Bluesletter - Washington Blues Society

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12 • Washington Blues Society Inland Empire The The Ho Howler Ho ler lers ler s Ar Are Ar e Int Into Int o Some Something Some hing Since the Howlers’ home base in Richland, Washington is only a short drive from Walla Walla, I have been fortunate enough to witness their high energy blues show for several years, both with their old lineup and new, and I can tell you one thing for sure … these guys are the real deal! They come out of their corner and hit you right between the ears, before you know what hit you, with a bold and gutsy sound steeped in guitar driven Chicago blues … with an emphasis on Blues. If you are looking for some down to earth, authentic, bona fide Chicago Style Blues with a kick, you’ve come to the right place. The Howlers have been serving up hot entrees of Windy City blues for nearly a decade now, first with the original lineup that included Andy ‘High Roller’ Woehler on bass, and Perry Roper on lead guitar. But now, with the addition of ‘Deacon’ Dave Montague on drums and Tuck Foster on harp and vocals, this band is about as good as it gets. Deacon Dave Montague has been drumming for 28 years now and it really shows. He seamlessly glides from rollicking tunes to slow shuffles, without so much as missing a beat (even when the guys hired a ‘dancer’ a few years back to dance in front of his drum kit on his birthday). Andy Woehler effortlessly keeps the bass groove thick, strong and solid, and creates an atmosphere where the song can just flow. It’s not surprising that his bass playing heroes are Duck Dunn, Willie Dixon and Tommy Shannon. The addition of Tuck Foster on harp and vocals was a huge enhancement to the band. He is a good harmonica player, and his gritty vocals compliment the Chicago electric blues style of the Howlers perfectly, but I would have to say that his greatest contribution to the band is his stage presence. He takes hold of the crowd immediately and maintains total control … and his down-to-earth attitude and amusing onstage antics keeps ‘em at ease and grinnin’ from the first note to the last. And what can I say about Perry Roper? His guitar playing is nothing short of awe-inspiring. He attacks his Fender with a fiery passion, whether on a sizzling South Texas Blues number, or on a laid-back, slow burning Chicago Blues tune. His blistering fretwork is absolutely electrifying. I remember at a Ritzville Blues Festival 4 or 5 years ago, the early Howlers lineup was playing in one of the many clubs on Main Street while a headlining band was playing out on the main stage outside. Man, when Perry broke into one of his stunning guitar solos, you should have seen the people making tracks inside to find out who was wringing those notes out of that guitar. I swear there were more people in that club than there were watching the main band out on the big stage. This guy does some mind-blowing things with that guitar of his, and if you get a chance to catch him live you certainly don’t want to miss it. I personally have been lucky enough to catch these guys live on several occasions over the years, but I must admit that I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of a CD for way too long. But I’m happy to announce that The Howlers debut CD has finally hit the streets … and it was well worth the wait! Titled “Into Something”, the album is somewhat unique in that the Howlers stepped back and drug out an all analog recorder using 1" tape and 8-tracks. “We wanted that smooth sound of analog,” sez Roper. “With so By Kevin ‘Bad Dog’ Shenefiel dbaddog@hscis.net many studios converting to digital, it was possible to find a sweet deal on some very nice analog recording gear ... as long as we kept the track count low. So we opted for a big (400 lbs!) MCI 8-track machine and a late 60’s Ampex 2-track recorder and stayed analog all the way.” Recorded live in one room, The Howlers were able to capture their ‘Live Vibe’ on tape and mix an album that, in many ways, is how all their favorite blues albums were recorded. Mixed down to 1/4" analog tape, the final mix reels were then sent to Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood to get final EQ and the Digital Conversion to CD format. “We recorded the album ourselves,” sez Perry. “We set up the mics, we pressed the record button and we played our best. We did it this way because we wanted that ‘Live Vibe’, and we wanted to make the album ourselves. It was a huge project, but we really took our time and we’re totally jazzed with the way it sounds and the bluesy vibe of the music we made.” And you will be too. “Into Something” is a fine collection of 10 somewhat obscure covers of some of my favorite blues artists … and probably some of yours too. But these tunes aren’t merely copies of someone else’s songs. The Howlers make these songs unmistakably their own … and they come right out of the gate with a killer version of a Luther Allison tune, “Walking Papers”, from Luther’s fantastic “Blue Streak” album … one of my favorites. I don’t think it’s possible to do it any better than Luther did, but the Howlers give it a helluva try here, thanks in part to Tuck’s powerful set of pipes. Next is a cover of “Rollin’ and Tumblin” (as recorded by Elmore James) with some conservatively juicy pickin’ by Roper that really rocks, along with a scorching bass groove. Then there’s a really cool cover of “Oh Pretty Woman”, the one that Albert King recorded … not Roy Orbison. John Lee Hooker’s “Big Legs Tight Skirts” features rhythm guitar work by former Howler Gator Jim and is one of my favorite tunes these guys do live … and this sounds just like the live version. “I Could Have Loved You” is a haunting version of a Sugar Ray Norcia (Bluetones and Roomful Of Blues) cover with some very classy vocals and is followed by a slow shuffling T-Bone Walker tune, “Glamour Girl”, that showcases some of Roper’s signature emotive fretwork. Next is another Hooker cover, “Don’t Be Messin’ With My Bread” that also features Roper exorcising some pretty wicked stuff out of his guitar. “What Have I Done Wrong?”, the first Magic Sam song on the CD, is a smooth tune, with vocals that’ll have ya begging for mercy. It was originally Recorded in Magic Sam’s living room in 1968. The title tune, “Into Something”, is a fun little number that includes background vocals by the rest of the band and is probably my favorite cut on the disc. Finally, the CD closes with another Magic Sam cover, “You Belong To Me”, with more rhythm guitar work by Gator Jim (ask me sometime how he got his nickname) that ends with more of Roper’s outstanding guitar riffs, leaving you hungry for more. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll just hit the play button and listen to the disc again anyway. And again. Or better yet, get out and see these guys live! But how to do that without having to drive
