Slo Leak

Slo Leak - Slo Leak - 1996 - Pure

It's unusual for established, seasoned rock musicians to form a new band, but in 1994 the great session musicians, Charlie Carp and Danny Kortchmar were both gigging in Westport, Conn. where they were introduced by a mutual friend, and decided to form a new band. Danny Kortchmar is a renowned producer/guitarist who has produced ,and played with great artists like Carole King, Jackson Brown, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Neil Young, and Stevie Nicks. Danny has also performed with greats like Buddy Miles and with his own band, The Dirty Angels. Charlie Carp left school at 15 to play guitar with Buddy Miles. Since then, he's toured with Meatloaf, Aerosmith and others. If you like blues or jazz, and are not a purist in the genres, then you will appreciate this great album which explores traditional blues guitar in a new light. There's a combination of programmed, and organic elements on the album. This may sound like a description of Kraftwerk's music, but here, we're talking funk, swamp blues, touches of electronica, R&B and a great sleazy hard hitting rock'n'roll sound. This album is full of terrific grooves, and brilliant guitar hooks. The great Fabulous Rhinestone/session man Harvey Brooks, plays some wonderful chunky bass, and there'ssome terrific "whiskey-and-cigarettes" soaked vocals from Charlie Carp. This band's production sound has been described as "cyber-blues". What a great description of this kind of music! Again, Charlie Carp and Danny Kortchmar demonstrate on this album just how flexible, and adaptable the blues can be. A great album, and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Slo Leak's "When the Clock Strikes 12" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 I Cry for You Dixon 3:22
2 White Lines Karp, Kortchmar 5:01
3 Tongue Tied Brooks, Karp, Kortchmar 4:06
4 Elvis Slept Here Dortchmar, Karp 3:55
5 Mr. Lucky Brooks, Karp 4:42
6 You Don't Love Me Diddley 4:05
7 Katie Mae Hopkins 3:38
8 Drunk Liggins 3:39
9 That Did It Woods 6:07
10 Flatfoot Sam Slim 2:54
11 Cruel Twist Brooks, Karp, Kortchmar 4:56
12 Satisfy Me Karp, Kortchmar, Kortchmar 4: 45

MUSICIANS

Charlie Karp Guitar, Vocals
Danny Kortchmar Guitar, Percussion
Harvey Brooks Bass
Fred McFarlane Piano
James Wormworth, Leroy Clouden Drums
Chris Eminizer Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
Steve Russell, Rob Paparozzi Harp

BIO

Producer Danny Kortchmar (Billy Joel, Spin Doctors, Fabulous Thunderbirds), also a guitarist, decided to form his own blues band in the mid-'90s. Called Slo-Leak, the band is composed of Kortchmar on guitar, ex-Paul Butterfield bassist Harvey Brooks and vocalist/guitarist Charlie Karp. For the purposes of their first album, Slo Leak, on Pure Records, out of Georgetown, CT, the trio used two drummers, Leroy Clouden and James Wormworth. Other musicians, most from the New York City area, include Steve Russell on harmonica, Rob Paparozzi on harmonica, Fred McFarlane on piano and Chris Eminizer on tenor and baritone saxophones. Aside from working with Butterfield for many years, bassist Brooks also forged a reputation for his work with Bob Dylan and the Doors. Guitarist and vocalist Karp has recorded and toured with Buddy Miles, Aerosmith, Buster Poindexter and Meatloaf. The members of Slo-Leak show some taste and knowledge of the idiom in the songs they cover, obscure gems like Willie Dixon's "I Cry for You," Lightnin' Hopkins' "Katie Mae," Bo Diddley's "You Don't Love Me'' and Jimmy Liggins' "Drunk," but they do so in a 1990s blues-rock fashion. The group's founders, Karp, Kortchmar and Brooks, also throw in a few self-penned songs on their debut album. Unless this group is ready to tour, however, chances are their renown won't spread much beyond New York City and Westport, Connecticut, where Kortchmar and much of the rest of the band are based. They returned in 1999 with When the Clock Strikes 12. © Richard Skelly, allmusic.com