Australian Blues Cds, Dvds, Gigs & Books Reviews

Black and Blue

“ Stopping All Stations ”
- CD -

Distributed by Black and Blue
website: www.black-and-blue.org

Stopping All Stations is the first CD by Black and Blue.

Black and Blue is a five-piece blues outfit from Melbourne, featuring Steve Gibbs (Lead Vocals), Frank Breen (Lead Guitar), Aaron Richard (Keys), Pat Deguara (Bass and Vocals) and Kevin Starling (Drums). Yes! that is Patyoh on bass, a much appreciated regular at our weekly jam sessions.

Their style is straight ahead blues-rock, with a big Chicago influence. You can easily envisage this band pumping it out at the pub.

There's a "half and half" mixture here of original and classic songs. The classics include The Hunter, I Can tell, and Grab a Snatch and Hold It (which I recall as a "Chain" tour de force in my glory days). In fact Steve Gibbs' vocal style is very reminiscent of Matt Taylor ...I love that style. The originals sound good to and it's great to hear a band expanding the idiom.

The band take all the musical credits, with a little help from Peter Morton on Sax on So Long Ago.
Production is very good without being brilliant.

All the tracks were very enjoyable, but I particularly liked Grab a Snatch and Hold It. Four of the CD tracks are featured on the band's myspace. www.myspace.com/blackandblueaus

I would listen to this CD while travelling in the vehicle (pretty much my favourite listening venue).

Pete Cornelius
“Tumbleweed”
- CD -

Distributed by Only Blues Music
website: www.petecornelius.com

Tumbleweed is the eighth CD by Pete.

Pete Cornelius (with his sometime band the DeVilles) has been doing the rounds since 1999. He has played the big festivals, including Byron Bay's Bluesfest, the Great Southern Blues Festival, Blues on Broadbeach, Thredbo Blues Festival, the Australian Blues Festival and more. Pete is based in Tassie but regularly tours the mainland.

Lyrical roots blues is the best way of describing the style on this recording. This album features 6 original songs plus a few covers from the likes of Neil Young, Allen Toussaint and Rory Gallagher. The line-up on the CD is Henry Nichols – Drums & Percussion, Randal Muir – Hammond Organ & Piano, Kelly Ottoway – Wurlitzer & Piano, Ian Collard – Harmonica, Jane McArthur – Vocals, Carmel Claxton – Vocals and Pete Cornelius – Guitar, Bass & Vocals. The production of this CD is as clean as you can get.

I have always been a fan of Allen Toussaint and Pete's rendition of On Your Way Down is well worth a listen. If you would like a sample of Pete's music, five tracks from this CD are available on his myspace. www.myspace.com/petecorneliusandthedevilles There is also info on his Facebook site.

I would listen to this CD when I am hanging around at home...it has a mellow side to it that merits a bit of focussed listening.

Paulie Bignell
“Red Eye Flight”
- CD -

Distributed by Black Market Music
website: www.pauliebignell.com

Red Eye Flight is the first solo CD by Paulie.

Paulie is the guitar player for The Detonators, a band that will be familiar to you all as a top blues-rock-rockabilly outfit out of Melbourne, backing up Rockbottom James. Paulie has taken on the vocal responsibilities for this CD and has done well.

The style of music is mainly rockabilly (big surprise). Its high energy guitar and vocal music with a great solid rhythm section. On the cover the music is described as "Its rock and roll, its blues and its kinda country but its all done Paulie style". Of the 14 tracks Paulie has written or co-written 7. In addition there are some classics such as I'm a King Bee and Tiger by the Tail.

Paulie made the big effort with his debut album and travelled to St Louis, Missouri USA to have Preston Hubbard (ex Fabulous Thunderbirds) on bass and Joe Meyer on drums. This rhythm section is SOLID! The tracks were laid down in two days in St Louis and then mixed by Robert B Dillon, and mastered in Melbourne.

The production of this recording is excellent...the sound is great, and I loved Paulie's treatment of King Bee, its an imaginative reworking of a much played classic.

Three tracks from the CD can be sampled on Paulie's myspace. www.myspace.com/pauliebignell

I would listen to this CD in the car.

Tracey Miller
“I Can Tell”
- CD -

website: www.myspace.com/traceymillerandthesunbeams

Her strong point is her expressive blues voice

I Can Tell is the third CD by Tracey, her previous two being One More Day and I'll Get Along Somehow.

Tracey has been around the Melbourne music scene for a while now, as a vocalist and songwriter and some time guitarist. She has covered a lot of ground in her career, mainly gospel, blues and jazz.

Tracey chose Andy Baylor as producer, and between the two of them they have produced a CD with a wide range of styles. There's the soul blues of I Can Tell and I've Got a Man, the swing jazz of Lazy and the shuffle blues of You Know You Done Me Wrong. The final track is a delightful version of the Ivory Joe Hunter classic Since I Met You Baby.

As well as Andy Baylor and Sam Lemann on guitars, there's Dale Lindrea on bass, Steve Teakle on piano, and Lenny 'Sharkey' Ramos on drums. Special guests are Ken Shroeder on Saxophone & Gianni Marinucci on Flugel Horn and Trumpet

I most enjoyed Lazy and Since I Met You Baby. Tracey really shines on the understated songs. Her strong point is her expressive blues voice, and her "slice of life" song-writing. There is a lot of dynamics in her delivery, and she resists the temptation to give every song the full treatment... a sure sign of a mature vocalist.

The playing matches the vocals with each song getting a backing appropriate to its style and era.

I Can Tell is featured on Tracey's myspace site.

I would listen to this CD maybe during a quiet dinner at home.

Blues International
“Smooth and Slippery at Atlantis”
- CD -

website: www.myspace.com/bluesinternational

Blues International is a group of four blues fans playing and enjoying the blues experience. The personnel is Tommy Blank- guitars and vocals, Chris Dawes- guitars and vocals, Les Oldham -drums and vocals and John Dynan on bass.

Smooth and Slippery at Atlantis is the first CD by Blues International. It's a 'live in the studio' album showcasing the dedication of the band to early British blues particularly the work of guitar luminary Peter Green. They tackle Albatross, Oh Well and I Need Your Love So Bad all Peter Green standards.

This is not a big production CD, but the playing, particularly the guitar work, is first class. I was impressed by the dedication of Tommy Blank to the pursuit of the perfect guitar tone, there has obviously been a fair whack of wood-shedding leading up to this point.

Cal Williams Jr
“All That I Learned from the Sea”
- CD -

website: www.calwilliamsjr.com

Acoustic guitar music played by an expert.

This is Cal's third CD. I reviewed Cal's 2010 CD "Morning Star" last year, and his impressive background hasn't changed.

Cal is a singer, guitar player and song-writer from Adelaide. He is a three times winner of 'The South Australian Songwriter of the Year' and has played at the Adelaide International Guitar Festival

He cites his influences as including Ry Cooder, John Martyn, Bob Dylan and Son House.

In the previous review I said that Cal's first class guitar playing includes finger style and slide, and that his country blues guitar and vocal style is well and truly nailed. I am happy to report that Cal has maintained the high standard.

Morning Star was a very polished collection of songs in the style of Cal's influences and this CD continues the same approach. The two tracks from this CD on his myspace are Northern Line and New York Central. I particularly liked Northern line as a composition and a performance, there is a lot of skill in it.

Cal's style of music leans more towards the folk end of the blues spectrum. It could be a good addition to your CD collection.