across our great state to see them? Well lately The Howlers have been doing several shows in the Seattle area with Tromboner extraordinaire Randy Oxford (recently of Junkyard Jane fame). In fact, by the time this Bluesletter hits the streets they will also have just recently performed together at the Waterfront Blues Festival, the Ritzville Blues Festival, the Rock Cut Blues Festival and the Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival (The Howlers have been steady performers at many of the hot Eastside fests such as Untapped, Ritzville, Sunbanks, and Joseph). I’m sure that by now there are a buttload of you Seattle area blues fans that are just achin’ for another chance to see them play live over on your side of the mountains, so that you can drag your friends that didn’t make it to Winthrop along to give ‘em a taste of what they missed. Well, you’re in luck pal. The Howlers just happen to be playing at the annual Washington Blues Society Picnic at Gasworks Park on August 11th. If you have a hankerin’ for a little Tabasco flavored blues, get on out there and check these guys out. And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up a copy of their new CD while you’re there, or off of their website at www.howlersblues.com … where you can also find their updated gig schedule, photos, bios, music clips and reviews. South Sound Profile by Al Earick Wow, too much to say, too much to do, too much to see! This months entry will be slightly different than previous entries. I know, you’re thinking, how are we going to know the difference? Well, just take my word for it! As I sit down to write this article, it is the Fourth of July, our independence day. “What a country”, was a funny byline for a stand-up comic, but it rings true. So, what has this got to do with anything? Well I’m glad you asked. I know of no other place where there are so many things to do, as there are in the Pacific Northwest. Live music abounds at nearly every event. Live Blues is represented at nearly every event. We have more blues festivals up here than anywhere else in the nation! Check it out, if you don’t believe me. Go online and check out other parts of the country. Nowhere does it happen as much as right here! Your W.B.S. website has links to other blues societies, so it is easy, and fun research. I am leaving for L.A. this weekend, and the most disturbing thing about the trip is that there are only three blues venues left in the entire L.A. area. The L.A. Blues society disbanded due to a lack of interest! The SoCal Blues society took two e-mails to two different people to get a response. Apparently, there is blues in the San Diego area, but after a week of emailing, I still don’t have the names of any venues there. On the upside, it won’t take very long to check out the blues scene in L.A. So, as I ponder the freedom I have as an American citizen, I have also to be very thankful for the live music available to me here. Back to the South Sound. This month I’d like to introduce Brian Feist to you. He is a young guitar slinger from Centralia. Now residing in Olympia, Brian started playing guitar at 13. He was a rocker then, and can’t specifically remember when he got turned on to the blues, he does remember that it was Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn who first influenced him. Then it was Michael Bloomfield and Elmore James. Elmore James’ lyrics were particularly appealing to Brian. Someone introduced Brian to the guitar work of Freddy King. “Man that guy had attack” was his comments. “The equipment determined the sound, that’s why it is so hard to accurately reproduce the sound”. Take it from me, Brian has no problem making “the sound”. “I play tribute blues” was how he described himself. “Stevie Ray Vaughn played tribute blues. He played tribute to Albert King. He got ragged because he combined different musical styles. Ray Charles got ragged because he combined different musical styles. Now they’re geniuses”! When asked how his age, (or lack thereof), affected his career, he said, “I’m not a seventy-nine year old black guy, are ya gonna listen anyway?” He then furthered his point with, “People are trying to compare you to people who broke the mold anyway. What’s the point”? Brian currently is working with his band, which includes Sean O’leary on drums and enthusiasm, and Michael Carrol on bass. These guys have a great sound, and it is constantly evolving. “Little Bill and Mark Reilly are like Gods to me”, He gushed, after a recent show at Tugboat Annies. “Mark is so talented, yet he will take the time to show you his licks. What a great influence”. No doubt, kid. With heroes like those, you can’t go wrong! When asked about the frustration of getting recognition for his band, he commented, “Don’t overlook where you’re at, or you don’t deserve to get to the next level” Brian is also currently doing solos, and duets, “just to see if I can hold it up by myself” was his reasoning. I am looking forward to playing with Brian this Friday. He will be a special guest of FunkinGroovin at El Serape on the Westside if Olympia. I can’ wait to tell you how much fun it was! See, told ya it would be different! Now, off to that barbecue grill, after all it is the Fourth! TTFN (that’s tiggerspeak……..tata for now) Bluesletter • August 2002 • 13
Page 1 and 2: Bluesle ter Calendar Photo by Phil
Page 3 and 4: Bluesletter PUBLISHER EDITOR CALEND
Page 5 and 6: got a gig. Gotta go.” So I got in
Page 7 and 8: ecorded a series of classic NW blue
Page 9 and 10: Well… Well…Our Well… beloved
Page 11: Nowrthwest Harp Attack! Five harp m
Page 15 and 16: Bluesletter • August 2002 • 15
Page 17 and 18: LIVE BLUES IS BACK IN GIG HARBOR! J
Page 19 and 20: Jeff Zionte web design & developmen
Page 21 and 22: Albritten McClain & Bridge of Souls
Page 23 and 24: Junkyard Jane @ Hi-Iu-Hee-Hee Littl

Bluesletter - Washington Blues Society

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