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babydancing




Get this crazy baby off my head!

27.4.12

Level 42



Level 42 - A Physical Presence - 1985 - Polydor

A Physical Presence, released in 1985, is the first live album from the British quartet Level 42. Recorded at various small European club venues, A Physical Presence is an impressive document of the band's dynamic live performances, and the live renditions of many of the songs improve on the original studio recordings. Much of the material on A Physical Presence comes from the band's first four studio albums, and several of Level 42's minor British hits ("Hot Water," "The Chinese Way") are included. Physical's highlights, however, are the blistering live takes on lesser-known non-single releases. For example, "Kansas City Milkman," which originally appeared in a somewhat lackluster version on the 1984 release True Colours, is given new life in concert; the version here is slightly faster and more energetic than the original. "Eyes Waterfalling" (originally from the 1982 album The Pursuit of Accidents) is given the same treatment and features Mark King's mind-boggling thumb-slapping bass-playing technique, which is all the more impressive considering his simultaneous role as lead vocalist. King is an amazing musician, but his fellow bandmates are no less capable; vocalist and keyboardist Mike Lindup, drummer Phil Gould, and guitarist Boon Gould give first-rate performances. Level 42's studio efforts (particularly on the early albums) tend to suffer from over-production, barely giving the musicians room to breathe. That certainly isn't the case here; on A Physical Presence, Level 42 truly shines, combining energy, talent, and songcraft to breathtaking effect. Although the sound quality isn't exactly stellar, A Physical Presence is still far better than Level 42's 1996 effort Live at Wembley. That album was recorded while the band was touring in support of its worst studio effort, Staring at the Sun, and contains entirely too much material from that anemic 1988 release. Live at Wembley also suffers from the absence of the Gould brothers and from the obviously less intimate arena setting; by the time Live at Wembley was recorded, Level 42 had become a major U.K. success. Mark King also became more of a show-off than a musician, and his half-hearted performance on Live at Wembley makes the album virtually unlistenable. A Physical Presence is a MUCH better indication of Level 42's capabilities in a live setting, capturing the band at the top of its form. © William Cooper © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-physical-presence-r11567/review [N.B - Review based on 1985 Polydor 10 track issue which excludes "Turn It On", "Mr. Pink", and "88"]

Recorded live in England using the Rolling Stones Mobile at The Coronet, Woolwich on March 30th 1985, The Hexagon, Reading on March 31st 1985, and Goldiggers, Chippenham on April 1st 1985, this is jazz pop/funk at it's best. Listen to the band's "World Machine" album [Tracks @ 308-320 Kbps: 2 x rar files: Pt 1 (Tracks 1-7) = 86.8 Mb, & Pt 2 (Tracks 8-13) = 82 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Almost There - R. Gould, M. King, P. Gould
A2 Turn It On - R. Gould, M. King, P. Gould, W. Badarou
A3 Mr. Pink - M. King, W. Badarou
A4 Eyes Waterfalling - R. Gould, M. King, M. Lindup, P. Gould

B1 Kansas City Milkman - M. King, M. Lindup, P. Gould, W. Badarou
B2 Follow Me - R. Gould, M. King
B3 Foundation And Empire - M. King

C1 The Chant Has Begun - M. King, P. Gould
C2 The Chinese Way - M. King, P. Gould, W. Badarou
C3 The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) - M. King, M. Lindup, P. Gould, W. Badarou
C4 Hot Water - M. King, M. Lindup, P. Gould, W. Badarou

D1 Love Games - M. King, P. Gould
D2 88 - M. King

MUSICIANS

Guitar – Boon
Bass, Vocals – Mark King
Keyboards, Vocals – Mike Lindup
Drums, Backing Vocals – Phil Gould
Saxophone – Krys Mach

BIO

At the beginning of their career, Level 42 was squarely a jazz-funk fusion band, contemporaries of fellow Brit funk groups like Atmosfear, Light of the World, Incognito, and Beggar & Co. By the end of the '80s, however, the band -- whose music was instantly recognizable from Mark King's thumb-slap bass technique and associate member Wally Badarou's synthesizer flourishes -- had crossed over to the point where they were often classified as sophisti-pop and dance-rock, equally likely to be placed in the context of Sade and the Style Council as any group that made polished, upbeat, danceable pop/rock. The band's commercial peak came with 1985's World Machine, but they continued to record and tour sporadically throughout the '90s and 2000s. Featuring Mark King (bass, vocals), Phil Gould (drums), Boon Gould (guitar), and Mike Lindup (keyboards), the band formed in 1979. Before they released their first single, "Love Meeting Love," the band was pushed to add vocals to their music in order to give it a more commercial sound; they complied, with King becoming the lead singer. Released in 1981, their self-titled debut album was a slick soul-R&B collection that charted in the U.K. Top 20, resulting in the release of The Early Tapes. Level 42 had several minor hit singles before 1984's "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" hit the British Top Ten. Released in late 1985, World Machine broke the band worldwide; "Lessons in Love" hit number one in Britain and "Something About You" hit number seven in America. Their next two records, Running in the Family (1987) and Staring at the Sun (1988), were a big success in the U.K., yet only made some headway in the U.S. Both of the Gould brothers left the band in late 1987; they were replaced by guitarist Alan Murphy and drummer Gary Husband. Murphy died of AIDS-related diseases in 1989; he was replaced by the renowned fusion guitarist Alan Holdsworth for 1991's Guaranteed. The band followed Guaranteed in 1995 with Forever Now. Throughout the remainder of the ‘90s and the 2000s, the band’s lineup fluctuated, with King the lone constant and his brother, guitarist Nathan King, on-board since 2001. Level 42 released a studio album, Retroglide, in 2006. Four years later, the band celebrated its 30th anniversary with a special tour, as well as a box set, Living It Up, which included a disc of fresh acoustic versions recorded by Mark King and Lindup. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/level-42-p4747/biography

26.4.12

Mitch Laddie



Mitch Laddie - This Time Around - 2010 - Provogue

A North-East of England native, Mitch Laddie is just 19 years of age. When you hear this album you will share my complete shock and awe at the talent of this boy at this age. He's only been playing the guitar seriously for 6 years and learned his chops by copying the riffs of Mark Knopfler, Dave Gilmour and Jimi Hendrix. However, his love of the blues was kindled when he heard Stevie Ray Vaughan. A listen to BB, Freddie and Albert King, Albert Collins and many others focused him on the genre. Walter Trout invited him to play at one of his gigs in 2006 (he was only 15 or 16) and his life changed forever. His debut solo album opens with Awakening (intro), which starts like a leviathan rising from his sleep. Laddie builds layer upon layer before unleashing a pulsating, rocking instrumental. He is technically superb as he slashes his guitar. The smouldering Here's A Drink is bluesy but shows that vocally, he is still a bit raw. However, he has all the attributes and stands up to the current best in the genre. Get You Back is a hi-paced blues from an exciting new kid on the block but he slows it down again for I Need Your Love. Float On By has a staccato delivery but shows that he is a real talent. He keeps the solos on this to a good length, something he doesn't always do. Punchy drums and piercing bass from Lee 'Cliffy' Clifford and Rhian Wilkinson respectively. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag is not as frenetic as the James Brown original but he does make it his own – not an easy thing to do with a song like this. The eponymous title track has funky beats as he puts his soul into it with his wailing guitar a stand out. There is a barrage of notes at times and he may have to take up the new Joe Bonamassa philosophy that sometimes less is more. Miss Supernatural has pounding drums and sustained guitar opening this full on rocker with fuzzed vocal. Two Years is an upbeat swinging blues with stinging guitar whereas Mr Johnson is a complex instrumental that shows his fretboard skills. The latter is perhaps a tad long at 6 minutes but that's only a small criticism. All I Have has a pleading vocal -- a bit mainstream but in the upper echelons. Rock Me Baby is the old BB King song and this live version with Walter Trout is turned into a slow, driving blues with guitars a plenty (10 minutes of them). It's good to hear what he's like live as I intend to seek out his next visit north of the border immediately. © David Blue April 2010 © http://www.netrhythms.co.uk/reviewsl.html#mitch

21 y.o Mitch Laddie has played guitar seriously since he was 13. He first met Walter Trout at a gig in Sunderland in the mid 2000's. Walter was impressed, asked Mitch for a CD and soon after invited Mitch to guest at his 2006 Colne gig in. Mitch and Walter regularly play UK gigs together. Mitch's first band was Vanilla Moon in 2006, becoming The Mitch Laddie Trio in 2008, with the original Vanilla Moon bass player Rhian Wilkinson and drummer Lee "Cliffy" Clifford. The band is based in County Durham but Mitch prefers to be linked to Newcastle.The trio have had considerable success on both the MCC Rally and festival circuit playing a mixture of originals and covers. His playing is influenced by greats like SRV (Mitch's fav album is SRV's "Texas Flood"), Eric Johnson, Hendrix, Eric Gales, John Mayer, Robin Trower, Peter Green and many more, but Mitch has his own unique style. When asked about the type of music his band play, Mitch said "Blues rock of course. But we are prettily heavily funk influenced and I’m quite into my fusion and jazz too. I’d say we generally just gather our influences and throw them all together and see what happens. "This Time Around" has soul, jazz, blues, rock, fusion and ten of the tracks are Laddie originals. On the cover notes to Mitch's great "Burning Bridges" album, Walter Trout wrote “I first met Mitch Laddie when he was a young lad of sixteen years. I heard him play his guitar and was knocked out by the authority, command and finesse he displayed. It was beyond his years – he sounded like somebody who’d been at it for forty years!" Speaking about blues music in general, Mitch says "Even if players are similar, they’ve still got their own touch that makes the hairs on your arms stand up. It’s not just the guitar side of it; the diva blues singers do it too. It’s the raw emotion and the feeling that is put into it and you just don’t get that in other types of music. The passion is always there. It’s real". Mitch is another of the new breed of young British blues stars in the making. He is an exceptional talent and a guy who is heading for recognition as one of the British guitar greats. "This Time Around" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Mitch's "Burning Bridges" album and support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size =140 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Awakening [Intro] 4:03
2. Here's A Drink 6:07
3. Get You Back 4:07
4. I Need Your Love 4:31
5. Float On By 4:28
6. Papa's Brand New Bag 4:26
7. This Time Around 4:45
8. Miss Supernatural 4:31
9. Two Years 3:37
10. Mr. Johnson 6:00
11. All I Have 4:59
12. Rock Me Baby (Live) 9:57

