisies UK dates are as follows

• Wednesday, August 13th: Limelight, Belfast

• Thursday, August 14th: O2 Academy, Edinburgh

• Friday, August 15th: NX, Newcastle

• Saturday, August 16th: KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

• Tuesday, August 19th: Tramshed, Cardiff

• Wednesday, August 20th: Islington Assembly Hall,

London

• Thursday, August 21st: Picturedrome, Holmfirth

• Saturday, August 23rd: Stonedead Festival, Newark

(Sold out)




LIVE IN CLARKSDALE

DOCUMENTARY

CHRISTOPHER WYZE AND THE TELLERS

This is the third installment of what has been a tremendously enjoyable package from

Chris and the band. The first was the brilliant album, the second, was the live gig at the

Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, and the concluding disc, a documentary hosted by Chris as he

shows us around Clarksdale visiting some of the famous sites, and not-so-famous. This

includes chatting with a few of the local historians and business owners.

Stephen Harrison

Supplied

As you may well imagine, the trip around Clarksdale is

a mecca for any Blues fan, especially a Blues fan who is

also a Blues musician. So Christopher introduces the

documentary on a lonely, seemingly empty, and disused

railroad track. From there he takes us to the scene of the

band’s live gig which was recorded at the Shack Up Inn.

Not only is the Shack Up Inn a well-known music venue

but also is a place of historical artifacts and a hub of local

knowledge. The venue offers a double room upstairs

which, incidentally is where Chris is staying for a couple

of nights while he is in town. A Sky Shack platform offers

extra crowd space, and as the name suggests, it looks out

over the whole stage.

The documentary continues to a small town by the

name of Tutwiler, to the train depot to be precise. This,

as folklore tells us, is the very town and spot where

W.C.Handy first discovered the Blues. Legend has it that

Handy watched an old guy playing slide guitar by using

a knife… This is a story that has been around for over a

century, so I have no reason not to believe it. There is a

Blue sign commemorating the spot and it also mentions

that W.C.Handy lived in Tutwiler between 1903-1905.

The song St. Louis Blues was written by Handy during this

period. Tutwiler is also the final resting place of Alec Rice

Miller, aka, Sonny Boy Williamson.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

What I find most appealing about this documentary is

the fact that Christopher Wyze is not taking on the role

of director, he is explaining things, and sourcing local

historians in and around Clarksdale as a fan, a fan with a

deep-rooted understanding of the Blues. The next stop

on the trail finds Chris in Coahoma County, at the Coahoma

Country Tourism offices chatting with Bubba O’Keefe.

Bubba explains in detail about the area in which he lives

and works. One thing that I did find slightly surprising

was the number of people from so many countries around

the world who find themselves coming to Clarksdale,

countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Holland,

France, Germany, and of course, the UK. Now we all

know about the impact that The British Blues Boom had

on Blues artists such as John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, B.B.

King etc etc. That impact is still being talked about today

by the residents of Clarksdale and the importance it had


“This is without doubt the most

compelling and most talked about

thing in American Blues history.”

on reviving and prolonging careers by decades.

During the conversation with Bubba, Chris brought up

the well-known fact that Blues music did not originate

from the Delta, it originated from Africa, brought over

by the slaves that were forced to work the land, in the

cotton fields six days a week. The Blues came from the

fields, then from the church as gospel music. There is a

song from the live album in this package, Cotton Ain’t

King, written and performed by the band. It tells the

story of how the cotton trade was king, but not now, what

you have now are the seeds of what went into the fields,

Blues, and Gospel music. They remain, they are engrained

within the soil.

What I did find amazing, having never been to Clarksdale,

yet, is the numerous amount of small businesses and

stores that all serve the local community not for a huge

profit, but as a source of information. One such store is,

Cat Head Records run by Roger Stolle. Roger was not

born in Mississippi but came to visit, fell in love with the

place, and then stayed. Cat Head Records is not your

typical record store, it is one of those places where you

can go to and find anything to do

with the surrounding area, from pin

badges to bumper stickers, local

event leaflets, coffee, or just to chat

with Roger. It has opened my eyes

to exactly what local stores mean

to people. They are as important as

the library, and Christopher revels

in every one of these places.

HISTORY LESSONS

I guess that you could call the documentary a history

lesson, I think that this kind of thing should be taught in

schools, I think there is such a scheme that runs in various

parts of the U.S.A. Teaching kids about the heritage of

Blues can open all sorts of doors, not just as a recording

artist, but as a producer, historian, and maybe enrolling

into the teaching academies of America. Alongside these

places of learning, there are many restaurants and bars,

as you might expect from such a diverse melting pot of

people who live work, and visit. The Stone Pony restaurant

is one of the more famous eateries, a firm favourite

of the band, especially during this trip. The Blues Berry

café is another popular haunt, made even more attractive

by the fact that Watermelon Slim performs there when

he is rolling through town. Imagine sitting down to dinner

and he walks in and starts playing. Ground Zero Blues

Club, part-owned by legendary actor, Morgan Freeman,

is as you would imagine, the most popular of the music

establishments, but don’t forget about the venue on Sunflower

Avenue, one of the oldest Juke Joints in Clarksdale,

frequented by, on occasion, Charlie Musselwhite,

who lives nearby. If that doesn’t get your tastebuds going,

nothing will.


THE CROSSROADS

Now, you could not undertake a visit to Clarksdale as a

fan or lover of Blues music without paying a visit to one of

the most talked about landmarks in America, the, did he,

didn’t he scenario. This is without doubt the most compelling

and most talked about thing in American Blues

history. Robert Johnson, was a very average singer, novice

guitarist, a guy who would perform at weddings and

birthdays, just to earn a couple of dollars, just over a year

later, he returns as the most gifted Blues artist of all time.

The myth surrounding the Crossroads story, I suspect

will never be truthfully known. Everyone has their own

beliefs, but as any musician worth their salt will tell you, it

takes a lot longer than a year to be capable of doing what

Robert Johnson was doing. More about the Crossroads a

little later.

ROUNDING UP

As the documentary draws to a close, we get to see some

more of Clarksdale’s finest establishments. On Sunflower

Street, for example, we get a short tour of another

legendary venue, Red’s Lounge, or Red’s Blues Club, to

give it its formal title. Originally called, Levine’s Music

Centre, Ike Turner brought his band here and they were

the first band to ever play Rock and Roll on the premises.

From that point on, it has been one of the go-to places for

live music in Clarksdale. Red Paden ( owner) sadly passed

away in 2024, but Red’s Lounge is still going strong. It is a

juke joint favoured by Clarksdale resident, and renowned

Harmonic player, Charlie Musselwhite.

Just around the corner, you will find the John Lee Hooker

Eatery, there are more famous Blues artist’s names in this

town than you can shake a stick at. Deak’s Harps is the

only bonafide Harmonica shop in the world, with famous

customers such as James Cotton, and a certain Ozzy Osbourne

among its clientele. A trip to Clarksdale would not

be complete without a visit to the Delta Blues Museum.

Everything you need to know about the Blues is housed

within its walls.

Now, I mentioned a while back about the Crossroads sign,

Highway 61/49. This is reputedly the place where Robert

Johnson sold his soul to the devil. Opinions on this story

have always attracted debate, I guess we’ll never know

the full truth. I, personally do believe that something did

happen to Robert Johnson at the Crossroads, it would explain

his rise from mediocrity to the greatest Blues artist

the world has ever known. However, I did interview one

Blues artist, one who has been around for many a year,

and one who shall remain nameless, purely out of respect.

The Crossroads that Robert Johnson was singing about is

not the one at Highway 61/49. It is a different Crossroads

slightly further away. I’ll leave you with that to ponder.


BLUE BLOODS

DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW

LOVE NOR MONEY

POCKET

COLLECTIVE

Blues-rock is alive and well in Birmingham, thanks to the

rising trio Love nor Money, the latest signing to Golden

Robot Global Entertainment. With a sound steeped

in tradition yet bristling with fresh energy, the band is

made up of brothers Bobby (vocals/bass) and Eddie Firth

(guitar), alongside drummer Troy Weaver. Raised on a

diet of blues, soul, and classic rock, they’re fast becoming

one of the UK’s most talked-about young acts.

Before penning their own songs, the brothers honed

their craft covering Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and

Little Richard at open mic nights. “We started playing

live at thirteen,” says Bobby. “We’d show up and tear into

old blues tunes. People didn’t expect it from kids our age.

One night we joined Gun Street Girl by Tom Waits with

Dylan’s In My Time of Dying just to squeeze them both

in before curfew — that one stuck with us.” Their regular

haunt, the Anjuna Lounge, has become their spiritual

home. “It gave us our first shot,” Bobby adds. “We still go

back. It’s our Cavern Club.”

Their sound came into its own during the recording of It

May Not Be Your Friday Night. “We were chasing that

Exile on Main Street feel,” says Eddie. “So we brought in

Ash Sheehan from The Twang to add horns — it clicked

immediately.” Their sets still include carefully chosen

covers too, with Howlin’ Wolf’s Killing Floor and Nina

Simone’s Sinnerman often closing the night. “Bobby’s

vocal on that one is spine-tingling,” Eddie says.

Their latest single Blood Will Tell marks a bold step

forward. Produced by Robert Plant’s go-to studio wizard

Gavin Monaghan, the track tackles toxic entitlement and

the obsession with seeing others fail.

For a band still in its early chapters, Love nor Money already

sound seasoned. Their music is rooted in tradition

but far from nostalgic — this is blues-rock recharged for

a new generation.

Stream Blood Will Tell now on all major platforms.

Follow them at: facebook.com/Love-nor-Money

“We want to honour the artists we grew up on—but it’s

got to sound like us, and we’ve got to tear the place up

while we’re doing it.”

Edinburgh’s Pocket Collective may be one of Scotland’s

newest blues outfits, but their story is rooted in decades

of friendship, shared gigs, and an unshakable love

of classic blues and soul. Formed in 2022 by guitarist

Ross MacLeod, the band brings a fiery, honest energy to

the genre with a lineup of musicians whose paths have

crossed for years.

Ross caught the blues bug in the ‘90s after seeing Eric

Clapton’s From the Cradle tour. “Some of the audience

walked out because he didn’t play Layla or Badge, but

it changed my life,” says Ross. “I went home, picked up

my dad’s guitar, and never looked back. While my mates

were into Oasis, I was trying to turn them on to Buddy

Guy and Washboard Sam!”

“Jaff and Chris just locked in. Emma can sing anything

you throw at her. Andy adds this perfect flavour on harp.

After a couple of tunes, Chris turned and said, ‘I guess

we’re a band now.’ And that was that,” Ross recalls.

Pocket Collective have since become a regular fixture on

the Scottish blues circuit, earning a reputation for soulful

delivery, tight grooves, and passionate performances.

Their influences span Big Bill Broonzy and Rory Gallagher

to Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone, with a sound

that’s rooted in tradition but very much their own.

Their debut tracks drop on all major platforms on 1st

July, and they’ll celebrate with a live set at Borders Blues

Club on 4th July, supported by Sam Mundy.

Follow Pocket Collective:

facebook.com/Pocket-Collective


SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC NEAR YOU

THE BIG BLUES CHART

THE TOP 50 BLUES ALBUMS

POS ARTIST ALBUM LABEL

#1 BOBBY RUSH & KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD YOUNG FASHIONED WAYS DEEP RUSH

#2 JANIVA MAGNESS BACK FOR ME BLUE ELAN

#3 POPA CHUBBY I LOVE FREDDIE KING GULF COAST RECORDS

#4 SOUTHERN AVENUE FAMILY ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#5 TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAINKILLERS CLOSER TO THE BONE ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#6 JOHN PRIMER GROWN IN MISSISSIPPI BLUES HOUSE

#7 ANDREW DUNCANSON CALIFORNIA TRAP RUN IT BACK RECORDS

#8 TONY HOLIDAY KEEP YOUR HEAD UP FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#9 ALLY VENABLE MONEY & POWER RUF RECORDS

#10 JIMMY VIVINO GONNA BE 2 OF THOSE DAYS GULF COAST RECORDS

#11 BOB CORRITORE DOIN’ THE SHOUT! VIZZTONE

#12 KID RAMOS STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING NOLA BLUE

#13 CAROLYN WONDERLAND TRUTH IS ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#14 SEAN CHAMBERS LIVE FROM DARYL’S HOUSE CLUB QUARTO VALLEY RECORDS

