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BLIND RACCOON
LIZ MANDEVILLE/Red Top: One of Chicago’s favorite blues ladies kicks it out one more time with a sassy blues set that’s full of swing and soul loaded with the kind of vibe that defines Chicago blues as the new generation filters the Westside sound through its own sonic prism. Her fourth outing for the label is simply a party on a platter. A dandy example of the blues chasing the blues away from start to finish.
4954 (Earwig Music)
SCOTT ELLISON/Ice Storm: Growing up in Tulsa when it was a hotbed of contemporary music, Ellison soaked up everything the local sound had to offer but he genre spliced it with everything the rest of what the world had to offer. Growing up into a well-rounded player with a particular affinity for the blues Ellison has been flying under the radar at a very high level. This is a well-crafted set of white boy blues that frat boys and yuppies should take to quite easily. It sounds and feels authentic throughout but is also accessible and delivers the blues nicely for people that got their first taste of the blues from the Blues Brothers.
4956 (Earwig Music)
TRAVIS “MOONCHILD” HADDIX/Daylight at Midnight: Speaking of blues for frat boys, Haddix is the kind of player that could’ve inspired Otis Day & the Knights. He could easily give your loaded frat boys what they wanted and then he could just as easily go down to the Dexter Lake Club and get hot and sweaty for the real fans. Haddix puts all his Dexter Lake Club moves right up front on this urban flavored, down-home blues rouser. Without a wasted lick anywhere, this is the kind of blues that used to inspire college kids to go to bad neighborhoods and have a great time. Haddix is a first-class practitioner of the blues and this set is a real gas.
4955 (Earwig Music)
CHRIS JAMES & PATRICK RYNN/Stop & Think About It: This pair of postwar, urban blues fans take a minute away from their hectic schedules to give something back to the masters that turned their hobby into a long-running fun and profitable career. A full band date with a load of great players on board including names like David Maxwell and Sam Lay, this duo mixes some worthy originals with some dandy classics for a high-energy romp that just doesn’t quit. Engaging because it’s the kind of blues date a lot of people have been looking for for a long time, this set gets the party started from the first lick and keeps it going until just a little after closing time. Fun stuff you should definitely put on your list.
4957 (Earwig Music)
TELARC JAZZ
JOHN PIZZARELLI/With a Song in My Heart: The ace guitarist foregoes his usual Sinatra inspired program to do a Richard Rogers tribute that is only half Sinatra inspired. Not to worry, the swing never ends, he brings most of the family by a help out and he leads the crew through basically an oldies set doesn’t feel old. Even though he comes to the era naturally, this is one more well-crafted contemporary take on classics. As usual, this is a sweet set for anyone that wants to re-create the uptown, jazz club feel in their headphones. Give it a spin.
83676
Volume 31/Number 277
August 3, 2008
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2008 Midwest Record
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