All songs composed by Mitch Laddie except Track 6 by James Brown, and Track 12 by BB King

MUSICIANS

Mitch Laddie - Guitar, Vocals
Rhian Wilkinson - Bass
Lee 'Cliffy' Clifford - Drums
Walter Trout & Band on "Rock Me Baby" recorded live with Walter Trout's band at the Opera House in York in October 2009

BIO

Mitch Laddie was born in the North East of England on 24th September 1990. Drawn to music from an early age, Mitch listened to Country greats with his late maternal Grandfather. Hypnotised by the sounds he began building his own record collection at the early age of 3 years old, moving from Country into Blues, Motown, Soul & R&B. Fascinated by the guitar he heard on records and his Father’s that lay around the house, Mitch always knew what lay ahead. Although it wasn’t until the age of 13 Mitch began playing guitar seriously after suffering a sporting injury, which led to several months in hospital reduced to traction. The musical journey upon leaving hospital has been a fruitful one for Mitch. During the early days, Mitch was introduced to one of his guitar heroes, the great blues legend – Walter Trout. After sitting in with the band many times, Walter then introduced Mitch to Ed Van Zijl of Mascot/Provogue Records after a guest spot at the Paradiso, Amsterdam. Mitch signed a deal with Provogue Records at the age of 17, releasing his debut in early 2010 to rave reviews and critical success from magazines like; “Classic Rock”, “Blues Matters” and “Guitarist” saying “”Laddie technically hits the same notes as a thousand hack guitarists, but strokes & strangles them from the fretboard with rare soul”, “It is always pleasing to hear home-grown talent producing high quality music and Mitch certainly is doing that.” And “He shows he’s an exciting prospect not afraid to stretch the boundaries of pentatonic blues” respectively. Having toured alone and with Walter Trout, in both the UK and Europe; the Mitch Laddie Band are stirring up a lot of excitement in the modern Blues genre and receiving rave reviews wherever they play, with their music being described as “Very diverse, lulling you into a false sense of security and then WHAM, it hits you full-on like a freight train.” Mitch’s guitar playing has been compared to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Philip Sayce and Greg Howe, describing this mix as “making his playing style both complete and unique, but it also makes him a joy to watch. It really is hard to believe that this guy is still only 20 years old. Definitely one of the best young British blues players I’ve had the pleasure to see in a very long time”. Walter Trout championed Mitch to a European crowd as “The best young guitarist in the world” and having said previously in an interview “Mitch is amazing. If you close your eyes when he is playing he sounds like a guy who’s been at it for Forty years and has had all these experiences and maybe come out of some Classic Rock band and has all this authority in his playing. I heard that when he was fifteen. I knew when I heard him at fifteen he was going to be a great artist. He has an incredible gift.” Now 20 and in 2011, Mitch is planning his follow up album and major tours for what looks like a very exciting and prosperous year in this young man’s career. © 2012 Mascot Label Group. All Rights Reserved http://mascotlabelgroup.com/mlg/artists/mitch-laddie/

25.4.12

Seth Walker



Seth Walker - Leap of Faith - 2009 - Hyena Records

For those who may have forgotten that all American music -- pop, jazz, R&B, rock, show tunes, even gospel music -- has its roots in the blues, Seth Walker offers a refresher course in blues based American music. Walker's been pigeonholed as a blues man, but he's much more. His songwriting is professional in the old sense of the word; like Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer, he uses the blues as a backbone for tunes that will equally please roots, Americana, folk, pop, and blues fans. He's a fine guitarist, but his playing never calls attention to itself, it's always placed in service of the song and the lyrics crackle with insight and subtle wit. He laughs with us, not at us. "I Don't Dance" is a smooth southside shuffle wherein Walker complains about his lack of dancefloor dexterity; the band rocks and while he stumbles wondering what to do with his feet, he brings a smile to your face with his understated humor. "In the Dark" borrows a Howlin' Wolf-like groove for a song about a clueless guy who can't see the love that's staring him in the face. Colin Linden's guitar is sinister and playful as it weaves in and out of Walker's vocal line. "I Got a Song" is a beautiful Ray Charles style ballad with an aching lyric, a big string section, smoky piano bar keyboard work from Kevin McKendree, and one of Walker's most soulful vocals. "Rewind" is a second-line strut about lost love that sounds like an R&B hit from the '60s, while "Lay Down" is a relaxed gospel tune marked by mellow resonator guitar. Walker also has a winning way with covers. Nick Lowe's "Lately I've let Things Slide" straddles country and R&B to interpret an arch song about aging, loneliness, and mortality. Poignant pedal steel and honky tonk piano give the tune a careless air belied by the lyric and Walker's weary vocal. Percy Mayfield's bluesy "Memory Pain" comes from someplace halfway between New Orleans and L.A., and Walker gives the tune just the right nostalgic touch. Walker lives in Austin, TX, a town perfectly suited to his expansive style, and this is his sixth album, a solid gem that should be in everybody's CD player. © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/leap-of-faith-r1477992/review

The perfect blend of blues, gospel, pop, R&B, and rock with just a dash of country and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Seth's 2006 s/t album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 113 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Can't Come with You - Nicholson, Walker 3:45
2 Rewind - Nicholson, Walker 3:55
3 Leap of Faith - Clark, Nicholson 4:22
4 I Got a Song - Nicholson, Walker 3:39
5 Memory Pain - Mayfield 2:34
6 Dig a Little Deeper - Nicholson, Walker 4:17
7 Lay Down (River of Faith) - Walker 4:24
8 Lately I've Let Things Slide - Lowe 2:57
9 I Don't Dance - Nicholson, Walker 3:37
10 Something Fast - Hambridge, Nicholson, Walker 3:39
11 In the Dark - Nicholson, Walker 2:57
12 Falling out of Love - Nicholson, Walker 4:12

MUSICIANS

Seth Walker - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Colin Linden - Electric & Resonator Guitar
Dan Dugmore - Steel Guitar on "Lately I've Let Things Slide"
Steve Mackey - Electric & Upright Bass
Kevin McKendree - Hammond Organ, Piano, Electric Piano, Wurlitzer
Lynn Williams - Drums, Percussion
Jim Hoke - Saxophone on "Rewind", "Memory Pain", & "Leap of Faith"
Steve Herman - Trumpet on "Memory Pain", & "Leap of Faith"
Chris Carmichael - Strings & String Arrangements on "I Got a Song" & "Rewind"
Jacob Hubbard - Background Vocals on "Dig a Little Deeper"
Delbert McClinton - Background Vocals on "Something Fast"
Gayle A. West, Angela Primm - Background Vocals on "Leap of Faith", "Can't Come with You", & "Lay Down (River of Faith)"
Jon Randall - Vocal Harmony on "Rewind"

BIO

Music audiences around the world were first introduced to Seth Walker with the release of his eponymous long-player on Hyena Records in 2007. It would hit the top twenty of the Americana and Living Blues charts, while receiving praise from publications like No Depression, Blues Revue and Maverick UK Magazine. Creative Loafing wrote, "Seth Walker is a splendid mix of roots styles: blues, soul and Americana, featuring deep-fried guitar licks, churchy organ and crisp horns, mostly delivered over spot-on shuffles." Westword declared, "Seth Walker serves Southern roots guit-pickin' and blues songcraft with ease and grace. Echoing a variety of artists, from Jimmy Reed to Ray Charles, he slips expertly from loose-jointed shuffles to organ-inflected feel-good fare and a whole lot more. An old soul with new fingers, Walker cooks from start to finish." The Austin-based artist hit the road extensively throughout '08, performing at world-renowned festivals like Flat Rock in North Carolina, Springfest in Florida, Rawa Blues Festival in Poland and Moulin Blues in Holland. He headlined shows across the U.S., often playing to sold-out rooms, while joining the likes of Johnny Winter, Marcia Ball and Robert Cray for opening appearances. It would seem to those previously unfamiliar with Seth Walker that he emerged practically overnight as one of the fastest rising stars in blues and roots' music. Yet, the 35-year old songwriter, singer and guitarist has been plying his craft in Austin, Texas for upwards of a decade. Growing up on a commune in rural North Carolina, the son of classically trained musicians, Seth played cello before discovering the guitar in his late teens. His introduction to the blues came via his Uncle Landon Walker who was both a musician and disc jockey. Before long Seth was looking to artists like T-Bone Walker, Snooks Eaglin and B.B. King as a wellspring of endless inspiration. During a brief stint in Jacksonville, Florida trying to figure out his life's calling, Seth made a definitive decision "to sing for his supper," reasoning there was no better place on earth to cut his teeth in such a trade than "the greatest music city on earth" ...Austin. "I'm pushing 14 years now having resided in the Austin city limits," says Walker. "Through it's multi-cultural, competitive, and free spirited vibe, I have grown a much deeper understanding of my music and myself. Not to mention, Austin has definitely kept the grease in my musical recipes." Skip forward to 2009 when Seth Walker returns with his sixth and unquestionably finest record to date, Leap Of Faith. There couldn't, in fact, be a more apropos title. Intent on stepping up his game and exploring new musical territory, Seth took his hard earned Austin cred to Nashville; challenging himself to keep the grit of his Texas home, but spit-shine his songs just enough to reach wider audiences. He hooked up with Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Gary Nicholson, a veteran at achieving exactly Seth's goals with artists like Chris Knight, Jimmy Thackery and Delbert McClinton. The resulting 12-track collection hits the nail squarely on the head, presenting the stunning range for which Seth has built his reputation, but refining it to a diamond shimmer. "Previously, I had always recorded albums my way, on my turf. This was different from the get go due to the fact that we recorded in Nashville with a new team of musicians, a new engineer and a new feeling," explains Seth. "I was out of my comfort zone, and it made me reach for something unknown to me." From the opening barnburner "Can't Come With You," Seth Walker is off to the races. A swaggering downtown groove is juxtaposed against the sophistication of uptown horns. "Rewind" calls to mind many a Brill Building classic. It would have been hit single in days when the requisite for topping the charts was a great song. "I Got A Song" is unlike anything Seth has recorded in his career--a pure ballad with a soaring string section and staccato guitar wrapped around an exquisite vocal: "How I love and lost and I paid the cost, always knowing it was all my fault, 'cause I knew all along, it was gonna go wrong, but at least I got a song." Although Seth had a hand in writing nine of the 12 songs on Leap Of Faith, he proves himself equally as capable interpreting the material of other songwriters. A snarling rendition of the Percy Mayfield chestnut "Memory Pain" highlights how deep his rhythm and blues' roots run. Conversely, his take on Nick Lowe's "Lately I've Let Things Slide," illustrates the wide realm of musical influences from which he draws. One of his finest moments yet captured on "wax," Seth, wistful and confessionary, sings like a man who knows the feeling all too well: "There's a cut upon my brow, must have banged myself somehow, but I don't remember now, and the front door's open wide, lately I've let things slide." "Lay Down (River of Faith)" continues to build on the record's underlying theme of faith. A gorgeous gospel lullaby, the vocal is entwined around a sanctified slide guitar capable of offering conviction to even the most skeptical. A trio of back to back scorchers found on the record's second half: "I Don't Dance," "Something Fast" and "In The Dark," are surefire roof-raisers in Seth's live performances, but here they also serve to contrast the beauty of the closing number "Falling Out Of Love." More than empathy for regret, the remorse in both lyric and performance is nothing short of Seth mining the saddest corners of his own first hand experiences. "This album was made during a time in my life when I was caught up in some shadows," Walker concludes. "The idea of a leap of faith actually does reflect where I was at personally and making this record was the light for me." © http://www.artistexclusive.com/sethwalker.html