#15 MAX HIGHTOWER NOTHIN’ BUT THE TRUTH MOMOJO

#16 WILL WILDE BLUES IS STILL ALIVE VIZZTONE

#17 GA-20 EP VOL 2 COLEMINE

#18 JENNIFER LYN & THE GROOVE REVIVAL RETROGRADE J AND R COLLECTIVE

#19 THE BOB LANZA BLUES BAND BREADMAN’S BLUES MOMOJO RECORDS

#20 JOHNNY RAWLS MAKE THEM DANCE CATFOOD

#21 MIKE DANGEROUX EMPTY CHAIR RD RECORDS

#22 EDDIE 9V SARATOGA RUF RECORDS

#23 HEAVYDRUNK & WATERMELON SLIM BLUESLAND THEME PARK HEAVYDRUNK RECORDS

#24 RONNIE BAKER BROOKS BLUES IN MY DNA ALLIGATOR RECORDS

#25 SHARI PUORTO HOLD ON LITTLE LIGHTNING PRODUCTIONS

#26 DADDY MACK BLUES BAND DOCTOR’S ORDERS INSIDE SOUNDS

#27 HUGHES TAYLOR ROASTED THE BENT NOTE

#28 THE REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY OWNED RECORDS

#29 JOHNNY IGUANA AT DELMARK DELMARK RECORDS

#30 FRANK BEY PEACE NOLA BLUE

#31 MITCH RYDER WITH LOVE RUF

#32 MARK ‘MULEMAN’ MASSEY BEEN A LONG TIME MULETONE

#33 MATT “THE RATTLESNAKE” LESCH BLUES CUT LIKE GLASS SELF

#34 DUDLEY TAFT THE SPEED OF LIFE AMERICAN BLUES ARTIST GROUP

#35 DAVIS COEN LIVE AT PROUD LARRY’S SOUNDVIEW

#36 CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE LOOK OUT HIGHWAY FORTY BELOW RECORDS

#37 BIG AL AND THE HEAVYWEIGHTS BLUES POWER VIZZTONE

#38 CRYSTAL SHAWANDA SING PRETTY BLUES NEW SUN RECORDS

#39 BIG DAVE & THE DUTCHMEN BIG DAVE & THE DUTCHMEN NAKED

#40 JON CLEARY THE BYWATER SESSIONS FHQ RECORDS

#41 SHEMEKIA COPELAND BLAME IT ON EVE ALLIGATOR

#42 STEVE HOWELL & THE MIGHTY MEN YEAH MAN OUT OF THE PAST MUSIC

#43 ED ALSTROM FLEE THOUGH NONE PURSUE HAYWIRE

#44 CHRISTOPHER WYZE & THE TELLERS LIVE IN CLARKSDALE BIG RADIO RECORDS

#45 THE ANTHONY PAULE SOUL ORCH WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR BLUE DOT

#46 CHRIS CAIN GOOD INTENTIONS GONE BAD ALLIGATOR

#47 SUNNY BLEAU AND THE MOONS PASSION & REGRETS ENDLESS BLUES RECORDS

#48 OLLEE OWENS NOWHERE TO HIDE S R

#49 BRANDON SANTINI WHICH WAY DO WE GO MOMOJO RECORDS

#50 SAMANTHA FISH PAPER DOLL ROUNDER RECORDS

LAIN

IMPLE

ONESTY


LEDFOOT

In this candid interview, he talks about his creative process, the evolution

of his sound, and what continues to drive him to the edge of musical

expression and his newest release, Plain Simple Honesty.

Colin Campbell

Pål Hornburg

In a music world cluttered with polished personas and

overproduced soundscapes, Ledfoot cuts through like a

rusted blade; raw, resolute, and unmistakably real.

From Band Leader to Lone Wolf

Ledfoot, real name Tim Scott McConnell recalls the moment

he traded the chaos of band life for the singularity

of solo performance. “By then I’d done about 30 years of

being a band leader, I realised so much of making music

was about the politics of being in a band. I always liked

the idea of just one guy.”

Blending his mastery of various stringed instruments, he

began reshaping his sound with heavier strings and unconventional

tunings. The result? A haunting, percussive

guitar tone that doesn’t so much play a song as summon

it. “It blossomed out of that,” he says. “I found I was getting

a sound I hadn’t heard before.”

THE BANJO, THE BOOK, AND THE BEGINNING

It all started with a banjo and a desperate father in rural

Wales. “I was driving him crazy, so he bought me a banjo

just to keep me quiet.” That impulse buy, paired with

a book titled 67 Open Tunings for the Banjo, changed

everything. “It opened my whole world, I thought, you

don’t have to tune guitars the way you’re supposed to.’

That revelation would influence not just his approach

to instrumentation but also his unorthodox songwriting

style and rhythmic, fingerpicking technique.

SOUTHERN ROOTS, GLOBAL REACH

Raised in a Southern family in America, steeped in country

music, he soaked in the sounds of Johnny Cash, Marty

Robbins, and Tennessee Ernie Ford, music that taught

him storytelling with steel and soul. “My grandfather

didn’t like singers who sang high. He’d say, ‘I don’t like a

man who sings in a feminine voice.” He gravitated toward

Woody Guthrie, Roscoe Holcomb, and Reverend Gary

Davis, and later, rock and roll filtered in through his older

brother. “I moved around a lot, so I just soaked everything

in. Whether it was Johnny Cash or ‘My Funny Valentine,’

it was about capturing the truth.”

THE SONGWRITING SPIRIT

When asked about his creative process, Ledfoot is quick

to dismiss romantic notions of structured routines. “I

have no method at all,” he says. “I think writers who need

a yellow legal notepad, and a number two pencil are

cutting their own throat. Grab a napkin and some lipstick,

just write it down.” For him, songwriting is an extension of

storytelling, like holding court in a bar, telling a tale that

draws a crowd. “There’s a melody to telling a story, even

without music,” he explains. “Everyone laughs at the right

time. That’s the songwriter.”

“TOO MUCH INFORMATION”

We talk about the overwhelming number of platforms

available to musicians today. Ledfoot’s response is characteristically

thoughtful and unfiltered.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword. The process of being

artists on display so nakedly and so personally, it isn’t

really a good thing. You don’t want to fucking look at the

Mona Lisa and then have her on Twitter being a little

bitch,” he quips. “Too much information can destroy the

ability to make up your own mind as a listener or a viewer.”

Ledfoot is adamant: music should be the focus. “Not

the lifestyles of the artist or the products they have to sell

or that bullshit. It’s great that people can put out music so

easily. It’s just a shame that so many of them take it from

the wrong place.”


As the discussion shifts to genre, Ledfoot makes it clear

that musical labels mean little to him. “I don’t really think

it does matter,” he says. “It would matter if the categories

could be more honest. If you knew this was a direct

reflection of an artist or if it was a manufactured product.”

He laughs when the term “gothic blues,” often used

to describe his sound is discussed. “It was because I didn’t

fit anywhere else. When I was referring to ‘gothic,’ I was

thinking more about architecture. That’s what the focus

was for me. There’s a lot of thought process that goes

into constructing my stuff, with the guitar playing and

everything.”

THE BLUES IS A FEELING

“Blues is a borrowed word from a slang for a feeling, and

I think the emotional content is what it’s about. It doesn’t

matter how you howl at the moon, if you’re howling,

you’re howling. I don’t care what you’re wearing while

you do it,” he adds with a smile. “We’re always howling at

the moon, though, aren’t we?”

RELEARNING THE SONGS

“I just did a release party last Thursday and played about

six of the songs. I usually like to write really close to

when I’m recording. If I have to do four takes, I’m pretty

much ready to throw the fucker away. This time it’s hard

because I think I’m using five different tunings. I’ve had to

put the songs on and go, ‘What fucking tuning was I in?’”

“IT’S MY CATHARSIS”

Live performance still gives him joy, even as the grind of

touring gets tougher. “I love to play live. That’s my catharsis

that I get to go through every time I do it. As I get old,

I hate the traveling. I sleep in my hotel rooms with the

lights on so I can find the fucking bathroom in the middle

of the night when I do an old man piss.” Still, he’s committed—doing

60 or 70 shows a year. “Next year I think I’ll be

doing more. With 2,000 parents in a room, find one that

gets it right,” he says. “It’s basically: work, kids, work, kids.

This month I’m gone 12 days, and I have the boys the rest

of the time.”

Though American by birth, he doesn’t feel rooted to one

place. “I don’t really have that sense of going back to

America to go home. I was born in a trailer home. I’m not

a very nationalistic person.”

A VERY TRUE AND HONEST ALBUM

His latest release, Plain Simple Honesty, continues his

commitment to stripped-down sincerity. “I try to do that

with every record, but I decided to actually name this one

that.”

The album was recorded in just a few days with minimal

pretension. “It had a real living room vibe,” he says. Ledfoot

oversaw most of the instrumentation himself, banjo,

mandolin, baritone guitar, percussion accompanied by his

regular pianist. “I wasn’t trying to make a big record; I was

trying to make something you had to crawl into.”

SONGS CARVED FROM MEMORY AND MYTH

Tracks like All You Ever Had reflect Ledfoot’s ongoing fascination

with stoicism and survival. “It’s about that hardcore

Southern stoic,” The song’s outlaw edge nods to the

grit of Johnny Cash’s “I shot a man in Reno just to watch

him die.” Ledfoot’s fictional outlaw, Clarence Cole, named

after his grandfather and a disliked neighbour, embodies

a mentality where survival isn’t sentimental. “It’s just the

job; you get someone out of your way.”

THE TRUTH IN THE NOISE

“I wrote about four sets of lyrics for the title track, Plain

Simple Honesty. It comes out of the frustration of the

modern world and social media. The fact that I just can’t

tell if anything I’m hearing is the truth anymore. When I

finally do get it, it’s so diluted by non-truth, you can’t even

make a judgment.”

There’s a weariness in his voice, not defeat, but recognition.

“I’m such a lightweight, man, but the way people

throw around words like ‘love,’ it’s all diluted. Someone

tells you they love you, but they also love their cappuccino

because it’s got a beautiful design in the foam. So,

you’re right there next to a cup of coffee. Thanks.” That

bitterness runs like a current through the new release,

which is perhaps his most socially pointed record yet.

“Every album, I have one or two songs like that. I’m old

enough now to be a grumpy old man, so fuck it, I’m gonna

be one.”

“Burning Blue, that one came from my love of Jack Bruce.

I was learning bass, and I just adored what he did in

Cream. I wanted to write something like that. I tried turning

it into Cream for ten seconds, then pulled it back to

just one guitar.” Then there’s Crystal River, a song rooted

in memory. “That’s where I grew up, well, near there. My

grandparents lived close, and I’d go every summer. It was

a good place to drink underage, to get lost with yourself.

I had a friend who used to go there with me, he passed.


I changed the names, of course, but it’s about

that. About how the places you escape to when

you’re young end up being the ones you want to

return to.”

SARCASM, SADNESS, AND SOUTHERN SPIRITS

One of the album’s more surprising moments is

Hey Ho, a rollicking, tongue-in-cheek number

that sticks in your head, whether you want it to

or not. “I wrote it in 20 minutes. I thought it was

stupid. Played it for my engineer and he said,

‘We gotta do this.’ We couldn’t get the damn

thing out of our heads. There’s an extreme dose

of sarcasm in there, musically, and lyrically.”

Contrast that with I’m Alone Again, and you see

the emotional spectrum Ledfoot spans. “It’s a

song of loss. I’ve been a full-time father for over

30 years, and I realised; they’re going to go. It

hit me hard, what do you do when your focus

leaves? It sounds like a love song, and it is. But

it’s also about losing your purpose.”

“IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE BIG

BUT MAKE IT YOURS”

On The Devil’s Game, the Southern Gothic

comes alive again. “That one and All You Ever

Had; I wrote those on the banjo. I grew up on

murder ballads and that ‘going to the crossroads’

mythology. I was in Clarksdale recently,

thunderstorm going, lightning everywhere. I

was just waiting for someone to show up with a

contract.”

FINAL REFLECTIONS:

WORDS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Asked what he’d tell his 13-year-old self, he retorted,

“Find a better career,” he says dryly. “My

biggest nightmare is my kids’ becoming musicians.

Wash windows on a skyscraper, it’s safer!”

But for those determined to make music, he

does have advice. “Ignore what’s going on

around you. Fashion, fads they’ll all go, you need

to have something personal to say. It doesn’t

have to be big but make it yours. If you’re just

echoing someone else, it won’t matter.”

ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK

As we wrap up, the conversation turns to

future UK gigs. “I’ve been offered about four

shows over there, and I’m just trying to string it

together. My sister lives in England, so I take the

kids over every year. “We agree to meet when

he makes it over. “I’ll buy you a beer that night,

brother.” Looking forward to it, Ledfoot. Keep

howling.

For further information see website: ledfoot.net



THE GREATEST FRONT PORCH

BAND IN THE WORLD

REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

Tyler Zoller

There’s little doubt the accolade of greatest front porch

band in the world is a deserved one. They have brought

their revival tent style blues to 38 countries and won

numerous awards along the way. Rev Peyton himself is

considered among the premier finger picker players in

the world, and his wife Breezy is a washboard virtuoso.

Its all underpinned by Jacob ‘The Snokob’ Powell laying

down deep Mississippi rhythms. I caught up with the Reverend

just hours before they embarked on their European

tour which will culminate in a string of UK dates. It was

an opportunity to ask him about the recent Honeysuckle

album release.

When we connected via zoom, appropriately enough Rev.

Peyton was sitting on his porch in the Southern Indiana

sunshine. He told me they were packed and ready to fly

to Europe going from Indianapolis to Chicago having

learned from multiple previous trips that even though Indianapolis

is International the Chicago route involves less

lost luggage, a point worth considering when flying with

‘’far too many nice guitars, but you only live once.’’

I told Rev Peyton that I had been listening to Honeysuckle

and to me it felt more like a solo record even though it

was credited to the full band.

