Roy Young - Memphis

Wow !!! , this is the word that came to my mind after listening to the whole album. I tell you, if Solomon Burke received so much praise after his "Don't Give Up On Me" CD than Roy should become a soul music God after this one. His voice is as soulful as it gets and can get both, tough and tender with ease. Arrangements on the album are classy and escape from cliches. For me "Memphis" is one of the best deep soul CDs I've heard in couple of years with "Turn Right At Midnight" being a song of the year!

Popa Chubby - 2003 - The Hungry Years

Popa Chubby has been described by some as a comic book character, a charlatan, a shameless self-promoter and by others as an accomplished blues musician, showman and entrepreneur. Having followed Mr. Horowitz's (aka Popa Chubby) career over the past many years, it is easy to understand the controversy. On the one hand he has proven to be a tireless musician with a rather large body (no pun intended) of work for a man with no major label support until his recent signing with Blind Pig. On the other hand, a lot of that early work, produced on his own label and/or oversees recordings, is often of inconsistent quality. This CD takes the pain out of trying to locate early Chubby material that is actually worth listening to. What you will find here is some pretty good original blues rock material put out by Chubby in his early years. The two lone exceptions seem to be "It's Chubby Time" which has its origins in an early disco number which will readily come to mind from the opening note and "What's Your Problem/Pipeline" which is a previously unreleased live version which seems disjointed and out of sync with the other selections. Guitarists will be especially happy with the selections as most feature Popa's bag full of chops and tasty licks. Overall, it's a pretty good compilation of Popa's early material.

Mason Casey - Sofa King Blues (2007)

Mason Casey is a passionate singer, a skilled harmonica player, and a worthy songwriter who co-wrote most of the group originals on his recent CD. Sometimes the words are not overly subtle (as on "You Make It Hard"), but they usually contain some wit, plenty of feeling, and occasional insight. Casey's band is excellent in its supportive role and the overall music is a good example of the rock side of the blues. With producer Jon Tiven also co-writing many of the songs and alternating between most of the key instruments, Mason Casey was in good company for this spirited Nashville blues set.

Bill ''Ravi'' Harris & the Prophets - Funky Sitar Man

Bill "Ravi" Harris is the funky sitar man. Ravi Harris & the Prophets play James Brown/Meters-inspired funk with a difference: The main voice on these instrumentals is sitar. It might be viewed as a gimmick -- if it didn't work so well. Harris is never going to make it as a performer of Indian classical music; he hasn't got the chops for that, but his playing on this album is as good as it needs to be (let's face it, Indian classical and instrumental funk require decidedly different skills). Solid bass, syncopated drums, chicken-scratch guitar, and economical organ fills form the backdrop, and the funky sitar rides at the front. They cover both James Brown and the Meters, which are interesting, but the originals are where it's at. This has got to be the greatest album of sitar funk ever (not that there's much competition). Funky Sitar Man is lots of fun, and recommended to fans of late-'60s style funk with open ears.

Eric Bell - Live Tonite...Plus!

Thin Lizzy's forgotten guitar hero returns in a bare-bones blues trio format, taped before an appreciative crowd. Curiously, the venue isn't listed, although the album's Swedish-only release in 1996 most likely points there. Angel Air's reissue sweetens the pot with three tracks not on the original release. Straight-ahead blues is the game here. The gig opens with a rampage through "The Stumble," whose 1966 recording featured Eric Clapton on guitar. Bell's style is scrappier, but no less spirited, as he demonstrates on brisk strides through standards like "Baby Please Don't Go," "Oh Pretty Woman," and "Things I Used to Do." Being an Irishman also enables Bell to explore his own roots, as evidenced by a show-stopping slow burn through Van Morrison's epic ballad, "Madame George." Naturally, Bell revisits his Thin Lizzy days with a fiery demolition of the late Phil Lynott's swaggering macho anthem "The Rocker." Bell makes room for Lizzy's rearrangement of the traditional "Whiskey in the Jar" -- a song so radical it didn't include a bass part, yet still graced the U.K. Top Ten in 1973, and soars just as highly here. The real surprise is why Bell includes just three originals, including the lovelorn lament of "Two Ships" and "Just to Get By," a world-weary tally of life's ups and downs. That neither track made the original cut is amazing. But that's a minor point, especially since the music here is so crisp. Bell's guitar is succinct and to the point, while bassist Tony Wooton and drummer Romek Parol lend appropriately unobtrusive support. (The Bell-written anecdotes, "Just a Belfast Boy," are also delightful.) Pure blues fans and Lizzy devotees should find plenty to satisfy them here.