24.4.12

Karl Morgan



Karl Morgan - Talkin' with the Hands - 2007 - Pied Piper Records

Karl Morgan is an Australian blues/soul guitarist, singer and songwriter, based in Austin, Texas. Although he cites Eric Clapton as his main influence his style is also influenced by artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and many other blues and soul artists, including Stevie Wonder, BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, Aretha Franklin, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, and Al Green. Karl released "Talkin' With the Hands' in 2007 and released his second album , 'Burning Heart' in October of 2011. Karl and his band constantly gig in and around Austin, including several shows during SXSW 2012.

Karl Morgan will be accused of sounding like Eric Clapton and SRV, but he also has his own unique guitar style. There are two many reviews accusing artists of aping guitarists like Rory Gallagher, SRV, Eric Clapton, and God knows who else. Who influenced EC or SRV? There is a difference between copying these artists note for note and being influenced by an artist. That's the evolution of the blues, and Karl Morgan is definitely no "rip-off merchant". He is a great vocalist with distinctive phrasing. He writes original songs with good lyrics, and his skilful and intelligent playing is in the "less is more" style. No songs on this album are used as a base for any histrionic guitar solos. Karl is not a "showy" player and although his guitar is the driving force throughout the album, he is never overbearing. Karl's tone and balance is exceptional. His music contains folk, rock, Chicago style blues rock, soul blues, and plenty of funk, but fundamentally he plays good old fashioned electric guitar with flair and originality, a quality lacking in many of today's so called guitarists. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Karl's "Burning Heart" album and support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 108 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Your Good Man 3:58
2 Natural Condition 4:43
3 Nothing from Nothing Grows 4:43
4 Hold Me Where I Lay 3:52
5 Sunny 3:53
6 Sweetness 2:24
7 Cult of the Self 5:02
8 Mother's Child 3:04
9 The Lowdown 3:21
10 Talkin' with the Hands 4:16
11 Love in Your Space 4:49
12 Break Your Mind 5:01

All songs composed by Karl Morgan except "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb

MUSICIANS

Karl Morgan - Guitar, Vocals
Greg Royal - Bass, Upright Bass
Graham Local - Bass
Clayton Doley - Hammond Organ, Piano, Wurlitzer
Joe Whittle, Warren Jackson - Drums
Andrew Bickers - Saxophone, Horn Arrangements
Anthony Kable - Trombone
Stewart Kirwan - Trumpet

SHORT BIO

Blues, Southern Rock Karl Morgan is a blues guitarist, singer and songwriter whose explosion onto the blues scene, heralds the return of powerful, soulful, guitar-driven blues and rock & roll not heard since the great blues guitarists of the 1960s and 70s. Karl was a young West Australian boy when Stevie Ray Vaughan died in 1990, signaling the end of an era of devastating guitar artistry which began with the likes of Albert, Freddie and BB King and informed a generation of players from Jimmy Page to the Band; from Eric Clapton to SRV; from the Rolling Stones to Jimi Hendrix. Since the death of Stevie, great blues guitarists have been few and far between on the world stage. Karl Morgan is here to show us that the Blues - the great progenitor of modern music - has an enduring power to inspire and drive contemporary music with soul, with tone, and above all with feel. Since discovering the awesome power of the Blues in his teenage years, Karl has striven to emulate the greats of the art, and has paid his dues in bars and clubs on the West Coast with bandmates Joe Whittle on drums and Graham Local on bass. The three piece journeyed to Sydney's 301 Studios in January of '04 to record 7 tracks, and finished the job at Sydney's Origami and Electric Avenue studios, adding 5 more tracks to complete Karl's debut album, 'Talkin' With the Hands'. ARIA Award-winning engineer Anton Hagop presided over both sessions, and renowned Sydney session players contributed to the ensemble, including bassist Greg Royal and Hammond virtuoso Clayton Doley. Nashville record label, Pied Piper Records, has signed Karl and US touring for his debut album is planned shortly to follow shows in Australia. 1 Your Good Man 2 Natural Condition 3 Nothing From Nothing Grows 4 Hold Me Where I Lay 5 Sunny 6 Sweetness 7 Cult of the Self 8 Mother's Child 9 The Lowdown 10 Talkin' With the Hands 11 Love in Your Space 12 Break Your Mind - from Editorial Review © 1996-2012, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Talkin-Hands-Karl-Morgan/dp/B000SJ2E9S/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1335222251&sr=1-1-fkmr0

Kick The Cat



Kick The Cat - Weirdo - 2002 - Blujazz Records

Kick the Cat is Chicago's most highly acclaimed fusion ensemble. Since forming in 1996, the band has been wowing audiences with their high energy shows. Their compositions are grounded in the traditions of jazz, rock and funk and feature complex harmony, odd time signatures, and extended improvisations. The group's spontaneity and uncanny communication make each of their live performances a unique adventure in interactive music-making © CANdYRAT Records http://www.candyrat.com/artists/KickTheCat/Weirdo/

It always amazes me to hear bands like Kick the Cat, reason being is that typically music this good will almost always have some major big name musicians involved, well, these guys are most assuredly major musicians, but not the household names that would be on the minds of most fusion fans out there. They are a quartet from the Chicago area, that play complexly arranged pieces, showing a high caliber of technical expertise on their respective instruments, and never shy to display ferocious solo spots when called upon. You can imagine that with a band name like Kick the Cat, that the music has a quirkiness attached to the already impressive display of talent, this is a fact, check the song titles and use your imagination. The aptly named song titles are a significant indicator of what these guys are all about. The music is serious fusion, but with a playful undercurrent. This is not music that is strangely new to most well-listened fusion heads, you can hear trace elements of the likes of Tribal Tech, The Dregs, A Helmet of Gnats, Elektric Band, Stratus, The Code, Passport as well as a few others, they are a band that will definitly appeal to anyone that appreciates those bands. There are more different variations on fusion explored by Kick the Cat than one would expect, which gives this cd a huge thumbs up for creative flare. The band has a good feel for most any style of fusion, and the musicianship and creative capability to be a force in the new wave of young artists that are led to explore the parameters of their chosen craft in this underappreciated genre. This is a can't miss cd folks. © MJBrady Published on: 16 Apr 2003 © ProGGnosis - Progressive Rock & Fusion http://www.proggnosis.com/PGRelease.asp?RID=7223

[All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 120 Mb] Listen to KTC's "Scramble" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. The Weirdo (0:34)
2. Chip Monkey - Clemente (7:44)
3. Yo! - Clemente (8:05)
4. P.S. Sorry No Flowers This Time - Siebold (1:58)
5. Two Down - Siebold (5:49)
6. Right Side of the Bed - KTC (0:48)
7. I'm Lovin Life - Clemente (6:36)
8. Visigoths' Overture - Tellis-Nayak (1:18)
9. Breakfast with the Visigoths - Tellis-Nayak (6:20)
10. She's Beautiful - Clemente (1:49)
11. The Nine Lives of Thor - Clemente (9:39)
12. Hash House - Tellis-Nayak (5:40)
13. Revenge of The Mongrels - KTC (2:53)
14. The Weirdo (reprise) (0:11)

BAND

Chris Siebold - Guitar
Chris Clemente - Bass
Vijay - Keyboards
Kris Myers - Drums

21.4.12

Ian Siegal Band

Ian Siegal Band - I Shall Not Be Moved - 2009 - Ain't Nothing But The Blues

 “If my Daddy were alive today he'd say “That's my boy!” - Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters)

British singer/guitarist Ian Siegal (born Ian Berry, 1971) is now an established name in contemporary blues. From the time he was just a young kid he listened to artists like Little Richard and Muddy Watters, and became hooked on blues music. Ian started out as a roadie and busker, eventually becoming a highly respected blues artist. In 2007 he followed up his first album ‘Meat & Potatoes’ with ‘Swagger’. Ian's "Broadside" album made it to no.1 in MOJO magazine's best blues album award in 2009. Ian Siegal and his band play dynamic, and thrilling raw blues and rock’n' roll songs, played in both the Chicago and Memphis blues styles. "I Shall Not Be Moved" was recorded live at The Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands on January 29th, 2008 and was originally broadscast on the online concert channel Fabchannel as a live video and audio webcast [All tracks @ 256 Kbps: 2 x rar files: Pt.1 (CD ONE) = 108 Mb, & Pt.2 (CD TWO) = 101 Mb] Buy Ian's superb "Meat & Potatoes" album, and his "Broadside" is a "must hear" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

CD ONE

1 Ride On Josephine - Bo Diddley
2 Groundhog Blues - Hooker
3 Down In The Bottom - Howlin' Wolf
4 Rattlesnake/ - Ellerbee, Dudeck
5 God Don't Like Ugly - Siegal
6 Mortal Coil Shuffle - Siegal
7 Sugar Rush - Siegal

CD TWO

1 Taildragger - Howlin' Wolf
2 Big Legged Woman - Tolbert
3 Let My Love - Watt
4 Nobody's Business - Robbins, Grainger
5 I Drink - Gauthier
6 I Shall Not Be Moved - Trad.

