Robert Connely Farr - The Pandora Sessions By Ron Rowe @Blues_DJ_Ron

 In this, the 12th outing for Robert Connely Farr(RCF) he takes us back to the hill country of Northern Mississippi and plants us firmly down on the front porch of the Blue Front cafe. 

Mentored by such luminaries of Hill Country Blues as Jimmy Duck Holmes, Terry Harmonica Bean and R.L. Boyce, Robert Connely Farr keeps the tradition alive and healthy. 

The Album is in fact dedicated to one his mentors R.L. Boyce.  The shining stars of this album are the originals, created organically, just sitting down to play and seeing what evolved. The almost hypnotic grooves laid down by Farr sound like he is channeling another Hill Country legend, Junior Kimbrough, and his gravelly vocals are perfectly suited to the trancelike rhythms he weaves throughout this gem. 

Thirteen tracks on this album and not one bad one out of the bunch. With Christmas coming up this album is the stocking stuffer that will put a smile on any blues lovers face.

VooDoo Walters - How To Be Happy By Ron Rowe (@Blues_DJ_Ron)

In this, his third release Walters shows off his versatility as a song scribe and a musician. From the Opening Track Spare a Little Pity, an Up-tempo lament on being single to the final cut We'll Have a Party, Walter shows off his talent, diversity, humor and humanity. 

 Track 1) Spare a Little Pity: Up-tempo lament on being single and lonely 

 Track 2) (It'a A) Long Way To Go: Classic Chicago style 12 bar blues- fun harp solo 

 Track 3) My Rockin' Chair: Rockin Rolling homage to the humble rocking chair, extolling its virtues and utility in the song writing process 

 Track 4) No Good Deed: Builds on the classic Motif of a Lover done wrong, a bit more Rock & Roll than blues reminiscent of blues based bands like the Stones and the original Fleetwood Mac 

 Track 5) Someday: Loss and longing for the days that created youthful memories and a longing for those days 

 Track 6) Fire In The Forest: Dark swampy guitar hard driving tale of the devastation brought about by wildfires 

 Track 7) In The Don Valley: Shows off Walters skill as a storyteller in this tongue in cheek tune about an encounter with Bigfoot 

 Track 8) Mmm Mmm Mmm: remenicent of the 1920's & 30's dancehall tunes, feels like Walters is channeling the spirit of Leon Redbone on this one and Redbone is coming through loud and clear 

 Track 9) Need A New Way Of Living: A fun take on changing up your life 

 Track 10) We'll Have A Party: Slows things down again in the post pandemic tribute to getting back the things that were lost, time with friends & family, celebrating those who made it out the other side and remembering those who were lost.   

In conclusion this album is well worth the price of admission, great fun and a showcase for a talented songwriter and multi instrumentalist. How To Be Happy is now available get your copy today.

The Black Keys: Delta Kream Review As to often happens, and has happened repeatedly, this album is not so much a homage to the North Mississippi hill country style of the Bentonia school of blues but rather a re-imaging and white washing of the music. Completely missing is the single, finger picked acoustic guitar with the occasional harp accompaniment that defined the Hill Country styleand gave it its soul. Instead electric guitar, used more in the Chicago style of single string leads and electric slide offer a Blues Album of no dicernable style but a more generic blues album similar to what was produced by early 60's British Blues bands such as The BluesBreakers and Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac. That is not to say the album is bad but rather that it is not what it is advertised to be. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney offer a servicable Blues Rock album with Delta Kream, just not a Hill Country Blues album. The casual blues listener, Black Keys Fans and people looking for an entry point to the Blues will find this a most satisfying album, however if you are looking for a genuine hill country style blues album you would be better off looking elsewhere.

Brother Robert by Annye C. Anderson If you are looking for a Read about the musician and some insight into his career this is not the book for you. However, if you would like some first hand insight into the day to day life of urban blacks in the South in the 30's this is a great read. Quite frankly, you could replace Robert Johnson with anyone else and it would make little to no difference in this narrative. The story is told from the perspective of a much younger sibling with an obvious case of hero- worship for an older brother who treated her kindly. Mrs. Anderson, as she insists on being called with the quiet dignity rarely seen in todays modern world,discounts the words of Johnsons contemporaries such as Son House, Honeyboy Edwards and Johnny Shines, the latter two being sometimes traveling partners of Johnson but does clarify with " I didn't keep him in my pocket" a phrase she uses often in relation to her step-brother meaning she didn't know about anything that happened when she wasn't with him. The second half of the book deals with the surviving sisters being cheated out of Johnsons legacy and estate by unscrupulous record producers and the legal battles that ensued, showing that it is not only the crimminal legal system that treats black Americans unfairly but the entire American Judicial system. All in All a very good and fast read but not much to do with the Musician other than his legacy and the legal battles that surrounded it.

REVIEW -Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite - 100 Years Of Blues

Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite - 100 Years Of Blues Pour yourself a glass of sweet tea, or something stronger if you're so inclined and sit back for a visit to how it used to be when folks gathered on the porch and pulled out a guitar and harp and played for the sheer joy of playing. Elvin Bishop's playing is superb, understated the perfect compliment to Musselwhites amazing harp chops. The man is simply the best harp player since Little Walter. The exchange of musical ideas, never playing over each other but perfectly blending guitar and harmonica is magical. If you don't have this one in your collection yet, run don't walk to your neighborhood record store and grab you a copy, then sit back and enjoy a trip back to where the Blues came from with these legendary Bluesmen.

REVIEW - Shemekia Copeland - Uncivil War

Shemekia Copeland - Uncivil War As the daughter of legendary Texas Bluesman Johnny Copeland, Ms. Copelands Blues Creds are immpecable.However, in Uncivil War, her 2020 release, she shows she is much more than a one trick pony. She covers everything from blues to gospel to bluegrass and even a Stones classic given her own personal stamp. The Albums Title Track has that old timey bluegrass feel to it, while Walk Until I ride is straight up Gospel and her cover of Under My Thumb is straight out of Motown. All in All Ms. Copeland proves with this Album that she is not just a Blues vocalist even though that's where her pedigree lies. She is a vocalist similar to Billie Holiday or Etta James who can sing the dictionary to you and make you glad she did. If you are looking for a straight up Blues album you'd be better served with one of her earlier releases like Outskirts of Love or the 2000 release Wicked, but if you want a show stopping vocal performance across a range of genres this is the album for you.

Introduction

Not sure exactly why I think anyone would give a rats ass about what I think, but what the hell, even if no one reads this it will allow me to vent at least.

So what's it all about? Anything that happens to cross my mind, things that piss me off, movies, books and tv, food, whiskey music. It's all fair game.