‘I will say this, when it started I was just going to do a solo

record, just me and a guitar in the living room right and so

it started that way but then I kind of got into it and I was

looking at certain songs going man I really think Breezy

singing and playing the washboard on this song would

be great, and it’d be great to have Jake doing some part

harmony a third part harmony on this or this little bit

of percussion there. so, what I wanted to do was make

a very stripped-down acoustic album. Then I thought

about how cool some songs would sound with this thing

or that thing, so I started getting some of our friends and

just asked if they wanted to be part of the album, and you

know, they all said yes and the rest is history.’

There are some amazing covers on there too.

‘Yeah, and that was kind of a fun thing too, because most

of the records, I don’t really do that, they’re all songs of

mine. But this one is 12 songs, seven I wrote, and five that

are either old blues or old traditional songs or old gospel

songs. And I feel like, in some respect, there’s a few of

those that I had just been wanting to do something with

for a while. Like my prison cell blues, Nell. I call it Nell. It’s

the old Blind Lemon Jefferson song. Bill Branch, legendary

Hall of Fame blues harmonica player, is playing on this

record. And he plays on that song. And that’s a song I’ve

been playing since I was a little kid, which is a very weird

song for a little kid to play. But I’ve heard songs that I’ve

learned how to play fingerstyle. And I’ve always just loved

that song. I love the way it really, really pushes the envelope

and the flatted thirds to a very West African place.

I love how really kind of dark the lyrics are when you get

down to it. I love that song, but it just never, you know,

never really had a place for it on a record.’

Rev Peyton has often spoke about how big an influence

Blind Lemon has been to him, and there are a couple of

his songs on Honeysuckle.

‘Yeah, which is kind of wild, but it just also worked out.

Like, I’d never really done much with Blind Lemon Jefferson

on any records, or even in some of our, you know,

like, workshops that they’ve got me doing here and there,

stuff like that, and I thought, man, I’d love to do some of

these, because they’re songs that I really love, and some

really, really just high-level picking, you know, and I mean,

Blind Lemon Jefferson was one of the best to ever do it,

so it was just kind of a special thing. It just felt like it was

the right time and the right thing, and it was stuff that I

was messing with, and I go through these phases like this,

where I’ll get on a kick, you know, and at the time when I

record, I was on a kick, I’m like, man, I’m just playing, and

it resonates on the porch. You know, and I’m going to be

doing that. So it’s just kind of like what I was doing and

that’s what the record is, it’s just old, old National guitars,

old microphones run into old gear. I mean it is two or

three microphones in the whole thing

There’s something very special about the sound that you

get from those old National Steel guitars. It sort of encapsulates

that real blues sound

because that’s what it all originated with really.

‘Well the National guitars are really special, they really

are and, you know, one of the things about National guitars

that I think people probably don’t even know is that

the National guitar, the resonator guitar, was invented

by the Tapira brothers, and they were Czech immigrants


to the United States and they invented the guitar, just to

be loud. And they really invented it to be loud so people

could play Hawaiian music.

Because at the time, Hawaiian music was the biggest

thing in the United States. Everyone was obsessed with

Hawaiian music. Well, there are these guys in the Delta,

mainly the Mississippi Delta, they heard people playing

slide guitar Hawaiian music, and they realized that they

could use that tool to get to some of the West African

scales that had been sort of passed down in the vocal

tree, but are not really as easy to play on a standard

chromatic scale instrument, like a regular guitar that’s

still chromatic in its frets. So you have these folks, they’re

playing essentially West African scales, but they’re also

playing music that’s very inspired by Celtic music. You

know, anytime blues is triplets, da-da. In American music

history, where you have these Czech immigrants, they’ve

invented this thing for Americans to play Hawaiian music,

but then these fellas that are very, very isolated on big

plantations, they are able to hear this, be inspired by it, to

play West African music on these chromatic instruments

where they can play slide and get in between all the

notes. There’s just this amazing confluence; a lot of things

that came together you know that were very special to

bring us what we now think the national guitars as a blues

machine and in its infancy the De Pere brothers probably

didn’t know what blues was. That’s what’s crazy’

From there people like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charley

Patton emerged and became national figures and

legends of the blues.

Really Charley’s of course my like patron saint, yeah

Charley and Blind Lemon are definitely the two at the top

but when you go back and back and back it’s those two

fellas are the reason why there is the possibility, that a

person can play this low-culture folk music and make a

living. Before that, the only people making a living playing

music were highly trained professionals in an orchestral

setting or something like that. The traveling musician was

almost an invention of those two fellows. And who was

doing it first, it’s hard to say. But Charley influenced more

people. He was in the Delta, so he influenced more people

in that time frame. But Blind Lemon Jefferson was right

on his tail, traveling all around, from Texas, Louisiana,

Mississippi, everything.’

Most of the Chicago blues guys originated from the Delta,

moving to where the work mostly was.

‘Blind Lemon even made his way to Chicago. That’s where

he died. Unable to really have much of a recording heyday

there because he died before a lot of the Chess Records

stuff happened. He was just cut short in his prime. Of

course, Charley Patton died of a heart condition before

the migration north even really was a thing. For them,

they died just too young. One of the interesting things, I’ll

tell you one that freaks people out. This is one that I love

to tell because that timeline is kind of wacky in people’s

minds. Howlin’ Wolf was two years older than Robert

Johnson. So if Robert Johnson had lived, he would have

went to Chicago and probably recorded for Chess Records

and we know this because his buddy, David Honeyboy

Edwards, said that was their plan. And Honeyboy did

go to Chicago and record like that.’

I had read in other interviews Rev Peyton has done that

until he was 11 or 12 years old he had no idea his father

could play guitar because there was never a guitar in the

house.

‘It’s true, it’s correct. I didn’t even know he played. Because

when I was born, you know, as often is the case,

he got hard up and sold it. And he didn’t have a guitar

for a decade. So, when we first got that guitar, I couldn’t

believe all the stuff he knew how to play. My dad, he could

play. He was no professional, he did construction work,

but he could play and loved music, and he had a good ear.

He was someone that with zero training, could listen to

a song and work it out. He got me started and taught me

my first chords. The first guitar we had was this old K,

really terrible. We got this old K, and it was an electric

guitar with no amp. He told me if you get good, we’ll get

an amp. So, the first amp we got was a Gorilla amp. I had

a guitar with this cheap solid-state Gorilla amp, and that

was my rig for a long time. It’s so funny. I still have that

guitar. I sold it, but it came back to me, and not a replica

but the actual guitar.’

I was curious to find out how a 12-year-old boy discovered

and fell in love with the music of Charley Patton.

‘You know, I think that maybe the first moment that

really, really clicked with Charley Patton, I got this

compilation CD called Bottles, Knives, and Steel. And it

came out like, you know, I mean, I was a little kid, but I

got that home, and I had heard these names. I mean, I’d

read about Charley Patton. I knew that Charley Patton

was a big deal. I knew some of these names. I put that on;

it just blew my mind. I mean, of all of them, Charley was

the one that just, his voice was huge. The whole thing was

just monumental. The whole record was life changing.

Of course, it’s called Bottles, Knives, and Steel because

of the things that people would play slide guitar with

back then. So that moment was a big one. I mean, that

specific record was a big one because not just blues, it’s

Charley Patton, and blues. That was a big introduction to

slide guitar. Of course, it’s become my bread and butter.

There’s a weird tuning that I believe Charlie Patton and

Blind Lemon sometimes used. It was neither an open nor

standard. But anyway, slide guitar is kind of my bread and

butter. When I heard that Bottles, Knives, and Steel, man,

I can almost pinpoint that moment in time.’

It didn’t take that 12-year-old boy long to reach a level

where he started performing live.

‘Well, I started playing at like 12 by like 13 and 14, I was

giving guitar lessons. I always say that the guitar, to me,

up until that point, I had felt like I didn’t have anything,

I felt completely lost. And I like to use this description.


I don’t know if you do any fishing, if you fish at all. But

when you catch a fish and you pull it out of the water,

and maybe you sit on the ground or you look at it, that

thing looks silly. It bounces around. It’s choking. It’s just

lost. And then when you put it back in the water, it’s like

magic. It’s like, how does this thing move like this? How

did this thing navigate water? Because when we get in

water, we look stupid. Even when we’re swimmers we

don’t look beautiful and graceful like a fish. And I felt like

that when I first was handed the guitar, that I was put

back in water. That’s what I felt. I felt like I was put back

in water. Everything in my life just clicked, everything. It

was kind of miraculous. I just didn’t put it down. I mean,

when people talk about like, they played 12 hours a day

and then you wonder if they really did. Well, I did. I would

fall asleep with the guitar. I’d be lying in bed playing. I’d

fall asleep and it’d be like, hey, you gotta go to school.

I’d wake up and I’d play. and they’re like, you gotta go to

school, you gotta go right now, and I’d just be running

back home to pick up the guitar and I’d do it again, and

then all weekend, I mean, it was non-stop, they couldn’t

get me to stop playing the guitar, and, you know, I would

just pour over those old blues records and try to figure all

the songs out, because now, it’s crazy, there’s a lot of tabs

and sheet music for a lot of this stuff, I mean, it’s crazy

what’s available now, but at that time, which I’m not that

damn old, but at that time, there was none of that, There

wasn’t any tabs for old country blues, I had to figure every

single thing out by ear, figure out what’s the key, what are

they actually playing, and I think that helped make my ear

better, though, you know, I really do, I think that helped.’

I told Rev Peyton that I once met Robert Belfour, who

was an awesomely good Delta bluesman, and he told me

people always try to work out my tunings, but I’ll

never tell anyone. Those guys were very protective

about that stuff.

‘You know what’s funny is Mr. Belfour, and maybe

this is bragging, I don’t care. Mr. Belfour and I

were such good friends that he would tell me how

he was tuning. But he would use old language. He

knew I knew how to speak that. So he would give the

old school’s blues name for the tunings. He didn’t

give it up. Like he wouldn’t say, oh, I’m tuned to a G,

you know, to an open G, open D or whatever.

He would give the old blues name and

then, because he knew I knew what

that meant. But he was, he was very,

very secretive about his tunings.

Also, he didn’t use a tuner, so

none of his stuff was really

tuned to, like, a 440 pitch. He

would pick up the guitar

and go, hmm, and then,

like, whatever that note

was, you know, maybe if

it was a rough night the

night before, maybe that

was a lower, hmm, right?

Then he would tune to

that and then tune every string to that note. That was

his kind of, his starting point, relative to that. But, yeah,

Robert Belfour was one of the best bluesmen ever. He’s

probably the most underrated bluesman in the last 50

years. One of the reasons I think he didn’t really blow up

and become a household name, despite his talent and

the timing of everything, was because he just wouldn’t

tour. And he would only go do shows away from home if

it was enough money that he could convince his wife that

it made sense. He worked in union construction; he was a

big machine operator.’

It hasn’t all been plain sailing though for Rev Peyton, an

injury almost finished his career.

‘Yeah, they told me I wasn’t gonna play again. I was 18

years old. At the time, I had to let all my students go.

Because it wasn’t just that it hurt, my hand was kind of

locked up and they said there probably wasn’t anything to

be done. I ended up being lost again for a time. Eventually

I ended up having surgery. I found a hand doctor who felt

like he could fix me up. And he did, I was back to playing.

But I will say this. During that time, because my fingers

really were, they were locked up, it didn’t quite work. I

played a lot of slide during that time. Then after that, my

right hand was able to really get back to normal, both my

hands had problems. And once my right hand was back, I

was able to, you know, it’s like I was on another level. Like,

it ended up being really good for my playing. It’s kind of

wild how that works. Like, it put me behind a little bit, you

know. Like, everything that had been happening was kind

of, you know, pushed back two, three years at least. But

it made me a better player, a better musician. And, you

know, it was kind of wild. At the time, I could

never imagine saying that, but it’s true.

So I was able to achieve my plan to be

a full-time recording musician. You

know, I’ve been called to do this for

some reason since I was a kid. And I

have been obsessed with this since I

was a kid. This wasn’t like, oh, this is

a phase you grow out of or whatever.

It’s like, I’ve been doing this too damn

long for that. Like, I got nothing else.

You know, this is it.’


The Illustrated Blues Of Brian Kramer

Gone FISHIN' Again...

Samantha Fish… I keep coming back to

Samantha Fish….

First hearing her like a dozen years ago, I

thought she was incredibly talented and she’s

undoubtedly grown to an unstoppable force

in the Blues realm.

Her latest release; Paper Doll is a testament

to her growth and evolution across the

board, as a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter. The

production is excellent.

As an illustrator, I’ve been “drawn” to her

animated connectedness in performance.

I would stop in my tracks and simply “have to

capture that”.

The illustrations have been shared across

various Fish forums and FB pages, with the

added mixed blessing of having my images of

her utilized without permission for countless

t-shirt merch scams.

More than anyone else I’ve paid tribute to.

Flattered on one level; not so much on others.

Hey, they love Samantha, they dig my art.

Who needs to ask either of us if it’s cool.

But that’s beside the point because here

I go again with the latest, once again, just

compelled to capture “something” about her

essence, within the lines.

Whatever the consequences

may be: That’s what it’s all

about!