BAND

Ian Siegal - Guitar, Vocals
Andy Graham - Bass
Nikolaj Bjerre - Drums

IAN SIEGAL BIO

Born in the deep south (of England!) in 1971, Ian's earliest musical memories are of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and Chuck Berry, but it was on hearing the great Little Richard that he really caught the music bug and became nothing short of obsessive about it. This lead him into a life-long passion for the Blues and all of its various branches, and most of all, the man he calls "The Blues God" - the inimitable Muddy Waters. At 16 he began to roadie occasionally for his cousin's band and one night, quite unexpectedly, he was asked to sing. The result was a blown-away audience and a delighted (and rather surprised!) young vocal talent with a long career ahead of him. It was 2 years later that he picked up a guitar and taught himself to play, listening to the likes of Muddy, B.B King, Robert Cray and Albert Collins. At 20 he dropped out of Art college and travelled to Berlin, busking for a living. This is where he says his playing dramatically improved as, if he didn't make money, he didn't eat! By the time he returned to England he knew that a career in music was the only one for him. A visit to Nottingham resulted in a five year stay and Ian's first band became one of the most popular on the local music scene, with a residency at renowned venue the Running Horse attracting full houses and appearances at Colne and Burnley festivals getting rave reviews. His first album "Picture Postcards" also showed Ian to be a gifted songwriter with a deep understanding of musical traditions, but with an eye on the future. Moving to London to further his career was inevitable and Ian became an established part of the London Blues community almost immediately. That’s where today’s Ian Siegal band was born. Many gigs followed, along with a number of appearances with American Blues acts - Phil Guy, Sugar Blue, Nappy Brown, Eddie Kirkland, Catfish Keith and Jimmie Vaughan to name but few. He has also sung with other bands, notably The Lee Sankey Group and can be heard on the album "Tell Me There's a Sun". All the time Siegal's writing and playing skills developed, and appearances on larger festival stages to bigger audiences - such as Edinburgh, Lugano, BRBF - enabled him to hone his skills into becoming one of the most naturally exciting and vibrant talents on the scene today. Awareness among British Audiences of Ian’s talents grew considerably after two consecutive tours opening for Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, including a performance at the Royal Albert Hall; and then in 2005 (and again, in 2006) he toured playing as a duo with Big Bill Morganfield (Muddy Waters’ son). “That’s as close as I can ever get to the great man himself,” says Ian. In 2005 he played the main stage of the North Sea Jazz Festival (the world’s largest indoor music festival) alongside Robert Cray and Solomon Burke; and had the pleasure (as he says, honour!) of making a guest appearance with Pinetop Perkins and some of the remaining members of Muddy Water’s band (Bob Margolin, Will ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, and Mooky Brill). This was at London’s Jazz CafĂ© to a packed house. Ian’s first major CD release was in 2004, although recorded two years earlier. “Standing In The Morning” (Taxim TX2077) on which Ian drafted in some top players to supplement his band, in particular the horns of Nick Payne, Frank Mead, Martin Winning, Sid Gauld and John Beecham, who between them have worked with The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Albert Collins and Buddy Guy. The album is an entirely original composition, with reviewers drawing comparisons with Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Dr. John and Van Morrison. His latest CD “Meat & Potatoes” released in April 2005 (Nugene Records NUG502) sees Ian returning to his roots with an album of powerful urban Blues. For this recording he augmented his core trio sound with upcoming Brit guitar maestro, Matt Schofield (who also produced the album), and Jonny Henderson on Hammond organ. This album has drawn widespread praise and put Ian firmly on the map on both sides of the Atlantic. © http://www.iansiegal.info/pagemanager/templates/biography.aspx?articleid=264&zoneid=5

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You should be very proud to have this young man in your own country. You have someone right here who can really sing the Deep Blues. He got church in his voice. If my Daddy was alive today he'd say ‘That's my Boy!’" - Big Bill Morganfield (Muddy Waters’ son). Born in the deep south (of England!) in 1971, Ian's earliest musical memories are of the likes of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and Chuck Berry, but it was on hearing the great Little Richard that he really caught the music bug and became nothing short of obsessive about it. This lead him into a life-long passion for the Blues and all of its various branches, and most of all, the man he calls "God" - the inimitable Muddy Waters. At 16 he began to roadie occasionally for his cousin's band and one night, quite unexpectedly, he was asked to sing. The result was a blown-away audience and a delighted (and rather surprised!) young vocal talent with a long career ahead of him. It was 2 years later that he picked up a guitar and taught himself to play, listening to the likes of Muddy, B.B King, Robert Cray and Albert Collins. At 20 he dropped out of Art college and travelled to Berlin, busking for a living. This is where he says his playing dramatically improved as, if he didn't make money, he didn't eat! By the time he returned to England he knew that a career in music was the only one for him. A visit to Nottingham resulted in a 5 year stay and Ian's first band became one of the most popular on the local music scene, with a residency at renowned venue The Running Horse attracting full houses and appearances at Colne and Burnley festivals getting rave reviews. His first album "Picture Postcards" also showed Ian to be a gifted songwriter with a deep understanding of musical traditions, but with an eye on the future. Moving to London to further his career was inevitable and Ian became an established part of the London Blues community almost immediately. That’s where today’s Ian Siegal band was born. Many gigs followed, along with a number of appearances with American Blues acts - Phil Guy, Sugar Blue, Nappy Brown, Eddie Kirkland, Catfish Keith and Jimmie Vaughan to name but few. He has also sung with other bands, notably The Lee Sankey Group and can be heard on the album "Tell Me There's a Sun". All the time Siegal's writing and playing skills developed, and appearances on larger festival stages to bigger audiences - such as Edinburgh, Lugano, Peer, North Sea Jazz - enabled him to hone his skills into becoming one of the most naturally exciting and vibrant talents on the scene today. Awareness among British Audiences of Ian’s talents grew considerably after two consecutive tours opening for Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, including a performance at the Royal Albert Hall; and then in 2005 he toured playing as a duo with Big Bill Morganfield (Muddy Waters’ son). “That’s as near as I can ever get to the great man himself,” says Ian. Ian’s first major CD release was in 2004. “Standing In The Morning” (Taxim TX2077) on which Ian drafted in some of the top players around to supplement his band, in particular the horns of Nick Payne, Frank Mead, Martin Winning, Sid Gauld and John Beecham, who between them have worked with The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Albert Collins and Buddy Guy. The album is an entirely original composition, with reviewers drawing comparisons with Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Dr. John and Van the Man. His latest CD “Meat & Potatoes” released in April 2005 (Nugene Records NUG502) sees Ian returning to his roots with an album of powerful urban Blues, which he describes as “stripped down, mean and moody and as close as you can get to our live performances”. My man! We're from the same school" - Ronnie Wood I love the voice and there's a lotta soul in that guitar" - Albert Lee The Real Deal" - Eddie Floyd So Down-Home!" - Sugar Blue © 2005 Nugene Records. All rights reserved

BIO (WIKI)

Ian Siegal (born Ian Berry, 1971) is a British blues singer and guitarist, whose style reflects the more rootsy side of the genre, drawing on influences such as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Son House, Junior Kimbrough and Tom Waits. In the late 1980s, Siegal dropped out of art college and went busking in Germany. He has been active on the UK blues scene for many years, and after two European tours supporting Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings in 2003 and 2004,began to receive significant attention in Europe and further afield, particularly since the release of his album, Swagger, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Meat & Potatoes. These recordings also feature guitarist Matt Schofield, and received praise in the music press, including an entry in the Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings, and was Mojo magazine's second best blues album of 2007. In 2008 the album The Dust was released. Unlike the previous albums it contained mainly solo performances. In 2009, Siegal released another album together with his band members, Andy Graham (bass) and Nikolaj Bjerre (drums). This album, Broadside, was voted "Blues Album of the Year 2009" by Mojo. His 2011 release, The Skinny, was recorded in North Mississippi with Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars as record producer and he also played on the album. Backing Siegal were the sons of some notable Mississippi blues men, including on guitar Robert Kimbrough, on guitar and bass Garry Burnside, and on drums Rod Bland. Also guesting were Alvin Youngblood Hart and Duwayne Burnside.

20.4.12

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings



Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings - Groovin' - 2000 - Ripple

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings are a Blues-rock band founded and led by the Rolling Stones' bass guitarist Bill Wyman. Together with his lifelong musical partner Terry Taylor, The "Dirty Boys" duo produce, arrange and compose original material for the award winning band. The Rhythm Kings are renowned for their popular live performances as they frequently tour through Europe and the United Kingdom. The group has conducted only one tour in the United States, during the middle of 2001. The touring unit often is compared to the Ringo Starr All-Starr Band for its somewhat revolving door of membership as established musicians move from project to project.

