Blind Pig artists: The Cash Box Kings - Black Toppin' - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Black Toppin' from The Cash Box Kings and it's super! Opening with Blues Falling Down On Me, Joe Nosek takes the lead on vocals and is chased by Joel Paterson with some cool slide work over the top of the straightforward drumming of Mark Haines. Black Toppin', the title track, Nosek revs up the heat talking the lyrics over constant harp reinforcement. Oscar's Jump is a hot number with Oscar Wilson on vocal and really hot guitar riffs from Paterson and cool harp work from Nosek. Down and dirty it goes for Money, Marbles and Chalk,where Wilson continues on vocals. Barrelhouse Chuck adds some trademark piano work on this track and Nosek gets some of his most authentic vintage tones on harp. Billy Flynn steps up to lead guitar on this track as well and does a really nice job. On Willie Dixon's Too Late, the Kings lay down a cool rendering of this classic track. Covering both lead vocals and harp, Nosek really brings it on this track. Wilson takes the lead on vocals again for Walkin' Blues which has a slight update in sound but retains a fat part of tradition with simple unpretentious slide work from Paterson. Probably my favorite track on the set. I Don't Wanna Fight takes a rockin stance with Nosek on vocal. Barrelhouse Chuck takes a cool key interlude and Paterson has a short rockin guitar solo keeping the punches coming. Tom Cat Blues is a great track that smells like Mississippi Mud. Featuring Wilson on lead vocal with simple acoustic (and electric) guitar work from Paterson, this is another really authentic track and one that really stands tall. Staying with simplicity, Hot Biscuit Baby is a primitive style Chicago blues really featuring Wilson on vocal and Nosek on harp with minimal backing. Very cool. Gimme Some Of That is a real toe tapper featuring Nosek on vocal and harp and light instrumentation. Kenny Beedy Eyes Smith keeps a tight rhythm with rim shots and Paterson plays jazz rhythm backing on guitar cutting loose for some hot riffs. His slide style is really quite interesting. Wrapping the release is Run Run Run, based on a boogie rhythm. This track, again featuring Nosek on vocal gives Paterson and Nosek the opportunity to play some cool blues boogie riffs over what is primarily an instrumental track. Another favorite. This is a cool release and one that I believe will win more fans for the already popular Cash Box Kings.   

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Delmark artist: Al Miller - In Between Time - New Release Review

I just received and have been listening to the newest release, In Between Time, by Al Miller. Due to some family issues I found my self in sunny Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last week and had the pleasure to listen to this release numerous time while on the road. While driving, I rarely have time to look at the liner notes but now that I am writing my review, some of my passing thoughts actually make sense. I'll begin by saying, I kept thinking that I was listening to a Mike Bloomfield or early Paul Butterfield album. In reading the press release, I note that Miller was a part of the '60's Butterfield scene and played often with Bloomfield. This does not sound at all like a clone. It sounds like the real deal. The release opens with McCracklin/Taub track, Rockin' All Day. A rockin' boogie, this starts the entire release with a great groove with Billy Flynn (guitar), Willie Big Eyes Smith (drums), Barrelhouse Chuck (piano), and of course Miller on vocal and harp. BB King's Need You So Bad has a nice foamy lope to it. John Primer leads the way on this track playing guitar and singing. Dave Specter plays some cool guitar riffs on this track joined by Mike Schlick on drums and Harlan Terson on bass. Definitely a hot track! Johnny Young's My Baby Walked Out features some of Millers best vocals and harp and Chuck really does a great job on the 88's on this track. Original track Old Friends has a Latin beat featuring Kenny Smith on drums, Ken Saydak on piano and hot Albert King like riffs by Dave Specter. Miller pulls out the stops on this track blowing some great harp riffs. In Between Time, another original by Miller, shows Miller with a guitar in hand playing some cool primitive slide work over a very stripped down track. Another Johnny Young track, I Got It, is a smokin' hot harmonica blowout. Pushed by Flynn, Smith and Saydak this is a great track. Willie Dixon's Dead Presidents finds Primer again at the helm with vocal and guitar. Accompanied by Mike Schlick on drums and Harlan Terson on bass Miller plays cool harp riffs and Barry Winograd and John Brumbach add a nice sax solo. Another Miller original, A Better Day,features nice guitar work by Flynn and Specter. One of the most enjoyable traditional tracks on the recording, Miller really gets into his vocal strength. On another Johnny Young track, Tighten Up On It, I can smell the beer and cigarettes. This is the Chicago blues just the way it was meant to be played. Never hear this on contemporary records anymore. Barrelhouse Chuck lays down the riffs and the mix is perfect.Flynn is also guilty of some superb riffage on this track with Big Eyes keeping the bottom tight. Elmore James' 1839 Blues features Primer again on vocals and he does a superb job. Ken Saydak shows why his piano work is in high demand and the tone from Millers harp is spot on. Primer takes a nice guitar solo on this track and it is solid and enticing. Billy Flynn's Billy's Boogie is a real rocker of course featuring some outstanding guitar work from Flynn ... not to be missed. Miller plays a hot solo on harp on this track as does Saydak and Mike Schlick keeps it all together. Excellent track! Percy Mayfield track Bachelor Blues really conjures up the feeling of the old Bloomfield days for me. Again Miller shows his best on vocals and harp on this track. Barrelhouse Chuck and Big Eyes are right on the spot and the track creates the feel of the real deal... it is! Eddie Taylor's If You Don't Want Me Baby fits perfectly into this set with a bit of a HD Taylor beat. It's a great pickup track before the great track by Miller, Lake Michigan Waters. Billy Flynn plays some flaming hot work on this track with what I'd even say sound reminiscent of old Bloomfield riffs. Along with the great playing of Miller and Saydak this track may be one of the most intense on the recording. Specter and Primer step out a little on guitar on Lawhorn Special. Miller knocks down some cool riffs as well but it's the guitars that take this cake. Al Miller original Blizzard wraps up this really coherent authentic Chicago blues release. Flynn and Primer playing some stinging guitar riffs over heavy reverb riffs on this track and kenny Smith is really particularly crisp with his beat on this track. This may be one of the best modern "Chicago" blues albums to come out in a long time.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

I apologize that the band featured is not the band on the recording, but Al Does play harp here so I'll post a new one when I can find it. Enjoy!

Havin' A Hard Time - BILLY FLYNN

Over the last 40 years, Billy Flynn has played with a “who’s who” of Chicago blues legends including Jimmy Rogers, Jr. Wells, Otis Rush, Pinetop Perkins, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Dawkins, Koko Taylor, Willie Kent and countless others. Billy’s encyclopedic knowledge and mastery of a wide array of guitar styles from the 1920’s though the present make him the “go to” guy when bands and record producers want to recreate a certain blues guitar sound. It’s no wonder that Billy was tapped to play guitar for the soundtrack for the recent major motion picture “Cadillac Records” which chronicled the heyday of the legendary Chicago blues label, Chess Records. As part of the soundtrack, Billy backed Beyonce in her 2010 Grammy Winning recording of Etta James’ “At Last.”

In addition to his virtuosic guitar playing, Billy can also shred on mandolin, banjo, lap steel, harmonica, bass, drums, piano or just about anything else that produces sound, including electric sitar (seriously). Billy has toured, recorded, and played with the CBKs for over 6 years now and also produced their second album “Black Night Falling.”
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”