blues Archive
05 Oct 2022
EB Davis: Ambassador of the Blues (Part 3 of 3)
Continued from Part Two… For many years as he was becoming a noted force in Berlin’s blues scene, Davis continued his duties as a member of the U.S. Army. Asked to elaborate on his responsibilities, he initially demurs. “I think the documentary can explain it better than I could,” he says. The documentary to which
04 Oct 2022
EB Davis: Ambassador of the Blues (Part 2 of 3)
Continued from Part One… Those Memphis days provided all manner of inspiration for Davis as a young man. And sometimes he learned by watching and decided what he didn’t want to do. “One of my most vivid memories is seeing B.B. King,” he says. “He used to like to wear short pants.” Davis recalls seeing
03 Oct 2022
EB Davis: Ambassador of the Blues (Part 1 of 3)
EB Davis is not the typical blues singer. Yes, he was born in the Mississippi River Delta, and yes, he paid his dues singing in clubs from Memphis to New York City. But he eventually made his mark far from home, in Germany. His story – one that features some clandestine work for the U.S.
20 Sep 2022
Album Review: Junior Wells – Blues Legend
On first hearing of this release, my initial reaction was to shudder. While Cleopatra Records and its associated imprints have been responsible for many fine releases, there have been some notable exceptions. And those exceptions often come in the form of releases by legacy artists (i.e. dead ones), cases in which session tapes have been
15 Sep 2022
30 Days Out, September 2022 #2: Cheeksters, The Explorers Club, GA-20, Stereolab
I’ve interviewed three of the four acts spotlighted in this roundup of live music. But I’d recommend them all regardless. Artist: The Cheeksters Venue: The Grey Eagle Date: Saturday, Sep. 17, 6 p.m. Door: $12 This Asheville-based band is always a delight. Their albums are filled with original songs sporting ‘Small Faces meets David Bowie’
28 Aug 2022
Five Blues Classics from Fleetwood Mac
Another in my ongoing “Take Five” series… Drummer Mick Fleetwood turned 75 on June 24. Throughout Fleetwood Mac’s long and varied history, only he and bassist/co-founder bassist John McVie have played on every one of the band’s 17 studio albums. Fleetwood Mac broke through to superstardom with their 11th album, 1977’s Rumours. But long before
24 Aug 2022
Danielle Nicole: Bassist Beyond the Blues
Danielle Nicole makes music informed by the blues yet not constrained by it. She cut her teeth as a bassist, singer and performer while a member of Trampled Under Foot, a trio featuring her brothers Nick and Kris Schnebelen on guitar and drums respectively. Nicole notes that she and her siblings “came from a musical
16 Aug 2022
Album Review: Anthony “Big A” Sherrod and The Cornlickers – Right On Time
Anthony “Big A” Sherrod is a Clarksdale, Mississippi native and lives there to this very day; he teaches blues to young students at the Delta Blues Museum’s Blues & Education program. Gritty, powerful and heartfelt, his approach to the blues – backed by his band The Cornlickers – helps keep the juke joint tradition alive.
14 Aug 2022
Album Review: Shemekia Copeland — Done Come Too Far
Shemekia Copeland is one of the most important voices in music today. Her chosen idiom is the blues, and her powerful, impassioned and commanding vocals are the vehicle for compelling material that’s often topical. That’s certainly the case on her latest release, Done Come Too Far. Right out of the gate, Copeland takes on the
12 Aug 2022
A Conversation with Kenny Neal
Acclaimed blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Kenny Neal has just released Straight from the Heart, his first release since moving to Ruf Records. The Blues Music Award winner (2019’s Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year) recorded the album in Baton Rouge with a band that includes family members Darnell Neal on bass and vocalist