After leaving the Rolling Stones, Wyman said, "I thought, maybe I should do some music on the side, but not heavy; I don't want to have to worry about charts, image and all that crap. It's not gonna be a career move—I'm just gonna do it for the fun. We were just gonna do a blues duo and call ourselves the Dirt Boys." Bill was determined to reintroduce older music to newer generations. Bill said the music "ranged from—all the way back to the '30s and upwards. To achieve his aim, Bill loosely organized a group of British musicians who shared his affection for rock 'n' roll, country, blues, jazz, jive and various other music styles which had influenced him. The musical influences for the band came from artists like Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Ray Charles, Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway. Bill persuaded artists like the legendary soul-jazz/R&B singer and organ player Georgie Fame, drummer Graham Broad and vocalist Beverley Skeete to join his new band. Other great artists to play with Bill included guitarists Albert Lee, Andy Fairweather-Low, and Terry Taylor. Other occasional members have included George Harrison, Eric Clapton, his Stones buddy Mick Taylor, Nicky Hopkins, Peter Frampton, and many other music giants. Bill said that "What I found was that, when we started doing this music, whether it was a song by Fats Waller, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, or whatever it was, nine times out of ten, the original piece of music was played by a double bass, not a bass guitar. So I had to change my style and play with my thumb instead of a guitar pick in order to sound as much like a double bass as possible with the way I played, but also the notes I played. I don't know how many times people have listened to the records and asked me, 'Who's playing the double bass?' No, it's me—I'm playing it with my bass guitar, but I'm playing it in a different way. I discovered that I could write songs in the old styles, because I would analyze the way they did the arrangements, the way the instrumentation sounded, the way people sang and the slang they used for the lyrics. And in the end, the track, when we'd finish it, would sound like a song from the '30s, '40s or '50s. It's almost like an archeological dig into music". "Groovin'" has been described as "Giving you the blues the way they are meant to be played, with honesty, heart and outstanding musicianship." A special album, and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Bill's 1982 s/t album and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings "Anyway The Wind Blows" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 122 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Tell You a Secret - Taylor, Wyman 3:04
2 Groovin' - Brigati, Cavaliere 3:31
3 Rough Cut Diamond - Taylor, Wyman 4:05
4 Mood Swing - Buckner, Sewell, Toner 4:09
5 Hole in the Wall - Taylor, Wyman 3:10
6 Can't Get My Rest at Night - Ray 3:46
7 I Put a Spell on You - Hawkins 4:06
8 Tomorrow Night - Wyman 5:00
9 I Want to Be Evil - Taylor 2:32
10 Rhythm King - Fame, Robinson 4:52
11 Daydream - Sebastian 4:10
12 Oh! Baby - Ozen, Unknown 3:56
13 Streamline Woman - Taylor, Waters, Wyman 2:53
14 Yesterdays - Harbach, Kern 4:27

MUSICIANS

Albert Lee - Guitar, Vocals
Andy Fairweather Low, Martin Taylor - Guitar
Mick Taylor - Slide Guitar
Terry Norman Taylor - Rhythm Guitar
Tommy Emmanuel - Acoustic Guitar
Gerry Hogan - Pedal Steel
Bill Wyman - Bass
David Hartley - Piano
Gary Brooker, Georgie Fame - Organ, Vocals
Anthony Kerr - Vibraphone
Graham Broad, Henry Spinetti - Drums
Ray Cooper - Percussion
Frank Mead, Nick Pentelow - Horn
Nick Payn - Harmonica, Horn
Eddie Hession - Accordion
Chris Hall - Cajun Accordian
Jerry Portnoy - Harmonica
Beverley Skeete - Vocals, Background Vocals
Janice Hoyte, Adrian Byron Burns - Vocals
Sara Skeete, Melanie Redmond, Keeley Coburn, Susie Webb, Zoe Nicholas, Anita Kelsey - Background Vocals

BIO

As a member of the Rolling Stones for three decades, Bill Wyman established himself among the greatest bassists in rock & roll history; in tandem with drummer Charlie Watts, he belonged to one of the most stalwart rhythm sections in popular music, perfectly complementing the theatrics of Mick Jagger and the gritty guitar leads of Keith Richards. Born William Perks in London on October 24, 1936, Wyman was playing in a group called the Cliftons when he was asked to join the Stones in mid-1962, replacing bassist (and future Pretty Things member) Dick Taylor. Reportedly asked to join the group simply because he had his own amplifier, he was, at age 25, by several years the oldest member of the group; regardless, his chemistry with the other bandmembers was immediate, and with the subsequent arrival of Watts, the classic Rolling Stones lineup was soon cemented. The rest, of course, is history, and before too long the Stones were widely recognized as the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band. In 1974, Wyman became the first from their ranks to record a solo LP, the all-star Monkey Grip; two years later, he repeated the trick with Stone Alone. His next major side project was the 1985 cover band Willie and the Poor Boys, which also included Watts, Jimmy Page, and Paul Rodgers. While rarely the recipient of the kind of media attention given his more notorious bandmates, Wyman found himself at the center of scandal in 1989 when he married model Mandy Smith, whom he'd begun dating when she was just 13 years old; they divorced a year later. Finally, in January 1993, he publicly announced his long-rumored departure from the Stones, announcing plans to publish an autobiography, Stone Alone; in 1997 Wyman formed a new band, the Rhythm Kings, which featured guitarists Peter Frampton and Albert Lee as well former Procol Harum keyboardist Gary Brooker. The group debuted with the LP Struttin' Our Stuff, followed in 1999 by Anyway the Wind Blows. Wyman greeted the new century with a string of albums including Groovin' (2000), Double Bill (2001), Just for a Thrill (2005), and numerous live recordings and compilations. © Jason Ankeny © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-wyman-p21507/biography

17.4.12

Mitch Laddie



Mitch Laddie - Burning Bridges - 2012 - Mystic

Mitch Laddie has got the likes of Walter Trout hailing him as the finest blues-rock guitarist of his generation. Well, the 21-year-old from North East England shows his prowess on Burning Bridges (Mystic Records). It is neither a guitar extravaganza, nor an overtly blues-related album. Rather, Laddie uses the opportunity to prove he has an individual flair and touch. The songs are thoughtful and the attention to musical detail is undeniable. But what really impresses is that the passion is never subsumed by technique. That’s a rare skill in itself. © Classic Rock Magazine

21 y.o Mitch Laddie has played guitar seriously since he was 13. He first met Walter Trout at a gig in Sunderland in the mid 2000's. Walter was impressed, asked Mitch for a CD and soon after invited Mitch to guest at his 2006 Colne gig in. Mitch and Walter regularly play UK gigs together. Mitch's first band was Vanilla Moon in 2006, becoming The Mitch Laddie Trio in 2008, with the original Vanilla Moon bass player Rhian Wilkinson and drummer Lee "Cliffy" Clifford. The band is based in County Durham but Mitch prefers to be linked to Newcastle.The trio have had considerable success on both the MCC Rally and festival circuit playing a mixture of originals and covers. His playing is influenced by greats like SRV (Mitch's fav album is SRV's "Texas Flood"), Eric Johnson, Hendrix, Eric Gales, John Mayer, Robin Trower, Peter Green and many more, but Mitch has his own unique style. When asked about the type of music his band play, Mitch said"Blues rock of course. But we are prettily heavily funk influenced and I’m quite into my fusion and jazz too. I’d say we generally just gather our influences and throw them all together and see what happens." "Burning Bridges" has soul, jazz, blues, rock, and fusion and all the tracks are Laddie originals. On the cover notes to "Burning Bridges" Walter Trout writes “I first met Mitch Laddie when he was a young lad of sixteen years. I heard him play his guitar and was knocked out by the authority, command and finesse he displayed. It was beyond his years – he sounded like somebody who’d been at it for forty years!" Speaking about blues music in general, Mitch says "Even if players are similar, they’ve still got their own touch that makes the hairs on your arms stand up. It’s not just the guitar side of it; the diva blues singers do it too. It’s the raw emotion and the feeling that is put into it and you just don’t get that in other types of music. The passion is always there. It’s real". Mitch is another of the new breed of young British blues stars in the making. He is an exceptional talent and a guy who is heading for recognition as one of the British guitar greats. "Burning Bridges" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Mitch's "This Time Around" album and support real music [All tracks @ 192 Kbps: File size = 84.4 Mb]

TRACKS

1.Time Is Running Away
2.Paper In Your Pocket
3.Take A Bite
4.Would You?
5.What Are You Living For?
6.Changing Tides & Burning Bridges
7.Gone
8.Gettin’ It Right
9.Inner City Blues
10.Give You The World
11.Mr Johnson Revisited

All songs composed by Mitch Laddie

BAND

Mitch Laddie - Guitar, Vocals
Rhian Wilkinson - Bass
Lee Clifford - Drums, Percussion

REVIEWS

Following on from a cracking first album This Time Around is Mitch Laddie’s second album Burning Bridges which is due for general release on the 12th March. Although TTA is a solid album I felt that it was very much a showcase for Mitch’s unquestionable ability on the fret-board more than anything else, but as soon as you hear the heavy and very meaty bass driven hook from the first track of Burning Bridges you know this is album going to be very different. I feel it is fair to say that Burning Bridges is a much more commercial offering than TTA and will without question appeal to a much wider audience. We still have the intense guitar solos that make the hairs on the back of your neck dance around, but on a lesser scale, which for me only makes them much more intense and powerful. Also with this album we are treated to a much richer and solid sound that not only continues to highlight Mitch’s ability as a guitarist / song writer, but also highlights the ability of the band as well. With some sublime bass riffs and hooks from Rhian and Lee tying it together with some fast paced skin action, we are now getting to see the complete picture and I quite like it. As for my previous comment regarding being a much more commercial offering. Whilst sticking to the blues / jazz / format that Mitch is known for we are also seeing another softer side of Mitch with tracks such as ‘Would You’, ‘Gone’ & ‘Give You The World’ which from the vocal point of view and sudden key changes contain essence of Sting in his later years which is a clear sign of how much Mitch has grown and matured since TTA. Burning Bridges itself is very much laid out as you would a gig set list. It hits you hard and then eases off then hits you hard again and this format works well. So well in fact that I’ve been playing this CD pretty much none stop in the office over the last couple of weeks and I can see no reason why this should change in the near future. Included on the CD is ‘Mr Johnson Revisited’. Now I’m aware that this track is an ongoing project for Mitch and a firm favourite at gigs, but I’m really not sure it has a valid place on the CD. Maybe it is just me, but I just feel that sometimes it is better to move forward and not try to improve on what is a near perfect song. Anyone that has not got TTA in their collection will love it, but I personally would have liked to see another new track in its place, but overall this does not detract from what is an excellent CD, it is just a personal preference. Stand out track for me has to be ‘Give You The World’, lyrically excellent with the chilled out and laid-back feel of Clapton with a hint of Sting. It doesn’t come much better than this and I look forward to seeing this performed live if for no other reason than the extended guitar solo that I know will find its way in there. All in all this is an excellent second album from Mitch. It was never going to be an easy feat to follow up on what was such a good first album, but Mitch has succeeded. If this is the way Mitch is moving forward then I for one am really looking forward to album number three. © The Midlands Rocks