“IT FEELS LIKE I’M

HITTING A STRIDE”

Paul van Kan

JOE BONAMASSA TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW ALBUM,

BREAKTHROUGH, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION,

GUITARS AND BB KING’S LEGACY

Stephen Harrison

As credited

Joe Bonamassa isn’t just a name at the top of the blues

world—he’s a one-man movement. A relentless touring

artist, a voracious gear collector, a recording powerhouse,

and a collaborator who still finds time for passion

projects, Bonamassa continues to push the boundaries of

the blues into new, electrifying territory.

This summer, amidst a 14-week European tour, Blues

Matters caught up with Joe while he was on the road in

the Czech Republic, as Black Country Communion—his

explosive hard rock supergroup with Glenn Hughes,

Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian—tore through their

long-awaited reunion tour. For Bonamassa, it’s a homecoming

of sorts.

“Everyone’s having a blast. Honestly, I think this is the

best version of the band we’ve ever had. The chemistry is

real, and the sound is massive,” he shares.

Black Country Communion hadn’t toured in over a

decade, and getting four of rock’s busiest musicians back

together took Herculean scheduling. But for Bonamassa,

the payoff is worth the wait. “This isn’t my day job, but

it’s a hell of a lot of fun,” he laughs. “It’s loud, it’s big, and it

reminds me why I fell in love with playing in a band in the

first place.”

Brothers in Blues and Rock

Bonamassa’s connection with his bandmates runs deep.

His first link with Glenn Hughes and Jason Bonham came

when they appeared on his 2006 solo record You & Me.

A few years later, a chance meeting with Sherinian at

NAMM 2008 laid the groundwork for something bigger.

Within a year, they were holed up at Rick Rubin’s famed

Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, writing what would become

their debut album.

“Sometimes these ‘supergroups’ are all hype and no

substance,” Bonamassa reflects. “But this one… this one is

different. The whole is stronger than the sum of its parts.”

The Obsession with Sound

No conversation with Joe Bonamassa is complete without

diving into gear. Known as one of the most serious

collectors in the world, Bonamassa’s guitar arsenal is the

stuff of legend—filled with pre-CBS Fenders, vintage Les

Pauls, rare amplifiers, and historical oddities.

But these days, Joe is more selective.

“I’ve slowed down. I used to be insatiable—it was a real

addiction. Now I only go for the unicorns—the guitars or

amps I haven’t seen in 25 years of collecting.”

He’s thinking about the future too. “At some point, you

realise you can’t take it with you. But you also can’t just

drop 16 rare guitars on the market at once—that would

crash it!” he jokes. “So I’m trying to be smart about how to

pass it on eventually.”

One guitar he’s not letting go of? His beloved 1953 Blackguard

Telecaster.

“It’s here with me on this tour. I used it on the ‘I’d Rather


Ian Potter


Go Blind’ performance with Beth Hart in Amsterdam.

You just can’t beat a Tele with flat-pole pickups

and a maple neck. That tone? Magic.”

The Making of Breakthrough

Robert Sutton

Joe’s latest solo album, Breakthrough, might be

his most cohesive and emotionally resonant yet.

Tracked across Santorini, Nashville, and Los Angeles,

the album was shaped by longtime producer Kevin

Shirley, who’s helmed nearly everything Bonamassa

has recorded in the last 20 years.

“It’s surprising how unified it sounds, considering

how spread out the sessions were,” says Joe. “We

recorded about 20 songs and Kevin picked the final

tracklist.”

Standouts like “Exit Sign” emerged during the early

Greek sessions, while the title track “Breakthrough”

came at the end—proof that inspiration strikes at

every stage.

Robert Sutton

And for Joe, it represents a milestone. “It feels like

I’m hitting a stride where I can balance guitar fireworks

with real storytelling.”

Friends, Collaborators and a

Musical Brotherhood

Across his career, Joe has cultivated long-term

songwriting partnerships with names like Tom Hambridge,

James House, and Gary Nicholson. Recently,

he’s added hitmaker Sam Hollander into the mix—

someone he says brings a fresh lyrical sensibility to

the fold.

Marty Moffatt

“Sam’s a great top-liner and lyricist. He helps me

step outside of the guitar-first mindset and focus on

the song as a whole.”

Bonamassa also continues to work closely with

Josh Smith, especially on production projects

like the upcoming BB King Blues Summit—a


“LIVE AT THE

REGAL IS STILL

THE CROWN

JEWEL”

Marty Moffatt


star-studded tribute marking what would have been

BB King’s 100th birthday. The album will feature a

jaw-dropping list of guest artists including Marcus

King, Gary Clark Jr., Derek and Susan, Keb’ Mo’,

George Benson, Jimmy Vaughan and more.

“BB was a mentor. I knew him from when I was 12

until he passed. This album is about celebrating that

legacy, the right way.”

Legends and Lessons

Joe’s encyclopaedic knowledge of guitar history always

shines through. Whether he’s talking about Leo

Fender’s design genius or the role Les Paul played in

shaping modern music, Bonamassa sees himself as

part of a long, ongoing lineage.

“Leo couldn’t even play, but he designed the most

iconic instruments in history. Les was a tinkerer, not

a designer, but he had ideas that pushed boundaries.

I try to live in that same space—where tradition


Ian Potter

meets evolution.”

When asked about his early heroes, Joe doesn’t

hesitate. “BB King. Always. Live at the Regal is still

the benchmark for me. It’s perfectly paced, perfectly

captured. That’s what a blues show should sound

like.”

The Road Never Ends

From Black Country Communion to his own headline

dates, to guest slots at events like the Rory

Gallagher tribute in Cork and orchestral shows at

Montreux Jazz Festival, Joe’s calendar is stacked.

“We’re on week nine of a 14-week stretch,” he says.

“It’s one of the biggest summers I’ve ever done. But I

love it. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t.”

Joe’s also a fixture on the blues cruise circuit, where

he records, performs, and connects with fans in an

intimate setting. “We’re hoping to bring the Mediterranean

cruise back in 2027. I love those trips—the

calm seas, the ports, the vibe. It’s special.”

The Future of the Blues

For Bonamassa, the blues is a living, breathing entity.

It’s not about preservation—it’s about progression.

“People always ask, is the blues dead? Hell no. It’s

just changing shape. It lives in the hands of new

players, new fans, new stories. I see it every night

from the stage.”

And with Breakthrough under his belt, a renewed

Black Country Communion, and one of the most ambitious

summers of his life on the go, it’s clear: Joe

Bonamassa isn’t just carrying the torch—he’s lighting

new fires.

Joe Bonamassa’s new album “Breakthrough” is

released by J&R Adventures on July 18th and is

available from www.jbonamassa.com


“THIS ISN’T

MY DAY JOB,

BUT IT’S A

HELL OF A LOT

OF FUN!”

JOE TALKING ABOUT HIS TIME IN

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION

Denis Carpentier

MOLLY TUTTLE

SO LONG


Molly Tuttle may not be a blues picker but she is easily one of the finest guitarists out there at the moment,

a young lady based in Nashville with an astonishing talent and command of her instrument. The

first woman to pick up the US International Bluegrass Music Association Best Guitarist Award in 2017,

she has a rapid-fire touch and a sensibility that very few could aspire to let along challenge.

Iain Patience

Ebru Yildiz


With a new album, ‘So Long Little Miss Sunshine’ – a title

to conjure with, for sure - due to launch in August, Tuttle

has moved outside what we might expect to deliver a

12-track release that has pop-lick shades and a positively

bouncy rhythm and revealing lyricism at its very heart.

Speaking with her about this unexpected change of direction

– always a gamble for real rising star – she is clearly

pleased with progress and ready to take it forward:

“Everything Burns’, where you hear that, I actually

recorded that part on an ordinary 6-string guitar; I did it

up to tempo on a normal guitar then the track was slowed

to half-speed then I played a normal guitar at half speed.

So, you’re hearing a normal guitar but done like that it

sounds like a 12-string guitar. So now, I think I must buy a

12-string if I’m going to try recreate this sound on stage,

live at gigs.”

Considering the possibility of working with the new

release in UK and Europe, Tuttle confirms it could be on

the cards next year because “…this year’s pretty much

booked solid with tour dates across the US. We’re pretty

much going to be out everywhere over here,” she confirms

with a laugh and adds, “We’re always talking about,

like, ’when are we going to go over to England, get out to

Europe.’ I went to London a few weeks ago and played at

the Royal Albert Hall, at the Country Music Festival there

and that was such fun. It was incredible. I’m sure I’ll back

over soon with this record.”

“For me it’s more like my first couple of records were

more in this style so in my mind it’s more like a solo

record with the focus on my guitar playing and singing.

The last couple of records I made were in the bluegrass

tradition, which I love, cause it’s such a collaborative way,

everyone’s improvising, everyone’s taking solos, bringing

harmonies. These songs are ones I’ve been working

alongside my last couple of bluegrass songs. It’s been a

long-time in the making, so I was really trying to experiment

with new styles.”

“There are some pop elements in there,” she agrees and

adds, ”I’ve been wanting to record it but it just never

seemed the right time till now.”

“I’ve kinda slowly been working towards this record. It’s

one where I had about half of the song, maybe not half,

but a handful of the songs I had put together about four

or five years ago. We were thinking of making a record

then and I was also thinking about another bunch of

songs I was thinking about recording. At the time, though,

I felt I wasn’t quite ready to go into the studio and make

like such a departure record. I felt we should stick with

songs that were like more in my wheelhouse, like my last

two bluegrass records, and the songs were just coming

so naturally to me and that’s the way my inspiration took

me. But, all along the way, I’ve been chipping away at this

other project. Then last Fall was the time we actually

went into the studio for pre-production. We spent a long

time on the arrangements.”

On one track, I thought I heard a twelve-string approach

in the intro, not a common guitar to find in the bluegrass/

Americana style. Molly shrugs and laughs before explaining

what it actually is:

“Yea, I mean, now I really have to buy a 12-string guitar

because this was really something on the track

Tuttle explains her interest inn guitar and bluegrass music

like this:

“My dad started teaching me guitar when I was about

eight years old. I remember I used to get comments like,

‘Oh, well, your dad must want to make you practice every

day. Keep you in your room so you can practice guitar!’

But, for me, it was never like that. I really always wanted

to play a musical instrument so I think that’s maybe what

made it successful for me to have my dad as my guitar

teacher. He would take time to just show me stuff whenever

I was in the mood to have a guitar lesson. So, it was

really fun.”

“I mean, before that I’d taken some piano lessons but it always

felt so formal and I’d get really uptight at times. You

know I’d sit there in the teacher’s room and try to play

these songs I was supposed to be learning and supposed

to have been practicing! But I’d never really practiced

them so it was often really stressful for me, so just having

my dad sort of show me stuff here and there around the

house made it all so much better, easier, relaxed with no

feeling of pressure behind it at all.”

Tuttle comes from a musical family and says: “It was

really fun growing up with my brothers and whenever

I’d see them I’d try to sit down and play music with my

family. That’s just awesome. When I ask about playing

with another of the USA’s bluegrass/Americana rising

young stars, Billy Strings, she laughs and responds: “Billy

is incredible. I got to see his whole arena show here in

Nashville a couple of months ago. My dad actually came

with me, we went together and it was just so much fun!”

“When I’m making music, I try not to think about awards

and that kind of thing. I try to focus on my songs, my playing

cause that’s what feels most important to me. But it is

exciting to get nominated, and for a Grammy! In reality,

you’re always hoping for those big career milestones


while at the same time thinking that if I sort of built my

whole career life around it, It would be pretty miserable

really.”

I’ve lived here (Nashville/Tennessee) about ten years

now. It’s been a really cool experience and I remember,

growing up in California, the south was like this mythical

place to me! I just didn’t really understand anything about

it or what it meant but like all the music I really listened

to came from here, from the south, from this area. All the

songs I grew up singing were like about growing up in

Kentucky, I used to sort of wonder what it was really like

out there. I remember going with my father, visiting his

family in Illinois, my dad grew up on a farm there, and we

went to West Virginia to go to an old-time music festival.

It felt like a different world! And it was where my biggest

hero, Hazel Dickens, came from. It was so cool to see

what it was really like.”

“I was about eleven or twelve and I’d listen to her (Hazel

Dickens) and her voice just sounded so authentic, so soulful

to me that it just chimed with me. I got to see her a few

times, cause they’d fly her out to San Francisco

to play the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

- a free festival held in Golden Gate Park

each year. I’d go specially to see her, it

was the only way I could get to see

her live, she didn’t tour that much. It

also meant I got to see Earl Scruggs,

Gillian Welch and all those great

players. It was just such a great

experience for me as a kid.”

“I don’t know exactly what I’m

going to do next but even this

morning I was like working on

a new song,” she says with a

laugh, when I ask if she’s already

looking ahead to a next album.

But you’re right, I’m always

writing and working on new stuff!

Sometimes, I start out with what

I feel is maybe a cool vibe, a groove

or what takes me. I like thought maybe

I should try writing a song in the style of, say,

Django Reinhart, cause he’s one of my favourite

guitarists and I used to try play some

of his music, learn some of his solos

and I’d like to write a song that has

that Django Reinhart jazz feel.

But I’ve nothing like that in

my set yet! But sometimes

in my live show, I think

what might be a cool, new

element to throw in,

something that would

be fun in the show.