Fela & Africa 70

This is the re-release of the old Barclay album by the same name from the 1970s, now taking advantage of better mastering techniques. The album is split into two discs, stylistically the "Jazz Side" and the "Dance Side." Admittedly, this is a rather difficult task to undertake, dividing the songs into their components. Fela had a huge amount of jazz influence embedded in his music, including the songs made primarily for dancing. And even the more free jazz-oriented numbers were created in part to make people dance. As such, separating the two is an endeavor doomed in part. Despite this difficulty, the split is made decently well, with the more outstandingly leaning numbers on either side being displayed for the listener. The jazz side includes "JJD," "Roforofo Fight," "Sorrow Tears and Blood," "Water No Get Enemy," and "Just Like That." The dance side includes a small piece of the incomparable "Kalakuta Show," "Perambulator," "Pansa Pansa," and "Eko Ile." Each piece is a masterwork in and of itself. As such, the highlights have a hard time standing out from the filler, with all pieces being a highlight of some sense. "Perambulator" shows off some incredible instrumental work from Africa 70, and "Just Like That" on the jazz side showcases a nice bit of call and response. For a basic introduction to Fela's sound, this doesn't make a bad album to pick up. The Best Best of Fela Kuti is comparable in this respect. For the collector, the original albums (now remastered) would perhaps be more comprehensive certainly, but this still makes a good addition to the collection for its attempt at showing a couple of aspects separately. Either way, pick it up for at least one listen.

Eric Burdon - Live

Curtis Mayfield - Live In Europe

Although Curtis Mayfield's album sales had decreased significantly by the late '70s, the smooth Chicago soul veteran remained a popular live attraction well into the '80s. Audiences still longed to hear both gems from his years with the influential Impressions and his early solo hits, and he gives them exactly what they want on this album (released as both a single CD and a two-CD set). Mayfield reminds us just how great the Impressions were on heartfelt versions of such '60s classics as "Gypsy Woman" (which greatly influenced the Isley Brothers), "It's Alright" and the inspirational "People Get Ready," and is equally captivating on incisive, early-'70s sociopolitical hits like "Pusherman," "Freddie's Dead," and "If There's a Hell Below." Live in Europe's main flaw isn't Mayfield's performances, but a band that, although decent, just doesn't go that extra mile or do this superb material justice. Horns, a main ingredient of many of his hits, are sorely missed -- especially on "Move on Up" -- and Buzz Amato's keyboards simply can't take their place.

Chris Duarte Group - Tailspin Headwhack

Chris Duarte's debut album, Texas Sugar/Strat Magik, promised great things, and his second album, Tailspin Headwhack, doesn't fail to deliver. Like its predecessor, it's a dynamic collection of hot Texas blues-rock powered by Duarte's muscular, tasteful playing. There's still a lack of distinctive original material, but that doesn't matter, because he infuses each song, from the single "Cleopatra" to a cover of B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone," with energy and passion. Most importantly, Duarte is beginning to break away from his Stevie Ray and Hendrix influences and establish himself as a talented stylist in his own right, and that's what makes Tailspin Headwhack a successful second record.

Carlos Del Junco - Steady Movin'

Look no further than the woodcut styled painting of a flaming harmonica on the cover of Carlos Del Junco's album to get the gist of his approach. Unlike such "more notes per second" harp players as John Popper, Del Junco uses his dexterity as a means to an end. He developed his distinctive style on the ten-hole diatonic harp to play it chromatically, basically sounding like a far more bluesy Stevie Wonder. That gives him a unique sound on an instrument that seldom gets taken as seriously as it should. Here he uses it to terrific effect on Tiny Bradshaw's big-band standard "Jersey Bounce," a song Del Junco has already tackled on his 1999 live album. The disc jumps out of the blocks with three terrific instrumentals that mix blues and jazz. The surfy "Dull Blade" even finds Del Junco's harp tackling the James Bond theme for a few notes. But the momentum hits a snag when Del Junco's somewhat strained vocals appear on his own "Mashed Potatoes Canada," a tribute to James Brown, according to the liner notes. Fellow Canadian Kevin Breit is also along for the ride here and his contributions on guitar and occasionally banjo push this already adventurous music almost into experimental territory. But this is truly Del Junco's showcase, especially on the unaccompanied pieces such as a cover of Sonny Boy Williamson ll's obscure "Movin' Down the River Rhine" and a take on "Will the Circle be Unbroken" that starts out traditional before moving into blues and beyond until the initial tune is nearly unrecognizable, then circling back, ending with his harp sounding like bagpipes. The closing stripped-down walking bass, percussion, and banjo accompanied "Doodle It" could well be the theme for the Andy Griffith Show until Del Junco shifts into jazz mode, diving into his nimble solo, followed by Breit's banjo. As you can tell, he's all over the place stylistically, but it's a classy collection and Del Junco is moving steadily in directions most other harmonica players don't even consider.