'Burning Bridges' is about right. The guitar playing is some of the heaviest Blues I've heard in ages - he is right up there with Philip Sayce in terms of power and inflammatory playing but he also has a dark voice and smouldering style coupled to playing that is well outside what you would expect of a twenty year old. He mixes up power and intensity with remarkable subtlety. Opener 'Time Is Running Away' is all about power and intensity but by the time you get to 'Would You?' he is almost in jazz territory with delicate style and deftness of touch and 'Changing Lanes And Burning Bridges' played on a metal strung acoustic that you would not believe came from the same hands as the opener. His version of 'Inner City Blues' is like nothing Stevie Wonder ever imagined but it sounds 'right' - today's inner city is not funky - and then he ends with 'Mr Johnson Revisited' and you cannot believe that this is the same player; a wonderful instrumental Blues ballad that just puts a smile on your face and warmth in your heart. Through all of this he shows soul and feel for the music, this isn't all about technique by any means, and he gives no sense of playing about for ego: insofar as you can hear commitment this has it in spades. I have to say that this is also a real burst of FUN. It is a delight to listen to a man enjoying himself and doing the thing he was made to do and he puts that over effortlessly. Mitch is one of a raft of excellent British guitarists at the moment, what with Oli Brown, Virgil McMahon, Danny Bryant as well as the likes of Ian Siegel and Matt Schofield and he sounds as though he can match up to any of them. He was mentored in his early days by the wonderful Walter Trout and I have no doubt that he learnt a great deal about the business from him but he sounds as though he has been given the space to find his own sound and that shines through here. Lovers of guitar based music will be having their wallets drained at the moment but I reckon this is one of the essentials. © www.music-news.com

Mitch Laddie is a 21-year old singer/guitarist/songwriter from the North East of England. On Burning Bridges, he is backed by Rhian Wilkinson on bass and Lee Clifford on drums and percussion. The album contains eleven tracks, all written by Mitch Laddie. The cover notes to the album are written by Walter Trout, who warmly expresses his admiration of Mitch Laddie’s talent including the following tributes: “I first met Mitch Laddie when he was a young lad of sixteen years. I heard him play his guitar and was knocked out by the authority, command and finesse he displayed. It was beyond his years – he sounded like somebody who’d been at it for forty years! Trout goes on to praise Laddie’s considerable development and declares, “He possesses a potent, god-given gift. I believe that Mitch represents the finest of the new generation of guitar slingers/performers!” The album demonstrates Mitch Laddie’s command of a range of guitar styles, starting with the steady rocking “Time Is Running Away”, complete with an overriding catchy guitar riff, and “Paper In Your Pocket”, which exudes a distinctively Hoax feel with a driving bass line and a blistering guitar solo. “Take A Bite” and “Would You?” deliver Sting-like vocals, while the latter and “What Are You Living For?” provide a lighter, funky-edged ambience, expertly underpinned by the impressively tight rhythm section. “Changing Tides And Burning Bridges” is a jazzy, acoustic instrumental before “Gone” suggests further shades of The Police and features another brilliantly executed guitar solo. “Gettin’ It Right” and “Inner City Blues”, a couple of funky rockers, are followed by “Give You The World”, a sensitive ballad, and the closing track, “Mr Johnson Revisited”, a beautifully played, mellow instrumental. There are currently many fine, young, blues-oriented guitarists in the UK but Mitch Laddie offers something different from many of his peers in that he very comfortably mixes vibrant blues-rock with gentler, more lyrical compositions. He is most definitely a force to be reckoned with and we can look forward to his increasing presence on the British blues scene. The considerable skill of Rhian Wilkinson and Lee Clifford in his engine room also deserves full acknowledgement. © www.BluesintheNorthwest.com

‘Burning Bridges’ is an aptly titled second album from the young rock-blues guitarist Mitch Laddie. He’s broken with his past and taken gigantic steps in developing his own style on a confident album that bristles with deep tones, steely riffs and intense playing. He’s equally at home playing rock, blues and fusion and 'Burning Bridges’ has all three styles in abundance on a self produced, coherent album on which nothing is laboured or overplayed and the power of suggestion reigns supreme. Sure he sometimes likes to rock out with a dirt sounding tone and lean into to some heavy riff driven grooves full of spiralling solos on road tested nuggets. But in his role as a producer he’s taken the songs a step further by polishing them in the studio without losing the inherent fire and spontaneous band interplay. The result is his most assured work so far. The key to Mitch’s breakthrough comes from his willingness to jam on a riff and see where it takes him. There are hints of grunge, full blown hard rock, tightly wrapped funk, and outright slash and burn rocking on songs like ‘Take A Bite’. But there’s a complexity at play, as evidenced by the diffidently explored funk of ‘Would You’ and the staccato, stop-start guitar lines of ‘Gone’, two songs which are heavily reminiscent of Carl Verheyen. And there’s enough thoughtful sequencing, and a subtle use of dynamics to contribute to the overall flow of the album leads to the stellar fusion finish of 'Mr. Johnson Revisited'. ‘Burning Bridges’ opens with ‘Time Is Running Away’ - with distant echoes of Oli Brown’s ‘Psycho’ with a much heavier undertow - before his guitar explodes all over the track. The impressive start gets even better on to the live favourite ‘Paper In Your Pocket’, which is an object exercise in dynamics as his rhythm section pushes him every inch of the way. And in those rare moments when Mitch’s’ diction is clouded by the arrangement, he lets his magical guitar playing take the strain, adding a fluent run here or a sudden stop there, before achieving closure with an avalanche of riffs. ‘Burning Bridges’ is of course a guitar album but one that crosses genres and extends basic song structures in interesting and unexpected ways, whether on the metronomic muscular funk of ‘What Are You Living For’ or the smoking riff led groove of ‘Getting It Right’. Each song acts reveals itself like a layer in an onion. You peel away one layer and you find there’s more to explore. And it’s Mitch’s sense of adventure that makes ‘Burning Bridges’ such a satisfying album. Listen to the way the guitar break on 'What Are You Living For' gives the song a belated lift and allows him to indulge in an angular solo that enhances rather than obfuscates the track. Listen also to the mesmerising delicate touch on the acoustic title track or the stuttering solo on ‘Getting It Right’ and you are hearing a guitarist who refuses to deliver a full blown solo until he’s explored every possible dynamic along the way. The short tension breaking solo when it does finally arrive evokes mid 70’s jazz fusion era Jeff Beck, but Mitch quickly locks into the groove and lets the piece breathe before a perfunctory but succinct ending. The trio stretch out and shift considerable amounts of air molecules on the tougher ‘Inner City Blues’ before the contrasting late night jazzy blues of the heartfelt ‘Give You The World’. It’s a soulful and sophisticated song with Mitch’s best vocal, proving he’s equally confident when giving himself space and time as when he’s rattling off a volley of notes. It might not quite be the show stopping ballad he was aiming for but it’s pretty damn close and sounds like a new mature strand to his song writing cannon. Mitch adds some expressive phrasing and a melodic solo full of poise and a rich tone on a mature composition that belies a 21 year old on his self produced second album. But the best is yet to come on ‘Mr. Johnson Revisited’, which presents him with a perfect calling card of sonic beauty. The closing track evokes the feel of a painter filling a canvas with the most delicate of brush strokes, unhurriedly exploring different hues and textures with the deftest of touch. Mitch derives equal measures of emotion and technique from the song through different tones, pregnant pauses and an intuitive grasp of dynamics. He finally adds a sprinkle of harmonics on a perfect track shot through with the ghost of Pat Metheny. ‘Burning Bridges’ isn’t so much a slow burner as an album with hidden depth that offers more with each repeated listen. It’s an album that confirms both his chops and an improving vocal style but above all establishes Mitch Laddie as a song writer of substance. Rock-blues never sounded so innovative and refreshing. © Pete Feenstra - Get Ready to Rock

15.4.12

Jimmy D Lane



Jimmy D Lane - Sir Real - 1995 - Blue Seal Records

Raised on Chicago's Southside, Jimmy D. Lane's blood line runs deep in the tradition of blues. Son of the late-great, blues legend Jimmy Rogers, he's got the skills to prove it. The usual comparisons to Jimi and SRV will be made here, but Eric Clapton, after playing with Jimmy on a tribute album to Jimmy's father, Jimmy Rogers, said that Jimmy Lane is an "incredible guitarist." Jimmy played all the instrumentation on this obscure album. Vocals are a bit indistinct at times, but not enough to spoil your enjoyment of this album. A number of these songs later reappeared on the "Long Gone" CD, including it's title track, along with "Shake, Shiver and Ache", "Whiskey" and "Obsession Baby". Jimmy's "Long Gone" album is @ JDL/LOGO [All tracks @ 192-320 Kbps: File size = 61.6 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Swingin' Time
2. Hangin' On
3. Head for the Bar
4. After Nine
5. Shake Shiver Ache
6. Stuck in the Middle
7. Out on the Road
8. Hand on the Door
9. Half Love
10. Whiskey
11. Long Gone
12. Cowboy's Retreat
13. Obsession Baby

All songs composed by Jimmy D Lane except "Out On The Road" by James A. Lane aka Jimmy Rogers, and "Long Gone" by Jimmy D. Lane & Gary Maragos