When I’m on tour, I

always want to try

to make the show

more fun, more dynamic.”

Bluegrass is famed for the sheer high-octane power of

the fast-driving instrument lead music, so I ask Molly for

her thoughts on that aspect and about how she found the

transition from the west Coast, Bay Area to Tennessee:

“The level of musicianship is extremely high in bluegrass.

It’s pretty high, here, specially in Nashville. I think I expected

it to be smooth transition. I moved to Boston to go

to Berklee College and I was there two-and-a-half years.

That to me felt really cool – apart from the weather! It

was just so easy for me getting to meet and know people

so I thought moving to Nashville would be the same way.

But I didn’t think that when finding you’re not in college,

say, you’re not going out and finding the same groove. So,

when I moved to Nashville at first I thought, ‘Oh, what do

I do here?’ – because I didn’t know that many people and

being more introverted, I had to break out of my shell and

put myself out there and go to Jam sessions any chance I

could get and get to gigs, concerts and just try to talk to

people who were already involved there.”

“I mean, Nashville’s so laid back but at the

same time it’s just so busy – everybody’s

out there, everybody’s

touring. It seemed like everybody

is so successful here, it’s hard to

break into the scene but eventually

I found my way and found

a great supportive community

here. But it was so different

from where I grew up, Like

living in the south after living

in silicon valley, felt like living

in a totally different country

at times!”

EXPLORE


BIG BLUES

REVIEWS

REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 R

JOE

BONAMASSA

BREAKTHROUGH

J & R Adventures

Breakthrough is the 17th studio

album to be released by Joe Bonamassa.

It seems like only yesterday

that he released his first solo album,

in fact, it was twenty-five years ago.

A quarter of a century of Blues and

Blues/Rock by this amazing artist.

I have been lucky enough to have

reviewed a few of Joe’s albums for

Blues Matters Magazine, and each

time I get a feeling of anticipation.

The same anticipation lingered with

me as I started to listen to the new

album. The title track is also the

opening track, recently released as

a single, Bonamassa’s gospel-like

vocal on the intro sends a shiver

down my spine. I have mentioned

this previously, but it is my heartfelt

belief that his vocals get better with

each recording. On this album, Joe

once again collaborates with longtime

friends, Tom Hambridge, and

producer, songwriter, and musician,

Kevin Shirley. Trigger Finger, is quite

honestly one of Joe’s finest tunes, I

swear to god, it rattles incessantly

like a Gatlin gun pop, pop pop. It

also has some of the most soulful

backing vocals I’ve heard in a long

time, courtesy of Jade McRae, and

Danielle, DeAndrea.One thing that

I have always admired about all of

Joe’s albums, it is not all, Blues and

Blues/Rock, there are, as on here a

couple of beautiful ballads, Broken

Record, being, for me the most gentle

and lyrically brilliant. If I had to pick a

particular favourite tune from Breakthrough,

I would be hard-pressed, but,

Still Walking With Me gave me goosebumps.

I’ve read a couple of reviews

that state Breakthrough is the best Joe

Bonamassa album thus far. Everyone

is entitled to their opinion, I would say

that I’ve not heard a better, tighter, or

more polished collection of songs than

I found here. Go figure!! People will

talk about this album for a very long

time.

STEPHEN HARRISON

EXPLORE

96 BLUES MATTERS! ISSUE 151

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BRENT COBB & THE FIXIN’

AIN’T ROCKED

IN A WHILE

Thirty Tigers

Brent Cobb, the Georgia-born singer-songwriter

renowned for his laidback

Southern soul, shifts gears in

thunderous fashion on this ten-track

delight, his first album with road-tested

band The Fixin’s. With Len Clark

(drums), Matt McDaniel (guitar), and

Josh Williams (bass) in tow, Cobb ditches

polish for punch, delivering songs of

passion, soaked in roadhouse grit and

backwoods fire. The album kicks off

gently with Beyond Measure, with a

piano refrain, a stripped-down ode to

gratitude, before launching into the

raucous title track which is a mission

statement of sorts for Cobb’s return

to wilder, louder terrain. Bad Feelin’

follows with its swaggering groove,

a livewire moment, played to a

live audience this would sound

great. Things get stickier with

the swamp-funk of, Do It All

The Time, where Cobb drawls,

“I put the work in every single

day, praying’ for the weekend,

baby, me and you can play.”

Yet, it’s not all fire and flair.

Cobb’s lyrical gift shines on

the contemplative, Even If It’s

Broke, reaffirming why he’s a

Grammy-nominated songwriter. The

back half turns up the heat again with

the one-two punch of, Powerman

and then, Take Yer Meds, the latter

evolving from acoustic strums into

a breakneck jam. The final tune, a

full-band reprise of Beyond Measure,

ties the journey together with

reflective grace. Ain’t Rocked In A

While is Cobb at his rowdiest, and

perhaps his most honest. A gritty,

unapologetic detour that just needs to

be heard, highly recommended.

COLIN CAMPBELL

BRITISH BLUESCASTING

CORPORATION

SAINTS & SINNERS

Independent

The band name is a bit of a handful so I

will abbreviate as “BBC” going forward.

THE DEAD

DAISIES

LOOKIN’ FOR

TROUBLE

Fame Records

Depending on your point of view,

you might be thrilled that The Dead Daisies have locked themselves

away at Fame Studios to record a set of blues classics, or you might feel it’s

been done before. But if it helps bring new ears to the genre, that’s no bad

thing. Vocalist John Corabi and guitarist Doug Aldrich treat the material

with a genuine respect — they even produced a mini-documentary about

Blues covers from rock bands don’t

always work, but this one has heart,

grit, and style

the process, referencing the original artists and the history of the studio

and house band, The Swampers. The album kicks off with a swaggering take

on Muddy Waters’ I’m Ready, followed by Going Down, and then a punchy

run through Boom

Boom with Samantha

Fish drummer

Sarah Tomek driving

the groove. Black

Betty is more Ram

Jam than Lead Belly,

but the energy is

undeniable. The

Thrill Is Gone slows

the pace, with

Aldrich adding

tasteful touches, and

Born Under a Bad

Sign brings Albert

King’s spirit into

the Daisies’ orbit. Crossroads had to be included — Corabi even tweaks the

lyric to suit a new audience. Sweet Home Chicago and Walking the Dog

add some fun, before the album closes with Little Red Rooster, delivered

with the kind of attitude that Howlin’ Wolf and the Stones both would have

approved of. Blues covers from rock bands don’t always work, but this one

has heart, grit, and style.

LISTEN, WATCH AND DISCOVER

MORE AT THESE ARTIST LINKS

STEVE YOURGLIVCH

ISSUE 151 BLUES MATTERS! 97

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LEDFOOT

PURE SIMPLE

HONESTY

TBC Records

With Plain Simple Honesty,

his eighth solo effort, Ledfoot

delivers exactly what the title

promises a stripped-down,

soul-baring collection of songs rooted in

raw emotion and hard-won truths. These are tales carved

from life’s tougher edges, full of quiet grit and resilience. Each track

unfolds like a page from a battered notebook, revealing characters who

stumble, suffer, and survive in a world that rarely offers easy answers.

grounded, ghostly,

and utterly gripping

Set against the backdrop of 2025’s uncertain landscape, Ledfoot’s latest

feels timelier than ever. Tracks like the haunting single “Hard Times” and

the introspective title cut speak directly to the uneasy rhythms of everyday

life, echoing the struggles faced by so many. But this isn’t music that

wallows, it reflects, absorbs, and endures. Sonically, these ten tracks are a

masterclass in mood

and atmosphere.

Ledfoot’s signature

blend of gothic

Americana and

classic singer-songwriter

craft remains

intact, but here it’s

deepened with new

textures. Armed

with 12-string and

baritone guitars,

bass, percussion,

and banjo his first

love, he tips his hat

to Appalachian

icons like Doc Boggs and Roscoe Holcomb, while carving out something

unmistakably his own unique musicality. Recorded at Studio Nyhagen,

the album sees Ledfoot teaming up once more with co-producers Kjartan

Hesthagen and Markus O. Klyve, whose contributions on keyboards, percussion,

and backing vocals bring added depth. The result is a record that

bridges the intimate menace of 2022’s Coffin Nails and the broader sonic

palette of 2024’s Outsiders, grounded, ghostly, and utterly gripping.



COLIN CAMPBELL

They are a group of seasoned musicians

from the South of England who write

most of the material themselves., The

two exceptions are Ain’t No Love (In The

Heart of the City) and It Hurts Me Too.

The former is a classic soulful Blues originally

recorded by Bobby Bland which

the band do full justice too. The vocals

are sublime as is the twin lead guitar

work by Bob Cranham and Ben Keen.

The remaining band members are Dave

Williamson on Bass and drummer Barry

Cook, who together form a very tight

unit. The twelve tracks all gel well and

have a “Good Time” feel not dissimilar

to the sounds delivered by Paul Jones’s

Blues Band. This album is their second

release and kicks off at a cracking pace

with the title song Saints and Sinners,

which is very strong lyrically and probably

most representative of the BBC

sound. Other self-written material that

particularly stands out includes Ain’t got

The Blues, Blues, a song that incorporates

some swing with additional Harp

and keyboards added and I’m Coming

Home which maximises the twin guitars

with a harder rock sound, a real blast.

This album comes highly recommended

as it is crammed full

of good Blues material that

is played impeccably by a

quartet who have honed

their sound to perfection.

I will certainly try to look

out for the bands debut

album High Horse which

came out in 2022. The BBC

demonstrates with this album

that British Blues is alive and well

and long may it continue.

ADRIAN BLACKLEE

DAVID M’ORE

HOLY SINNERS & SINFUL

SAINTS

Independent

Ok let’s get the facts out the way first.

David was born in Argentina but moved

to Los Angeles in the early 1990s. This is

his third album release and his influences

range from Muddy Waters to Deep

Purple and AC/DC. The album has eleven

original plus two covers and David

handles all guitar parts and vocals accompanied

by Marshall St Clair on bass

along with Wade Olson on drums. Boy,

do this trio make one heck of a racket?

Hell yes! Very loud, and very proud!


WS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JUL

Most certainly the music strongly leans

towards the Heavy Rock side of things

but with a deep Blues underpinning. My

singu-lar problem with the album is that,

on a very personal level, I just don’t like

David’s raspy vocals in the same way

that, for example, Lemmy’s vocals also

MARIA MULDAUR

ONE HOUR MAMA-THE

BLUES OF VICTORIA

SPIVEY

Nola Blue Records

Maria Muldaur’s newest release, is a

deep, smoky love letter to one of the

boldest, bawdiest voices in blues history,

and she delivers it with all the sass, soul,

and spitfire Spivey herself was known for

on these twelve tracks. A six-time Grammy nominee and long-reigning

queen of roots, Muldaur doesn’t just cover Spivey, she channels her. The

album swaggers with a wink and a growl, leaning into Spivey’s risqué,

no-nonsense storytelling with reverent grit and a devilish grin. From the

not just a tribute,

it’s a resurrection

smouldering stomp of Don’t Love No Married Man, to the coy confessionals

in, One Hour Mama, Maria serves it hot and honest with no filter

and no apologies. She’s backed by the jubilant trad-jazz stylings of Tuba

Skinny, who bring a Crescent City flavour that fits like a well-worn glove.

Then, when blues heavyweights like Elvin Bishop on What Makes You

Act Like That? and

Taj Mahal on Gotta

Have What It Takes

drop in, it’s not for

flash, it’s because

they belong in this

stew of barrelhouse

grooves and

street-corner soul.

Muldaur’s voice

is still as rich and

raucous as ever, she

slips effortlessly

between tease and

testimony. She’s

not just honouring Spivey’s legacy; she’s reviving a whole era of female-fronted

blues bravado that’s too often overlooked. One Hour Mama

is not just a tribute, it’s a resurrection. It’s Muldaur reminding us of where

the blues came from, and who really told the stories worth remembering.

COLIN CAMPBELL





EVA CARBONI

THE BLUES

ARCHIVES

Mad Ears Productions

Sardinian born songstress Eva

Carboni combines the bulk of

2019’s Wrong Turn EP with

remixes of fan favourites

to produce The Blues Archives. A fitting title for

this blues drenched collection as evidenced on our opener, the previously

unreleased Someone Else’s Life which showcases Carboni’s heartfelt

vocals. Make decisions for yourself as you soak up the raw emotion and

passion of a song which defines the blues. Mick Simpson’s guitar and Andy

An essential journey

blues lovers must embark on

Littlewood’s keys compete for your attention as Carboni’s vocals demand

you listen. Quite possibly the finest blues vocalist you have never heard of

if this is your first exposure to Carboni’s beautiful heartfelt and powerful

tones. Love Me Tonight from 2017’s debut album Italia Square tells the

tale of a worn-out man with a tired soul and has garnered one million plus

viewings on You

Tube. A perfect example

of Carboni’s

delightful storytelling

combining with

Littlewood’s keys

and Simpson’s six

steel strings skill

to produce a blues

classic. Carboni’s

vocal taking on a

sultry edge. The

Magic and Unfinished

Business are

keyboard rich tunes

which showcase two distinctly different vocal styles from the versatile

Carboni. Hell Hath No Fury like A Woman Scorned, this upbeat boogie

woogie taken from Italia Square warns of the consequences of taking

someone for granted and treating them like a fool. We escape the wrath,

take our blues with us and drift away down the River Of Life to a distant

shore. Carboni’s soulful entrancing vocal captivates us once again as our

journey through the varied landscape of the blues ends with the gospel of

Wrong Turn. An essential journey blues lovers must embark on.