Alan Price & The Electric Blues Company - A Gigster's Life For Me

A part of the Sanctuary Blues Masters series, former Animal keyboardist Alan Price has never remained inactive. Whether doing soundtrack work, playing in his own blues bands, or doing arranging or session work, he's been more active than any other member of his former band; he also has the distinction of playing piano on Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You." This set -- recorded in 1995 after Price's band, the Electric Blues Company, had already played over 2,250 shows -- feels as if it's a live show caught on tape, when, in fact, it is a phenomenally recorded studio performance. There's not a lot of overdubbing here, though -- performances were done in complete takes. The material is a mixture of the classic and the somewhat more contemporary -- at least Price's contemporaries. This is Brit blues done with all the style, vinegar, and soul the Brit blues are capable of. At its best, it rivals some of the finest of John Mayall's recordings. At its worst, it's not quite boring but rather uncommunicative emotionally. Price's bandmates -- who include Zoot Money, Bobby Tench, Peter Grant, and Martin Wild -- are all seasoned veterans of the Brit blues scene. There are some genuine treasures here: the radical reworking of "I Put a Spell on You," so that it sounds more like the Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun"; the Pete Bardens/Bobby Tench original "Good Times/Bad Woman," which, with its slippery guitars and keyboards, feels more like Peter Green's mid-period work; and a killer read of Boz Scaggs' "Some Change," which is more driven and funky (thanks to hand percussion) than the original. Price includes celebratory takes of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom Boom Boom" and the Smith/Vincent nugget "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu." Then there's the reggae-blues of the title trick, which swings out of a jazzy backbeat into a rootsier Inner Circle-type groove. "Old Lover," the Eric Clapton/Robert Cray cover, is literally a dumper; the song sucks anyway, and this version does nothing to make it more tolerable. The album closes with an elaborately long (11 minutes and five seconds) version of Jackson Browne's "Say It Isn't True," which, given the less-comfortable surroundings these musicians have found themselves in over the decades, in many ways rings more genuine than the original. Price and Money are both fine interpretive singers in the same vein and deliver knockout performances throughout. This album is far better than listeners had any right to expect, and by its strengths it proves that the vintage British blues are alive and well, even if they are relegated to the margins of obscurity. Terrific.

Mighty Sam McClane - One More Bridge To Cross

In these days of the disappearance of Soul, we are aching for a prophet with a good message, and Sam is the Man when it comes to Soul music. Haven't we all had enough hip hop, pop and rock music and blues guitar pyrotechnics that's missing the secret ingredient? Where's THE LOVE? It's with Sam McClain, who deserves a WC Handy Award and a Grammy. Performer, arranger, producer, record company man, Soulman, Gospelman, Bluesman Sam deserves more than the world has given him. And maybe, that's why he has all of these marvelous qualities and songwriting talent. Nothing has ever been handed to Sam, he's always been at the right place at almost the right time, but not quite timed well enough to get that big break. But ain't the Blues about hard luck and no luck? Well, we're all lucky to have Sam on CD and recorded darn well to boot! Excellent production, it appears Sam's years with former producer Joe Harley have paid off.

Arlen Roth - Toolin' Around

Aquinnah Records is proud to announce the upcoming re-release of Arlen Roth's classic 1993 recording, Toolin' Around! This cd, originally on Blue Plate in Nashville, features some amazing duets with some of Arlen's best guitar-slinging buddies, such as DANNY GATTON, BRIAN SETZER, DUANE EDDY, ALBERT LEE, JERRY DOUGLAS, DUKE ROBILLARD, SAM BUSH and a vocal with BILL LLOYD. This new release will also include an all-new DVD on "The Making Of" the album, with lots of exciting and rare footage in the studio, including some great segments with 'Cowboy" JACK CLEMENT in Nashville. There are also some great solo pieces by AR as well, such as "Whiter Shade of Pale", "I Can't Stop Loving You", and his classic "When a Man Loves a Woman", called by Guitar Player "likely the most intense workout ever recorded on a Telecaster". Don't miss this classic in all it's new glory! A MUST for all guitar lovers!

Curtis and The Kicks - Something's Wrong (1992)

Curtis "Don't Hurt Us" Marlatt - "Master of the Stratocaster" has been blowin' the blues now for well over forty years. Aside from a couple forays into Rock, R&B, or Jazz/Fusion, Marlatt has stayed pretty much true to his roots- the Blues. Marlatt has been
fortunate to have rubbed elbows with and fronted such bands in the past such as the Doors, The Grateful Dead, Steppin- Wolf, Steve Miller Band, Bruce Springsteen, Janice Joplin,The Allman Brothers and Dr. John - just to name a few. However, since
rediscovering his roots with the Blues with his rendition of "Curtis & The Kicks" 23 years ago, Curtis has performed many concerts and blues festivals with blues greats such as Albert King, Gatemouth Brown, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Elvin Bishop, Savoy Brown, Junior Wells, Lucky Peterson, Joe Louis Walker, Robert Cray, Anson Funderberg, Sam Meyer, Rod Piazza and many more.

The Remo Four - Smile

The Remo Four's lone album is an above-average slab of mid-'60s British mod-soul, with a tinge of jazz. Tony Ashton's organ playing could hold its own with that of better-known players in the same style, such as Graham Bond, Alan Price, and Georgie Fame; Colin Manley's vocals were first-rate blue-eyed soul; and Phil Rogers' bass was very assertive and well-recorded by the standards of the era. Although Smile! consisted wholly of covers, these were imaginatively and energetically executed, especially when they stretched out into some jazz-soul grooves on "Brother Where Are You" and "Jive Samba"; on "No Money Down," they sound quite a bit like the early Animals. The CD reissue on Repertoire adds eight important bonus tracks, half of which are from 1966 and 1967 singles, and half previously unreleased. Of these, the highlight is their storming version of Mike Settle's "Sing Hallelujah"; these also include a couple of original songs, although they aren't so hot.