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Lane was born on 4 July 1965 in Chicago, to the musician Jimmy Rogers and his wife Dorothy. In his childhood, he got to know many older bluesmen who worked with his father, including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Mabon, Little Walter and Albert King. Lane would say years later, "I feel blessed and fortunate to have known all those cats and I do not take it for granted." At the age of 40, Jimmy D. Lane has already led quite a full life. The musicians he knows makes for an impressive resume. He has worked with Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Jim Keltner, Keith Richards, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Jonny Lang, Gary Moore, Double Trouble, Taj Mahal, Stephen Stilles, Jeff Healey, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Lowell Fulson, and Snooky Pryor, Kim Wilson, Pinetop Perkins, Johnny ‘Big Moose’ Walker, Johnnie Johnson, Kim Wilson, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Harry Hypolite, George ‘Wild Child’ Butler, David ‘HoneyBoy’ Edwards, Weepin’ Willie Robinson, Little Hatch, Nancy Bryan, Willie Kent, Henry Gray, Lazy Lester and Eomot RaSun. He has also worked with such blues greats such as Sam Lay, Hubert Sumlin, Carey Bell, Dave Meyers and his father, the legendary Jimmy Rogers. Born July 4th, 1965 in Chicago, he grew up in a household where he became acquainted with a many famous Chicago bluesmen. Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Mabon, Little Walter and Albert King, to name a few, would all stop by the house to visit the "old man." Coming from this environment has instilled in Lane the deepest respect for elder statesmen of the blues. "I feel blessed and fortunate, to have known all those cats, and I do not take it for granted." At the age of eight, he began playing his dad's guitar, which he wasn't supposed to do. "I would break a string and put it back in the case like he wasn't going to discover it," Lane recalls. Shortly after that, Lane received a Gibson Acoustic from John Wayne. The Duke gave it to Shakey Jake, who was Wayne's driver, to give to Lane. "I would try to play along to a Bobby Blue Bland album" Lane states. He also wanted to join in with his dad and all those old cats that stopped by to "drink, tell lies and jam." Lane, however, would not get serious on the guitar until much later. Lane got discouraged from playing after the Gibson got smashed, and didn't play for a while. Upon returning home from the military in 1983, he had a life changing experience. "I was laying on the bed with the headset on, trying to figure out what to do with my life, and that song, "Hey Joe" (the Hendrix version) came on the radio and I heard that song like I've never heard it before". At that time, Jimmy knew exactly what to do. He took his last $59 to a pawnshop, bought a Harmony guitar and learned "Hey Joe" by ear. For the next four years he worked construction and roofing jobs, but would spend every other waking moment playing guitar. He would play along to blues as well as AC/DC and Journey records. By 1987, Lane became lead guitarist of the Jimmy Rogers Band as well as leader of his own band, Jimmy D. Lane and The Hurricanes and later Blue Train Running. Lane toured extensively with his fathers band while managing his own solo career. In 1993, The Jimmy Rogers Band toured Europe, where they made a stop to perform at the BBC. In '94 they performed at the W. C. Handy Awards and in '95 they appeared on the Conan O'Brien show, as well as the Chicago Blues Festival. Jimmy made his solo recording debut in 1995. The self titled disc on Blue Seal Records features 12 fine originals and one of his dad's tunes. In 1993, however, he would meet the people who would put his recording career into high gear. During the sessions for Bluebird for Analogue Productions, with the Jimmy Rogers Band, he met Producer John Koenig and head of Acoustic Sounds, Chad Kassem. Koenig saw the Jimmy D. Lane band at B. B. King's Club in Universal City and was floored. Koenig and Kassem got together and Jimmy recorded Long Gone for Analogue Productions in 1995, at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, which was released in 1997. His second recording, Long Gone, showcases Jimmy’s guitar virtuosity on originals like "Whiskey," "Oh What A Feeling" and the title cut. The Hendrix/Vaughan influence can be heard in his searing guitar solos but listen and you will hear his feet are firmly rooted in the blues. His versions of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" and Jimmy Rogers "I'm in Love" show his deep love for, and respect of blue tradition. Lane can stretch out on his own, but is equally at home in a support mode as can be heard by comparing his playing on Long Gone to Bluebird. Lane plays on and co-produced Hubert Sumlin's I Know You, also on Analogue Productions, where as he states "You can hear Hubert's guitar, not some guy with his amp cranked up." In fact, it was Hubert Sumlin who gave Jimmy his first Strat in 1986. Off stage, Lane's positive outlook on life is reflected in one of his favorite phrases "It's all good." This was originally the title of his third release, but changed it to Legacy in honor of his father's memory and the rich blues heritage he grew up with. Legacy, released in May '98, features guest appearances of blues greats Sam Lay on drums, Carey Bell on harp and Sumlin on guitar. It also features the last recordings of Jimmy Rogers, who played on "One Room Country Shack" and "Another Mule Kickin' In My Stall." Jimmy is proud of all his work with his dad, but this one touches him deeply. "I take great pride in the fact that the last time my dad picked up a guitar was to help me out on my project."Jimmy's fourth release,It's Time, could just as well have been titled It's Overdue. It's long been time for one of today's most powerful and expressive musicians to break the chains of relative commercial obscurity. Time to seize the reins of blues leadership, just as his father, Jimmy Rogers, did in the 1940s. Masters Eddie Kramer (engineer for Hendrix, Zeppelin, Woodstock etc.), Chris "Whipper" Layton and Tommy Shannon (of Double Trouble) and Mike Finnigan (organ in the bands of Etta James, Taj Mahal and CSN&Y) are all onboard to give Jimmy the nudge he needs to clear the launching pad. It's Time. Lane's music is on the rocking side, but is tempered with just the right amount of blues tradition. As Lane states "you can have too much water and too much fire, but with the right amount of both, you can boil an egg." Jimi Hendrix may have moved him to buy a guitar, but Hendrix is just one influence. Lane is a competent blues singer, songwriter and guitarist with a deep respect for "all those original cats who were there".

Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack



Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack - Welcome - 2001 - RCA

Doyle Bramhall II (born 24 December 1968) is an American singer and guitarist. Known for his work in Arc Angels, he was also the second guitarist in Eric Clapton's band from 2004 to 2009. He has also played with Susan Tedeschi and toured with Roger Waters, and is the lead guitarist and vocalist in his own Smokestack band

"I've been searching for the perfect tone for years, and I heard that a shop called Norm's Guitars [in Reseda, California] had the only left-handed '60s Strat in the L.A. area. So I went there, and it was a beautiful '64 sunburst Strat -- almost like Buddy Holly's guitar -- with a finish that turns from fiery red and orange right to brown. Then I picked it up, and it was the lightest Strat I've ever felt. The wood must have been really dry before it was painted. Anyway, they also had a 100-watt Marshall 1967 Super Bass head. I plugged the Strat into the Marshall, and it was like, "Wow! That's the sound I've been looking for for years." I bought both of them immediately. It was outrageous how much it cost, but I had to have them. I took them down to the studio to record "Cry," and I thought, "This is it!" I ended up recording the whole record with that guitar and amp". © Doyle Bramhall II

Doyle Bramhall II steps out on his own with his band Smokestack on Welcome, the Austin-based singer-guitarist-songwriter's second album for RCA. A collection of hard-hitting, old-school rock numbers like "Green Light Girl" (reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's "Fire"), "So You Want It to Rain" (a Blind Faith-ish anthem), "Problem Child" (a kind of SRV meets James Gang vibe) and "Soul Shaker" (see the Stones' "Street Fighting Man") and "Helpless Man" (a groove shamelessly lifted from the Beatles' "Come Together"), there is nevertheless an undercurrent of blues here that comes across ever-so-slightly in Bramhall's guitar work and vocal phrasing (particularly on the Muddy-influenced "Smokestack"). But make no mistake: file this one under rock rather than blues-rock. © Bill Milkowski Originally published in June 2001 © 1999–2012 JazzTimes, Inc. All rights reserved http://jazztimes.com/articles/12293-welcome-doyle-bramhall-ii-and-smokestack

In a career that has been defined by frustrating false starts and unrealized potential, it appears that Doyle Bramhall II has finally found an appropriate vehicle for his smoky voice and grinding guitar with the release of his third solo album Welcome (RCA). It isn't the first time we've crawled out on this particular limb. Way back in the dark ages of 1992 DRUM! predicted that the Arc Angeles (Bramhall's Texas supergroup featuring fellow guitar hero Charlie Sexton alongside the crackerjack Double Trouble rhythm section) would become the next big thing. Sadly they didn't, but in many ways Smokestack comes remarkably close to the sound of Bramhall's former outfit, cranking out raw hook-laden rock tunes informed by electric urban rhythm and blues. It's no secret where Bramhall came in contact with such influences. They blared out of the hi-fi in his dad's Austin living room. Doyle senior is a living legend in his hometown, known for mentoring a young Stevie Ray Vaughn, playing drums with the likes of Lightning Hopkins, and producing albums for rootsy acts such as Indigenous. But rather than recruit his dad, junior turned to his new drummer J.J. Johnson to cut tracks for Welcome. It was a great choice. Johnson has a round, live, resonant drum sound and a taste for simple and direct grooves and fills that perfectly complement the album's powerfully loose feel. We especially liked Johnson's respectful Bonham impersonation on the chorus of "So You Want it to Rain," as well as the way he contrasts a driving backbeat against Bramhall's Keith Richards-flavored guitar rhythms on "Soul Shaker," and the ultra-cool turnaround on "Problem Child," where the slow 6/8 blasts into a rocking 4/4 rave up not unlike the transition in of the Stones' "Midnight Rambler." In fact, there is a pre- dominance of 6/8 feels on the album, such as the rollicking mid-tempo "Life," the slinky slow burner "Send Some Love," and the Stax-meets-Hendrix blast of "Last Night." Bramhall is comfortably at the top of his game on Welcome, spinning out melodic Hendrix- and Clapton-inspired guitar solos and singing bluesy vocal lines over tunes that stick in your head for weeks. Get the feeling we like Welcome? It's simply one of the best jams we've heard this year. © Andy Doerschuk http://www.doylebramhall2nd.com/presspop_ups/drum.htm

Welcome, Doyle Bramhall's third effort, continues to blur the lines between rock and blues, but he doesn't always achieve success with this tactic. Although the album opens with "Green Light Girl," a frenetic tune with lots of rockin', driving guitar riffs, the majority of the songs veer toward blues, albeit unconvincingly. "Send Some Love," an aching ballad, calls for emotion-drenched crooning, but Bramhall's vocals are a tad too cool, and "Thin Dream" attempts at bluesy stylings but is really a rock power ballad. The last cut, "Cry," finally whips up some emotion from Bramhall, but it should have been spread throughout Welcome. Even contemporary blues needs a little grit. © Rosalind Cummings-Yeates © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/welcome-r535014