TAF ROCK

never sat well with me. So if I can park

that off to the side for a moment, there

is zero doubt that David is fine guitarist

and collectively the band works hard

with the material to hand. The production

is kept simple, straightforward and

very nicely rough and ready. Tracks like

It’s Alright, Let Me Take You Home, It’s

Alright along with Money And Trouble

are strong examples of a band comfortable

in their groove. Hoochie Man is not

actually a direct copy, more of a song

strongly influenced, by Muddy Waters

and it is very fine. The slow, smouldering

instrumental Bleeding Heart I feel

is particularly strong Blues cut whilst

the lengthy Armenia, at 08.29, is also

undoubtedly a highlight. So whilst I have

a personal reservation I would urge you

to have a listen and make up your own

mind, as it certainly is NOT a bad album.

GRAEME SCOTT

DAVID M’ORE

HOLY SINNERS & SINFUL

SAINTS

Independent

Ok let’s get the facts out the way first.

David was born in Argentina but moved

to Los Angeles in the early 1990s. This is

his third album release and his influences

range from Muddy Waters to Deep

Purple and AC/DC. The album has eleven

original plus two covers and David

handles all guitar parts and vocals accompanied

by Marshall St Clair on bass

along with Wade Olson on drums. Boy,

do this trio make one heck of a racket?

Hell yes! Very loud, and very proud!

Most certainly the music strongly leans

towards the Heavy Rock side of things

but with a deep Blues underpinning. My

singu-lar problem with the album is that,

on a very personal level, I just don’t like

David’s raspy vocals in the same way

that, for example, Lemmy’s vocals also

never sat well with me. So if I can park

that off to the side for a moment, there

is zero doubt that David is fine guitarist

and collectively the band works hard

with the material to hand. The production

is kept simple, straightforward and

very nicely rough and ready. Tracks like

It’s Alright, Let Me Take You Home, It’s

Alright along with Money And Trouble

are strong examples of a band comfortable

in their groove. Hoochie Man is not

actually a direct copy, more of a song

strongly influenced, by Muddy Waters



and it is very fine. The slow, smouldering

instrumental Bleeding Heart I feel

is particularly strong Blues cut whilst

the lengthy Armenia, at 08.29, is also

undoubtedly a highlight. So whilst I have

a personal reservation I would urge you

to have a listen and make up your own

mind, as it certainly is NOT a bad album.

DYER DAVIS

KISS THE RING

Big Wing Records

GRAEME SCOTT

Dyer Davis doesn’t just flirt with the

blues, he burns rubber through it,

channelling a raw, vintage energy that

echoes early J. Geils Band grit with

some intonations of an early Duster

Bennett’s guitar style. His new album,

comprising ten original tracks, is a fiery

35-minute ride that’s steeped in Southern

blues-rock swagger without ever

slipping into cliché. With the melodic

tones of the opener, I Ain’t Lyin,’ Davis

proves he’s not content to recycle tired

blues tropes. His voice balances ragged

edge with soulful clarity, and the arrangements

are tight, bristling with heat

but never overdone. There’s no growl

for growl’s-sake here just unfiltered

passion. Pass It Over, displays sharp,

electrified musicianship, whilst Brackish

Water, delves deeper into Allman Brothers-style

Southern groove, all mossy

rhythm and scorching guitar licks.

Davis, who self-produced the album,

knows how to craft hooks that reach

beyond the blues faithful. The tune,

Damned is the perfect crossover cut

and pretty catchy, but still dripping

with grit. Even the ballads carry weight;

Have Mercy, is tender without veering

sugar sweet, while the track, Baby is an

upbeat rocky tune balancing restraint

and release. Final track, Enough Is

Enough, is a reflective tune mellow vibes

to this harmonious ballad. Supporting

players Will Weiner on bass guitar,

David Weatherspoon on drums, and

Warren Beck on keyboards give Davis a

rock-solid foundation to build on. This

release is a confident, genre-blurring

statement, evidence that Davis isn’t just

playing blues, he’s living it.

COLIN CAMPBELL

GINA

COLEMAN

UNEQUIVOCALLY

BLUE

Guitar One Records

After 25 years fronting powerhouse blues outfit Misty Blues, Gina Coleman

has stepped into the spotlight alone, and Unequivocally Blue, released

June 6, 2025, is nothing short of a revelation. It’s raw, unfiltered

blues, born not in a studio session, but on a soul-searching 18-hour drive

home from her mother’s funeral. That emotional weight seeps into every

guaranteed to get heads, legs and

hips shaking manically

track, turning grief into grit, sorrow into song.

Opening cut. No More To Give sets the emotional tone, Coleman’s weathered,

commanding voice surges over Seth Fleischmann’s stark guitar work,

while Diego Mongue’s percussion pulses like a steady heartbeat. The title

track is a smoky, bass-heavy slow-burn, bridging jazz club intimacy and

juke joint swagger,

showcasing Coleman’s

vocal finesse

and emotional

depth. Despite the

stripped-down setup,

Coleman’s range

is thrilling. Days

Gone By shimmies

with funky momentum,

while Fly With

Me is pure frontporch

blues, bare,

hushed, and haunting.

Up Above My

Head reaches for the rafters with gospel joy, nodding to Mahalia Jackson

with a soulful, contemporary spin. Nothing’s In Vain is the emotional centrepiece,

a quiet stunner where Coleman’s voice and guitar intertwine like

old friends in deep conversation. Then Stoop Stomp brings it all home with

a gritty, foot-stomping groove straight out of Clarksdale. Producer Ronan

Chris Murphy keeps it clean and unfussy, letting Coleman’s voice shine,

and shine it does. Unequivocally Blue isn’t just a solo debut; it’s a bold,

bare declaration of truth, resilience, and the healing power of the blues.



COLIN CAMPBELL


JIMMIE VAUGHAN

DO YOU GET THE BLUES?

The Last Music Co.

The original release party for this album

was set to take place in a club in Austin,

Texas on 11th September 2001 – or to

put it another way, 9/11. Of course, it

didn’t happen, but this set did go on to

win a Grammy award for “Best Traditional

Blues Album” and on listening, I

can only agree that such an accolade

was deserved. By the time of this set’s

release, Jimmie had long established

himself as a notable artist in his own

right, with his crisp, Texas-styled guitar

playing and his cool vocals with shades

of Peter Green were honed near to

perfection. He had left The Fabulous

Thunderbirds more than ten years

earlier, and his traditional approach was

by this time broad enough to encompass

styles such as Bill Doggett – throughout

the set, Bill Willis plays the big B-3

Hammond, which he learned by watching

Doggett himself, and the opening

instrumental, Dirty Girl, certainly bears

strong traces of the R’n’B hitmaker’s

sound – through to the funk influences

of the powerful Let Me In. It really is

pretty much classic Texas blues all the

way, aided and abetted by George Rains

on drums, and with guests such as the

great James Cotton on The Deep End

and Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton

on bass and drums respectively on In

The Middle Of The Night, the latter also

featuring Lou Ann Barton on vocals (she

pops up elsewhere too). This of course

invited comparisons between Jimmie

and his brother Stevie Ray – some reviewers

mentioned this at the time – but

hopefully everyone now knows Jimmie

is a great artist in his own right. This set

confirms it.

LARS KUTSCHKE

BRASOV TALES

Independent

NORMAN DARWEN

On the five tracks of the EP Brasov Tales

the guitarist Lars Kutschke explore

many genres, from fusion, jazz, and more

laid-back moments. With Kutschke on

guitar and writing duties, the five tracks

were recorded live in one day with Till

Sahm on Hammond Organs, keyboards

and Piano, drummer Chris Coleman and

Tom Gotze on Electric and Upright bass,

with string and brass overdubs added,

there is a lot of exciting and original

music making on this release. With a

nod of the head to such names as Jeff

Beck on some of the more rock orientated

sounds, it also shares a sonic territory

with the later solo work of Andy

Summers, and the keyboard playing has

something of the American sound of

such players as Bruce Hornsby and other

jazz luminaires to it. The hard driving

funk of Hardly Ever has some inventive

rhythms to it, and Ada in an Uber is an

interesting mix of styles, starting with

funk rhythms, and ending with a more

restful, and tuneful piano coda. The

Saxophone solo by Michal Skulski on

the second track Kite City is particularly

good, with shifts in pace and tone, and a

LISTEN TO THE BLUES MATTERS

PODCAST

Listen to some amazing interviews with

the artists we’ve been lucky enough to speak

to for the magazine. NOW ON YOUTUBE!

SAMANTHA FISH

In this exciting episode, Adam Kennedy sits down with blues

sensation Samantha Fish, known for her electrifying guitar skills,

powerful vocals, and genre-defying sound.

TAJ MAHAL

We sit down with one of the most legendary figures in blues and

world music-Taj Mahal. At 82 years young, this pioneering artist

continues to defy expectations...

TERRY JULYSHALL

In this episode, Steve Harrison sits down with Terry JULYshall,

founder of JULYshall Records, to discuss the release of his highly

anticipated new album.


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WHOLE BACK CATALOGUE OF BLUES MATTERS FOR FREE

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THE CHRISTOPHER

DEAN BAND

NEED A FRIEND

Lost World Music

I have had the pleasure of listening to The Christopher Dean Band

before, so I knew that I was going to be in for a musical treat. However,

I did not know that the musical treat would be as good as this album is.

There are a few differentrack, writers’ credits on the album, Sam Maghett

being one of them. The opening track, What Have I Done Wrong, is soulful

and funky with a guitar solo that is quite simply awe-inspiring. From that

moment in, I knew full well that this album was going to be something special.

And I was not wrong in my assumption. End Of Bad Luck, is nothing

It is criminal that this band

is not more widely recognised

short of Blues heaven. From the pen of Sam Maghett once again, the band

delivers a song of sheer musical brilliance. At first, when reading through

the credits, I wondered why there are so many different writers, only one

song is written by the band, Appalachian Woman, which incidentally,

was written by Christopher Dean. The more I listened to and enjoyed the

album, I was

glad that there

are different

writers, the

main reason

being that you

get to hear stuff

from people

you wouldn’t

normally get to

hear about, and

the other reason

is that the diversity

of the writing

helps bring

out what this

band is all about. A cover of the Robert Lockwood song, Pearly B, took me

back many years, a song that I’ve not heard in many years, this is a great

rendition and highlights just what a brilliant writer Lockwood was. With

thirteen tracks and an amazing bunch of musicians, The Christopher Dean

band should be playing arenas in big cities. It is criminal that this band is

not more widely recognized. One of the best albums I’ve heard this year. It

belongs in every Blues Lover collection.



STEPHEN HARRISON

style like the Average White Band, and

plenty of catchy bass playing. The fifth

and final track Nic is a gospel blues piece

with a simple, classical acoustic guitar

opening and a syncopated piano rhythm

part. This is an EP of good original playing.

The compositions are all interesting,

and the playing is always tasteful and

melodic. Kutschke can certainly play

guitar, and he has assembled a crack

team of musicians to bring his music to

vivid life, but Brasov Tales is really a fine

record of his talents as a composer of

good music.

MICK SIMPSON

CHANGING TIMES

Mad Ears Productions

BEN MACNAIR

The Randy Newman song Louisiana

1927 is known to blues lovers from

excellent versions by Aaron Neville,

Sonny Landreth and Marcia Ball, among

others – we can now add Mick Simpson’s

name to that esteemed list; he

opens this very impressive set with a

version, quite beautifully sung with

sensitive accompaniment from his band.

He then goes on to prove his quality

with songs neatly on the borderline

between blues and rock such as Deeper

Than The Blues and shows his skill at the

slow blues with Fall Back Down with its

echoes of the great Otis Rush. The title

track has a strong, tough modern feel,

keening dobro playing and a fine electric

guitar break and a plea to “let’s kill the

hate”. Such class will come as no surprise

to those who already know him though.

Mick has played guitar for the likes of

Bill Wyman, Tina Turner and Roger Waters,

and made his debut album in 2010.

He leads his own band but also works

with the late Gary Moore’s group, and

Gary’s influence can be heard here quite

strongly on the blues-rock instrumental

All Our Tomorrow’s (sic), a nearly five

minutes long original penned by Mick

with his keyboards player/ backing vocalist

and co-producer Andy Littlewood

and keyboards player Vic Martin - as are

half of the ten tracks here. Now That

The Magic Has Gone is a blues meets

pop-flavoured rock song by John Miles

– and it works, as too does the gospel-tinged

cover of Charlies Rich’s Feel

Like Going Home. Mick’s penchant for

melodic, blues-inflected songs surfaces

again with These Three Words and



Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere, and the slow blues

instrumental closer Love Walks Away is

another blues-rock guitar showcase par

excellence!

NORMAN DARWEN

MISSISSIPPI SHAKEDOWN

PLANT YOU NOW, DIG

YOU LATER

Independent

The title of their seventh album sums

up these fun-loving Aussies perfectly.