"Welcome" has received mostly favourable reviews. Allmusic.com's Rosalind Cummings-Yeates' review above says that "the majority of the songs veer toward blues, albeit unconvincingly", and "The last cut, "Cry," finally whips up some emotion from Bramhall, but it should have been spread throughout Welcome. Even contemporary blues needs a little grit". In truth, "Welcome" is probably more a rock than a blues album. Doyle, himself said that "Although the blues is one of his favorite genres, he finds that most of his attempts at bluesy songwriting end up sounding "corny," and his songs always tend to have more of a rock feel". Also speaking about "Welcome", Doyle said "Who wants to hear great guitar playing over terrible songs?" The album is full of great funk, rock, soul and blues grooves, and the songs are top notch. Doyle has a very distinctive vocal style. He is a guitarist of enormous skill, and the all-round musicianship on this album is superb. Listen to Doyle Bramhall II's "Jellycream" album and Doyle Bramhall's "Fitchburg Street" album. Arc Angel's s/t album is also terrific, and worth buying [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 149 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Green Light Girl - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 3:05
2 Problem Child - Doyle Bramhall II 5:51
3 So You Want It To Rain - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 5:18
4 Life - Doyle Bramhall II 5:27
5 Helpless Man - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 4:16
6 Soul Shaker - Doyle Bramhall II 4:03
7 Send Some Love - Doyle Bramhall II 4:51
8 Smokestack - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 7:03
9 Last Night - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin, Chris Bruce 6:33
10 Blame - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 4:53
11 Thin Dream - Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah Melvoin 8:37
12 Cry - Doyle Bramhall II 8:09

MUSICIANS

Doyle Bramhall II - Guitar, Vocals
Craig Ross - Rhythm Guitar (except on Tracks 8, & 12)
Chris Bruce - Bass, Additional Rhythm Guitar on "Cry"
Benmont Tench - Piano, Organ
J. J. Johnson - Drums, Percussion
Susannah Melvoin - Vocals, (Percussion on "Life")

MORE ABOUT DOYLE BRAMHALL II / ALBUMS

YOU'VE NEVER HEARD... His guitar solos soar with the melody, speed and purpose of the greats from the '60s. No wonder Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters have all praised him. So why isn't Doyle Bramhall 2nd a star? "For a long time I didn't think I was great because it wasn't reflected in album sales," says the axman. "Finally, people like Eric calmed me in that respect." In fact, Clapton did more than fluff Bramhall's ego. After hearing the young musician's obscure 1999 album, "Jellycream," Clapton invited him to play on his CD with B.B. Kjng, "Riding With the King," on which Clapton even covered two Bramhall songs. After, Waters heard the young player's agile fingerings, he asked him to take the lead slot on his solo tour. Then, Clapton invited Bramhall's band, Smokestack, to be the opening act on his current road show. That has allowed Bramhall to promote his latest album, "Welcome," by far his most accomplished to date. On the CD, Bramhall plays with a fever and length seldom heard in this era. This isn't just an exercise in guitar hot-dogging. Bramhall's songs have sturdy melodies, his vocals have soul. "Who wants to hear great guitar playing over terrible songs?" he reasons. "The song has to come first." Also key is the interplay of the band. Far from faceless backup players. Smokestack's musicians give Bramhall the push and pull that made the guys in Cream or the Jimi Hendrix Experience cook. While most of today's wanna-be '60s stars, like Lenny Kravitz or the Black Crowes, sound' like sad knockoffs of classic rock, Bramhall's band sounds authentic. "In this generation, everybody has gotten lazy," the 32-year-old says. "They use pro tools [studio trickery that subs for real musicianship]. And they edit everything down, trying to get that perfect hit that will sell 5 million copies. They're making music for the wrong reasons." It's Bramhall's pure intent, and present-tense passion, that helps his music avoid the retro trap. Then again, he has been preparing for this moment for more than half his life. Bramhall's father played drums for blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins and for the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Bramhall and Vaughan families formed a tight clique in their hometown of Austin, Tex. Bramhall senior gave his namesake his first guitar at age 14, and "I pretty much stayed in my room and played for a good six, months before I surfaced," he explains. When he did, the teen found himself jamming with artists 20 and 30 years his senior. They were holdover hippies. He sported a blue Mohawk. In his late teens, Bramhall formed a band with fellow Texas guitarist Charlie Sexton, the Arc Angels, who landed a deal with Geffen Records. Loaded with talent, but also ego and expectations, the group fell apart after their debut, for the usual "Behind the Music" reasons. Bramhall, for one, had developed "an extremely evil drug habit." "I grew up in an alcoholic family and I had a heredity of being afraid of failure and fame and responsibility," he explains. "My dad dropped out because of it." Bramhall got clean for his first solo album,which was produced by ex-Prince associates Wendy and Lisa. But the record bombed and Geffen dropped him. "I was devastated," he says. "They didn't give that album a fair chance." RCA released his second CD, "Jellycream," but Bramhall felt he compromised himself for the project. "I didn't want to fail again. So I got caught up in expectations from the record company, and expectations from fans. I was trying find the quickest route to fame and fortune." When that album didn't click either, Bramhall decided to go with his heart. He had the idea to cut the "Welcome" album live but felt if the record company knew "they'd probably the plug. So I tricked them at first." Bramhall and his producers recorded just two cuts live, then moved up to four and, encouraged by the results, kept going "When we finished and tried to overdub a vocal or guitar part, it sounded like a foreign invader," Bramhall explains. The result was so exciting it convinced RCA to release it that way. In fact, "Welcome" has an immediacy that makes the listener feel like he's right in the middle of the music. Given Bramhall's earlier failures, he credits the superstars who've adopted him with restarting his career and with restoring his battered confidence. "I took a breath," he says, "then realized that if Roger Waters and Eric Clapton and B.B. King and the Vaughan brothers and my dad all think I'm great, then I maybe I am." In fact, more than maybe. © Daily News

BIO (WIKI)

Doyle Bramhall II (born 24 December 1968) is a guitarist and vocalist in his band Smokestack and is also the second guitarist in Eric Clapton's band. Doyle Bramhall II is a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. He was born in Dallas, Texas and is the son of singer, songwriter and drummer Doyle Bramhall, who grew up as a close friend of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan. At age 16, Doyle Bramhall II toured with Jimmie Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as second guitarist. Some of Doyle's influences include, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Donny Hathaway, Freddie King, Albert King, Jimmie Vaughan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sly & the Family Stone, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Curtis Mayfield. In 1992 Doyle formed Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton (also known as Double Trouble). Doyle and Sexton were only able to work together for one album but it was well received, with several songs receiving heavy rock radio airplay. They went their own ways after the album but have gotten back together and have been playing shows as Arc Angels again in 2006 and 2007. Doyle released his self-titled debut album on the Geffen record label in 1996 with backing support from Wendy and Lisa (Bramhall is married to Wendy's sister, vocalist Susannah Melvoin). In later interviews, he stated his intent with that album to establish himself as more than just a guitar player. The album received praise from reviewers but was received poorly with sales. Bruce Flohr, a former RCA record executive, came to the first live performance Doyle threw after writing a batch of new material for his new album. Flohr was blown away by the performance and immediately wanted to sign Bramhall to his label. Doyle agreed and signed with RCA, and released his second album Jellycream in 1999. He appeared on Austin City Limits in an episode shared with Robert Cray that fall. The record labels at RCA were unhappy at the sales records of the album and withdrew all funds for Doyle's new project. Flohr, who was a fan of Doyle's music and had faith in it, was powerless to prevent the waning financial interests of his label. It was at this time that Doyle phoned Flohr and asked to be cut from his deal with RCA. Still being friends, Flohr passed a copy of the Jellycream album to Eric Clapton. Clapton took an interest in Bramhall's music and included "Marry You" and "I Wanna Be" in a collaborative album he was working on with B.B. King, released in 2000 as Riding With The King. Doyle also formed a new band, "Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack," and recorded a new album produced by Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fame. Released in 2001, Welcome marked a renewed focus on guitar. Doyle's recording relationship with Clapton continued to flourish, and he co-wrote "Superman Inside" for and played guitar on Eric's 2001 solo album, Reptile. He and Smokestack opened for Clapton on his 2001 world tour, and Doyle occasionally joined Eric on stage. By 2004, he was Clapton's second guitarist after Andy Fairweather-Low backed out of the tour. The 2004 tour was Clapton's effort at channeling his hero Robert Johnson and Doyle later admitted that he had never listened to Robert Johnson until getting the gig as Clapton's second guitarist. Doyle also appears with Eric in the 2004 CD/DVD release Sessions for Robert J. Doyle also played guitar on the 1999-2002 In the Flesh tour (captured on the In the Flesh Live album) by former Pink Floyd leader/bassist Roger Waters. Previous to that, Doyle also played a much lower key role backing his wife Susannah Melvoin's (who also toured with Waters during the In the Flesh tour as a backing singer) twin sister Wendy Melvoin for her band Girl Bros., and more recently with Wendy and Lisa in the groups Pacifico and Funk Sway. Pacifico consisted of Wendy and Lisa, along with Doyle, Mike Elizondo and Abe Laboriel Jr., and several recordings from a small club tour have surfaced. Funk Sway — Erykah Badu, Wendy and Lisa ?uestlove of The Roots, and Doyle, are featured in the music documentary Before the Music Dies.As a session guitarist, he has worked with Me'shell NdegĂ©ocello, Sheryl Crow and Susan Tedeschi. He also toured with Eric Clapton as part of his 2006/2007 world tour along with slide guitarist Derek Trucks and he performed at the 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival at Chicago's Toyota Park. Of his songwriting, Doyle has said that although the blues is one of his favorite genres, he finds that most of his attempts at bluesy songwriting end up sounding "corny," and his songs always tend to have more of a rock feel. Doyle usually plays the Fender Stratocaster but will occasionally play some Gibson guitars, either playing on left-handed models or right-handed models upside-down. Doyle plays guitar left-handed but his guitars are strung as if to be played by a right-handed player, as was the case with Albert King. In other words, the low E string is at the bottom of his guitar, and the high string at the top. This fact and his unique playing style can be seen clearly in the "In the Flesh: Live" DVD footage.