This ain’t no down n out of luck blues,

this is upbeat, up-tempo, get out of your

seat and up on your feet blues. If you

popped into a bar for a swifty and came

across these guys playing you’d end

up staying the distance and have one

of the best nights of your life. Based in

Cairns, Queensland the band consist of

frontman Jeff Cripps on keys, mandolin,

guitar and vocals alongside Louis Cheng

on bass and Jan Cripps thumping the

tubs. Superb slide and deep growling

vocals proclaim I Gotta Make A Whole

Lotta Money in a groovy fun-filled

manner – ain’t no joke the piggy bank’s

broke... lyrics which leave you in no

doubt as to the direction of our convivial

trio. Jan Cripps’ drums set up a good old

Mississippi Boogie which gets the feet

tapping and the hips shaking. There’s

nothing new about this kind of tune,

but it sounds fresh, exciting and full of

dirt in these Aussie’s hands. Les Anwyl

leaps to his feet and joins the band for

some terrific blues harp. Buckets of

slide guitar, doo-wop gang vocals and

a neat twist on words sees us Dyin,

Dyin, Dyin... to keep our love alive. Don

Hopkins can resist the urge no longer as

he becomes the latest player to join in,

tickling the ivories in glorious fashion.

Ask Me No Questions (and I’ll tell you no

lies) is by no means an original subject

matter but the story has never been told

in this fashion before – with a beaming

smile. I’m Gonna Take It With Me When

I Die and become The Richest Man In

The Graveyard the titles say it all really.

Peter McDonald steps in on bass as our

intrepid trio finish with covers of Big

Boss Man and Rumble – the notorious

US radio banned instrumental – each

containing more dirt than a loaded

tipper truck.

TAF ROCK

THE CHRISTOPHER

DEAN BAND

STEPPIN’ OUT TONIGHT

Lost World Music

Steppin’ Out Tonight is the sixth album to be released by The

Cristopher Dean Band. This particular album has travelled down a slightly

different path from its predecessors. The other albums were more of a

Blues, Funk, and Soul collection. Steppin’ Out Tonight, however, lays its

roots firmly in the Soul camp. Having said that, the opening song does

have Country music at its heart. I have mentioned before that Christopher

Dean does indeed possess amazing vocal qualities, not your normal raw

and raspy vocals that you get with some Blues artists. He has a more mellow

tone, which in my opinion allows him to be able to change and adapt

without seemingly trying. On this album, I do get reminded ever so slightly

of early Bruce Hornsby And The Range, I think it is the gentleness, and

silky smooth delivery in each song, with the Soul arrangement acting as a

beacon. Here With Me Know, is one such tune that embodies everything,

I’m running out of superlatives to

describe this band, they have it all

the rich sound of Dean’s guitar poking its head above the parapet, a

delight in more ways than one. Another thing that impresses me about

these guys is the fact that unlike most bands or artists where you would

get an album of 8-9 tunes,

Steppin’ Out Tonight has

a very impressive fourteen

tracks. Now that

is a lot of bang for your

musical buck. The album,

as I attested to earlier, is

very much Soul-based,

however, That Old Feeling

Is Gone, does bring us

back to a 1920s juke joint,

smokey atmosphere, Jack

Daniels, and being at the

beginning of the Blues as we now know it. The horn arrangement is exquisite,

but I’m getting used to expecting nothing less from these guys now.

I’m running out of superlatives to describe this band, they have it all, on

all six albums, they cover Blues, Soul, Funk, Country, and Boogie, and they

run the gauntlet of the American music scene. I have not seen the likes of

that since The Band ( Robbie Robertson etc ). I urge you to check out The

Christopher Dean Band, you’ll thank me for it.



STEPHEN HARRISON



MITCH LADDIE

FAITH AND OTHER BAD

HABITS

Independent

When a guitarist as technically sharp

and emotionally tuned-in as Mitch Laddie

announces a new record, it’s worth

paying attention. His newest release

of differing styles and moods comprising

of ten tracks, doesn’t just grab the

spotlight, it commands it with conviction

and nuance. From the first chords of 50

Shades of Blue, Laddie sets a tone of

introspective fire and playful defiance.

Blending blues, rock, and soul with

confident ease, the album highlights

Laddie’s deft songwriting and expressive

guitar work. Tracks like Angels &

Demons and She Keeps Me Down, that

features harmonica virtuoso Will Wilde;

pulse with gospel-infused swagger and

sharp grooves. Faith, floats on shimmering

keys and subtle horn arrangements,

giving the mix emotional depth without

clutter. Laddie’s vocals, refined and

heartfelt, strike with clarity. But it’s in

the quieter corners on the moody ballads,

such as, The Way It Goes With Love

and atmospheric interludes where his

guitar voice truly resonates. Hinode, a

standout instrumental, glows with tone,

control, and pure feeling, unburdened

by unnecessary flash. Supporting players

Rhian Wilkinson on bass guitar and

Matt Connor on drums provide supple,

soul-rooted rhythm that gives the songs

space to breathe. The production is crisp

and intimate, with each note polished

yet alive. This isn’t a reinvention, it’s an

evolution of Mitch Laddie the musician,

emerging here not just as a guitarist, but

as a fully formed artist. Faith and Other

Bad Habits is a masterclass in modern

blues soul-rock: bold, layered, and beautifully

human.

MOJO HANDS

GO! GO! GO!

Mojo Music

COLIN CAMPBELL

Self-proclaimed, good time party band

from Denmark with their interpretations

of songs from the great American

rhythm & blues song book. What better

way to kick off with but the rockin’

favourite Let The Good Times Roll as

Zenia Madsen seductively wails “come

on baby let me blow your soul” and the

band rock solidly with punchy horns,

forceful drums, bar-room piano and a

great guitar solo. The pace continues

with Bad Case Of Love which features

a honking sax solo from Christoffer

Find. Next up is a more recent cover of

Billy Swan’s rocker I Can Help featuring

splendid twangy guitar from Bo Moller.

Zenia sings her heart out on the thumping

Scorched as the band race with her

to an incendiary finish. This band are full

of raw energy, hot grooves and party

spirit and know how to get it across

in style. The pace drops for the pretty

ballad Still Wishing with Zenia crooning

splendidly “It breaks my heart, tears me

apart”. The pace quickens again for the

swinging old favourite Good Rocking

Daddy featuring wailing organ from Rasmus

Gronborg. Irma Thomas’ jumping

number Somebody Told You speeds past

as Zenia denies “running around with

Mr Brown”. Moller joins Zenia on vocals

for the catchy walking pace number One

Condition. The album closes with the

classic old big band swing number Them

There Eyes featuring playful vocals from

Zenia and a trumpet solo from H C Erbs.

Thoroughly enjoyable album and worth

catching live if you’re in Scandinavia

DAVE DRURY

NOTHING CONCRETE

THE IMPERFECTIONIST

Independent

And now for something completely

different! Here we have a bunch of

assorted European musicians who are

based in the French Pyrenees and are

fronted by an English man who writes

most of the material and fronts the band

on vocals and guitar. Their style includes

a mix of folk, Americana, swing, jazz

and to my ears some Eastern European

influences. We open with The Boats

an anthem of solidarity with displaced

people and an attempt to shame the

UK government’s call to “stop the

boats”. Fergus McKay sings “we have no

leaders we shall not be led” while the

drums beat a martial rhythm and the

basic folk-rock backing features North

African influences. A reggae feel leads

into the jaunty Broken Bird a reflection

of a hazy dream warning “do not forsake

me, do not forget me”. Cometh The Hour

features distorted guitar and urges us to

seize the moment in the face of imminent

destruction. As the title implies

Empty Whisky Bottle Mariachi Blues is a

whimsical romp featuring horns and fiddles

with a Mexican feel. The songs are

well written, often genre bending and

danceable but also carry messages. A favourite

track here is He Don’t Do Much

Of That Now a jazzy slice of enjoyable

nonsense chronicling the problems of

getting older. Title track The Imperfectionist

is a joyful tango about dancing

life’s cares and problems away. We dip

into a more classic Americana country

feel with John Henry Lee and then the

horn driven SOS takes us into rebellion

on the streets. Closing track The Western

is a cinematic soundtrack opening

with a lonesome harmonica wailing and

then relating an up-tempo story of the

lonesome cowboy riding into town and

dying in the saddle. Certainly, a diverse

collection but always retaining a sense

of fun and always interesting to listen to.

DAVE DRURY

RUSTY ENDS &

HILLBILLY HOODOO

ROADHOUSES, JUKE JOINTS

AND HONKY TONKS

EARWIG RECORDS

It must be said that this is a very rough &

ready sounding album – for all the right

reasons. Rusty Ends has been touring

forever and playing in some of the diveiest

dives that Kentucky has to offer.

He has learned that what the patrons

want is music that relates to their own

experiences and lives. Tunes that you

can dance to, grooves that let you show

off to your intended partner. So, a dozen

songs written by the band with titles like

Bad Like Billy The Kid and Rockabilly

Train and Midnight Screams as well as

covers of Betty James A Little Mixed Up

and Willie Nelson’s Night Train and Ray

Sharps Linda Lu, taken into the studio

with Michael Frank (Earwig Records

boss). And what a studio - Delmark

Records Riverside Studios in Chicago no

less. There they set up and just ripped it

out live on the floor of the main studio.

Rusty with his rhythm section of

Uncle Dave Zirnheld on bass and Gene

Wickliffe on drums. Guitarist Wayne

Young can be heard on four tracks – all

of which he co-wrote with Rusty. Rusty

does not have what you would call a



mellifluous voice – the vocal is half

spoken, half sung and half shouted – and

he is a little behind in the mix on some

tracks, but his guitar work is excellent,

and he manages to create a real deep

groove that just hits the spot often. It all

has the feel of an artist that has fun playing

what he does and has played enough

of what he doesn’t enjoy knowing the

difference. A musician that understands

the Blues and knows it doesn’t just come

from the Delta – he gets that Hank Williams

played the Blues just as much as

John Lee Hooker. All in all a fine album,

rough as a badger in places but just listen

to The Worm Turned and Midnight

Screams to hear some of the best music

you’ll find this year.

ANDY SNIPPER

SOUTHERN FRIED

GROOVE QUEENS

THATS WHEN THE BLUES

BEGINS- 5 TRACK EP

Independent

With such an interesting band name it is

surprising to find out that the band are

a duo from Southwest England. Formed

of Lucy Piper on Drums and Lee Hall

on Vocals and Guitar, they immediately

conjure up comparisons with White

Stripes albeit their aim is to bring Mississippi

Hill County/Delta style Blues

to UK audiences, which they certainly

succeed in doing. The opening track

Rattle Down is very frantic with a heavy

grunge type repetitive beat driven by

Lucy’s drums, with the first introduction

of some fine slide Guitar playing by Lee.

The following title song brings stronger

Blues elements into play with menacing

vocals and some further slide guitar.

We then get a taste of Delta Blues with

Poor Black Mattie and Nobody’s Fault

But Mine which both create a Dr John

swampy sound with stark vocals and

stomping guitar work. With no Bass

Lucy must carry the rhythm with her

drums and does a sterling job throughout,

especially on the final track Trouble

Come My Way where she plays quietly

alongside Lee’s echoing sparse guitar

to then build the song to its striking

crescendo. The album is an impressive

debut by a duo who have an exceptional

understanding of the Blues, allowing

them to manipulate the original songs

and re-create them with their own

unique sound.

ADRIAN BLACKLEE

TEXAS HEADHUNTERS

SELF TITLED

Blue Elan Records

Accept no compromise, Texas blues

matters! And here to remind us of that

great sound are Ian Moore, Johnny

Moeller and Jesse Dayton – collectively

known as Texas Headhunters. All three

play guitar, sing and write the material

interchanging seamlessly like some

carefully choreographed stage show.

Our three amigos concoct a big sound

that blows you out the abattoir. Heavy,

raw and raunchy Pocket makes you rock

n roll. The vocals snarl at you as each

player takes turn to fire salvos of six

stringed bullets before stepping into the

shadows of the rhythm section. There’s

no histrionics here just pure admiration.

Moore provides lead, Dayton the vocal

on Maggie Went Back to Mineola – a

tale of a girl that relocates to Dallas

becoming a stripper along the way before

returning home and attempting to

repent at church. There’s plenty of dirt

here – true Texas dirt similar in style to

vintage ZZ Top. Fabulous Thunderbird

Moeller’s cool, soulful vocals occupy the

mic throughout Everybody Loves You

(When You’re Down). The swaggering

riff leaning towards Stevie Ray with

stinging lead breaks bursting through

at every opportunity – distinctly Texan.

Moore navigates the throng of silicone

playboys, weaves through a barrage of

groovy guitar and finds his way to the

mic for Kathleen. Let the guitar party

commence the spotlight locating each

player in turn as they take their share

of the limelight. Handclaps a plenty

as Moeller boogies his way from Fort

Worth to Louisiana during the cautionary

Fool Don’t Play With Fire. Here

to stay, this band are gonna get ya, as

they declare their arrival with superb

interplay throughout The Headhunters

Theme. Accept your fate, put Johnny

Law in your rear view and join The Gun

Barrel Boogie, before stinging Moeller

guitar proclaims Independence Day.

Seeing Around Corners has a laid-back

groove whilst the lead guitars strain at

the leash like a pack of rabid dogs. Who

Will Your Next Lover Be? and Moeller’s

drawl throughout Gimme Some Love

tug at the proverbial heartstrings before

we emerge into the glorious Burnin’

Daylight.

THE DAVIDSON TRIO

COUGAR

Independent

TAF ROCK

The Davidson Trio is made up of the

remnants of a Glen Hughes band. The

guys hail from the West Midlands,

Birmingham, in fact, the same area as

Hughes. Owen Davidson ( Bass and

Vocals), Ben Bicknell (Guitars,) and Ellis

Brown (Drums ) I must admit, this is my

first encounter with the band, I always

enjoy finding new bands, and listening

to new material. So, the album, Cougar

consists of eight tracks all original songs,

except for the final track, but we’ll come

to that later. Medusa Touch kicks off the

proceeding with great rocking guitar

and powerful vocals, already I can feel

that this is going to be an album well

worthy of my attention. The title track is

a funky/bluesy song that brings out the

best in Davidson’s fine vocal range. It

builds to a crescendo, leaving me feeling

slightly out of breath just sitting in my

office chair. An epic tune that deserves

a much wider audience. Even though

this is my first encounter with the bad,

I can, I’m sure, predict big things for

these guys. It is not easy to break into

any musical genre, bands and artists

need more than just good songs, but

The Davidson Trio has, in my opinion,

everything that is needed in this technological

and digital age. They have an

aura, an attitude, something that many

bands are sadly lacking nowadays. The

Festival scene is upon us, this trio of musicians

would grace any stage, no matter

what the venue. I mentioned earlier that

there was one cover song on the album,

Catfish Blues, the song was first written

and recorded over a hundred years ago

and has been covered by a multitude of

Blues artists including Muddy Waters.

The Davidson Trio put their own take

on the song, breathing new life into this

classic tune. I urge and Blues and Blues/

Rock lover to get a copy of this album

and buy a gig ticket as soon as possible.

That’s exactly what I will be doing.

THE MAT DAY BAND

STEPHEN HARRISON



JON SLIDEWELL AND

THE REEDCUTTERS

POOR BOY BLUES

Palatine Music

A lovely old Skool British R’n’B LP from this outfit based in Stockport,

just south of Manchester. This is very much a good timin’, good rockin’

set right from the off. The title track – an original composition as are all

twelve songs – opens the set, an original, simple Chicago styled lumpde-lump

rhythm overlaid with some classic slide playing by Mr. Slidewell

(indeed he does!), and Jon’s mid Atlantic vocals. He is on lead guitar and

harp for the follow-up, So In Love, a real rocker with a hint of Nine Below

Zero in the energy department. By now, your feet should be tapping (at

like listening to a bunch of your

favourite singles one after another

least!), and The Girl Next Door has a modified boogie rhythm and Jake

Poole providing a nifty guitar break, before Someone New finds Jon again

picking up his slide and a swagger to his vocals on a gritty number that is

Greater Manchester’s answer to Hound Dog Taylor. Half Boy Half Man is

a punky-sounding song that could come from the sixties beat-boom, with

Honey, We’re

Thru a year or

two later: freakbeat-tinged,

maybe. The

Devil’s Make is

a strong song,

along the lines

of Muddy Waters’

The Same

Thing but taken

a little faster. Towards

the end of

the set, Jon and

crew broaden

their approach,

with Love Disfigured Me adopting a more contemporary sound, the solo

Down So Long hinting at Skip James, and Theme For Mr James a Chuck

Berry-flavoured instrumental. In contrast, the set ends with the folk-flavoured

Cloak And Dagger, originally recorded on a Sony Walkman - most

definitely old Skool! Do note that all the songs generally last a couple of

minutes, short, snappy, to the point. The overall effect is like listening to a

bunch of your favourite singles one after another.



VICTOR IAN LEYLAND

THE MAT DAY BAND

Independent

Rolling in hot from Northampton U.K.,

The Mat Day Band’s debut self-titled EP

lands like a bolt of blues lightning. These

are five tracks that strut, sizzle, and soar

with effortless swagger and seasoned

sophistication. This is not your run-ofthe-mill

blues-rock outfit—this is a band

with chops, class, and vision. The opener

No One Else To Blame kicks things

off with a tight, bluesy shuffle laced

with cool jazz phrasing in a style akin

to Robben Ford. Mat Day’s vocals are

smooth as Tennessee whiskey, while his

guitar lines dance and burn with lyrical

finesse. Add lush Hammond swells and a

razor-sharp rhythm section, and you’ve

got a statement piece. The slow-burning,

Throne of Glass stretches out into

moody minor-key territory, its cinematic

feel elevated by Greg Coulson’s

gorgeous brass arrangement. At seven

and a half minutes, it’s a showcase of

expressive vocals and fiery, jazz-tinged

soloing, one of the EP’s crown jewels.

Up next, the band slides into Albert

King’s Travelin’ Man with a hip-shaking,

funk-fuelled groove. Bassist Luke

Palmer and drummer Sam Round lock in

tight, driving the track with irresistible

momentum as Day lets loose on guitar,

all flair and finesse. Fooled, brings the

tempo down again, all smoulder and

soul. Horns and Hammond build drama,

while the lyrics dig deep and the soloing

climbs to emotional heights. It’s a masterclass

in modern blues songwriting.

Finally, a bold jazz flourish ends the ride,

John Coltrane’s Bessie’s Blues reimagined

and reborn. Sax, guitar, Hammond,

each shines. The Mat Day Band? They’ve

arrived. And they’re on fire.

COLIN CAMPBELL

THE PZENNY PROJECT

SMOKEY BOURBON

Independent

Emerging from the Midlands of South

Carolina, The Pszenny Project is a gritty

blues-rock outfit representing the

Charlotte Blues Society at this year’s

International Blues Challenge. With

a high-octane, all-original sound that

weaves in threads of jazz, R&B, and classic

rock, this powerhouse trio delivers a

debut that’s as fierce as it is meticulously

crafted. Fronted by vocalist/guitarist


WS REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REVIEWS JULY2025 REV

Mark Pszenny, who cut his teeth on the

sounds of Zeppelin, Rory Gallagher, and

Muddy Waters while growing up in New

Hampshire—the band brings seasoned

experience to every track. After years

grinding it out in cover bands across

New England and recovering from surgeries

that sidelined his playing, Pszenny

landed in the South in 2019. There, a

revived focus on songwriting and blues

jams led to the formation of his current

band. Rounding out the lineup are bassist

John Bunucci and keyboardist Moses

Andrew III, with Jason Corley and Ross

Flemings III sharing drum duties. Producer

Tom Taylor also guests on acoustic

guitar. The album bursts to life with I

Digress – You’re the Best, a hook-heavy

rocker drenched in six-string firepower.

From the slow-burn ache of Smokey

Bourbon to the wah-drenched funk of

What the Funk, and the road-weary

tenderness of Baby Cries, the set covers

emotional and sonic ground. It all wraps

with the blazing instrumental Highway

Jammin.’ The Pszenny Project might

only be on their second release, but they

play like lifers. Fans of gutsy, guitar-driven

blues-rock, this one’s for you.

COLIN CAMPBELL

WAR

WHY CAN’T WE

BE FRIENDS 50TH

ANNIVERSARY

COLLECTORS’ EDITION

Rhino Records

It’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years

since War’s genre-blending opus Why

Can’t We Be Friends first hit turntables,

offering a soulful antidote to a fractured

America. The newly released Collector’s

Edition celebrates the album’s enduring

message with warmth, clarity, and context,

everything a reissue should strive

for. Digitally remastered from the original

tapes, this edition brings new depth

to War’s intricate fusion of funk, Latin

rhythms, jazz, and rock. The crispness of

Low Rider snaps like never before, the

congas tight, the bassline deep and fluid.

Don’t Let No One Get You Down opens

the record with a striking optimism

that still resonates, while the title track

simple, sincere, and profoundly catchy,

remains a timeless plea for unity. The

bonus disc is a crate-digger’s dream:

alternate takes, live cuts, and previously

unreleased versions that pull back

the curtain on the band’s collaborative

spirit. Highlights include a raw, extended

jam of Leroy’s Latin Lament and a

stripped-back version of Heartbeat that

lays bare the group’s musical chops. The

accompanying booklet features rare

photos, insightful liner notes, and reflections

from surviving members and fans

alike, painting a picture of a band that

truly embodied multiculturalism and

musical inclusivity long before it was

a marketing buzzword. Fifty years on,

this outstanding release still sounds like

the future, joyful, defiant, and grooving.

It’s a vital reminder of music’s power to

connect across lines.

WILLIE BUCK & BOB

CORRITORE

OH YEAH!

COLIN CAMPBELL

Vizztone / South West Musical Arts Foundation

(SWMAF)

Absolutely right up my street, this new

collaboration is straightforward Chicago

Blues at its very best. Willie and

BLUES MATTERS! ON

his vocals are accompanied throughout

by Bob’s wailing harp fills and a really

class collective of musicians making up

the band. A mere “dis-appointing” ten

tracks comprises this collection. I say

disappointing as I wanted more, more,

more. Six originals, two Muddy Waters,

Ellis McDaniel (Bo Diddley’s wee boy)

and local lad Billy Flynn are the musical

sources and what a stomping album it is.

Nothing complicated about the arrangements

just a bunch of guys sitting

in a studio having fun making music

together. Now I should point out that,

whilst this a new al-bum, the cuts are

drawn from sessions ranging from 2010

up until 2023. However they sound as

fresh as new mown grass. There is not a

weak track throughout and, if pushed,

I would say that my personal top picks

are as follows. The opener and title cut

Oh Yeah, Went Home This Morning, She

Turned Me Down and the slow Blues

of Let Me Find Out Your Name and the

rolling shuffle of Brand New Cell Phone.

Hell that is half the album, he he! Truly

though, please seek this out, sit back

and simply smile throughout. You will be

very well satisfied.

GRAEME SCOTT

IBBA TOP 40

INDEPENDENT BLUES

BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION

bluesbroadcasters.co.uk

Most Played Album Top 40 - May 2025

Collated from the playlists of the Independent Blues Broadcasters Association members

Position Artist Album

1 SOUTHERN AVENUE FAMILY

2 MATT SCHOFIELD TRIO MANY MOONS VOL. 1

3 BOBBY RUSH & KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD YOUNG FASHIONED WAYS

4 CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE LOOK OUT HIGHWAY

5 EMMA WILSON A SPOONFUL OF WILLIE DIXON

6 JOHN PRIMER GROWN IN MISSISSIPPI

7 DORIS BRENDEL & LEE DUNHAM BIG BLUE SKY

8 POPA CHUBBY I LOVE FREDDIE KING

9 VOODOO RAMBLE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY

10 SAMANTHA FISH PAPER DOLL

11 CATFISH TIME TO FLY

12 CAROLYN WONDERLAND TRUTH IS

13 WILL WILDE BLUES IS STILL ALIVE

14 BRANDON SANTINI WHICH WAY DO WE GO?

15 ROBBERT DUIJF SILVER SPOON

16 D.K. HARRELL TALKIN' HEAVY

17 JON CLEARY THE BYWATER SESSIONS

18 WHEN RIVERS MEET ADDICTED TO YOU

19 BIG DAVE & THE DUTCHMEN BIG DAVE & THE DUTCHMEN

20 LARRY MCCRAY HEARTBREAK CITY

21 ALISON JOY WILLIAMS HOW YOU LOOK AT THINGS

22 ANDREA DE LUCA LIVE IN STUDIO SESSIONS

23 SOUTHERN FRIED GROOVE QUEENS THAT'S WHEN THE BLUES BEGINS

24 ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW THE INVISIBLE BLUESMAN

25 RORY GALLAGHER ACOUSTIC BLUES

26 BOB STROGER & THE HEADCUTTERS BOB IS BACK

27 GA-20 EP VOLUME 2

28 TONY HOLIDAY KEEP YOUR HEAD UP

29 ALLY VENABLE MONEY & POWER

30 NEIL SADLER PAST TO PRESENT

31 TAD ROBINSON SOUL IN BLUE

32 LITTLE FEAT STRIKE UP THE BAND

33 BUKKA WHITE THE COMPLETE SESSIONS 1930-1940

34 ALLISON AUGUST AUGUST MOON

35 ANDREW DUNCANSON FEATURING MICHAEL CALIFORNIA TRAP

PELOQUIN

36 MICKE & LEFTY FEAT. CHEF LIVE ON AIR

37 ASH LAMBE & THE 32-20'S ASH LAMBE & THE 32-20'S

38 ELLES BAILEY BENEATH THE NEON GLOW (REIMAGINED)

39 RUZZ GUITAR'S BLUES REVUE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

40 LUCY ZIRINS CHASING CLOCKS

JOE BONAMASSA

BREAKTHROUGH


“BREAKTHROUGH” ISN’T JUST GOOD,

IT’S JOE BONAMASSA AT HIS ABSOLUTE FINEST.

- ROCK NEWS

AVAILABLE ON CD, COLOR VINYL & DIGITAL

ALSO STREAMING ON

BM ISSUE 151 July 2025

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