Details

Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Published: January 14, 2017

Records should be made and released just when it feels right for artists, not because they "need" to be done for contractual purposes. That is exactly the attitude and the philosophy of Chicago-born Guitar Master Ronnie Baker Brooks, who did not release a new record for almost a decade, since his 2006 album The Torch.

Throughout the last 10 years, touring and collaborating with fellow music artists and family life have been the main focus for Baker Brooks. Still, this phenomenal guitarist and singer/songwriter had, on the back of his mind, the will to release new material and perhaps, it was just a matter of having the right things happening at the right time.

A new record contract with Mascot/Provogue and working with one of the most talented producers worldwide, Steve Jordan, were exactly what Baker Brooks needed to push himself to get back to the studio and working on a new album.

Recorded in Memphis and Nashville, Times Have Changed, Ronnie Baker Brook's new album, shows an artist in fabulous form, combining original material that he had written through the last ten years with some excellent covers of artists like Joe Tex, Curtis Mayfield, Robert Cray and Alvin Cash, amongst others.

Baker Brooks, for his comeback to the music scene, has certainly taken full advantage of the recording locations by calling some of his closest friends in the music business to help him delivering one of the most compelling albums of his career. The list of artists collaborating with Baker Brooks on this album is as impressive as the quality of his new record: Angie Stone, Steve Cropper, Baker Brook's father Lonnie, Eddie Willis, Todd Mohr, the late great Bobby "Blue" Bland, Felix Cavaliere, rapper Al Kapone and Lee Roy Parnell they all came to add their artistic skills on a very inspired record.

Every song on the album tells a different story with such pathos and intensity and it doesn't matter whether the story has been written by Baker Brooks himself or by other artists. Where the Guitar Maestro does not sing and leaves instead one of his fellow artists to do so, it's his guitar that does the talk on his behalf, exceptionally well.

Times Have Changed is an incredible time capsule. There are the soul vibes of the Stax and Motown period, touches of funk and R&B sounds coming from Paisley Park in Minneapolis, urban hip-hop and fragments of Chicago Blues, all hidden in Baker Brook's contemporary vision of musical globalization.

It's frankly difficult to frame one or two songs out of such a splendid musical kaleidoscope. The album's title-track is one of the best songs Baker Brooks has ever written. His idea of creating a melting pot of hip-hop and blues, something that this artist has already successfully achieved on previous records, it reaches another level on this tune, thanks also to a very inspired songwriting.

Robert Cray and Eric Clapon's version of Old Love, performed by Baker Brooks with Bobby "Blue" Bland prior to the music veteran's passing, is an authentic jewel and it's truly emotional to get to hear again Bland's dazzling voice combined with Baker Brook's heart-warming guitar sound.

Perhaps one of the most surprising tunes to be found on Times Have Changed is Joe Tex's cover of Give The Baby Anything The Baby Wants. Enriched by the splendid support given by "Big Head" Todd Mohr on vocals and guitar and the great Eddie "Chank" Willis on guitar, the tune epitomises perfectly what Ronnie Barker Brook's music vision is all about. The work of a very talented music artist expressing a modern sound that embraces blues, soul, R&B of the past and present in a metaphorical sonic bridge.

Times Have Changed is Ronnie Baker Brook's ultimate musical statement on his artistry and his talent, not just as a guitarist but also as a songwriter. It is a record that manages so cleverly to carry the traditions of many different genres and transforming them in an unique, fresh and contemporary combo, still respecting though the genre's roots.

A very warm "Welcome Back" to a sumptuous, forward-thinking artist. Paraphrasing Baker Brook's album title, Times might Have Changed, but his class is still strongly there.

Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Times Have Changed will be released worldwide on 20th January 2017 and can be ordered via  Mascot Label Group/Provogue

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"

Details

Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Published: January 09, 2017

Curious how sometimes, in the music industry, remarkable material comes to the surface just after an artist's passing. Jeff Healey's Heal My Soul had been already one of the biggest and most welcomed surprises of a tumultous year for music like 2016, therefore, the announcement of a further release, Holding On: A Heal My Soul Companion brought an even bigger smile on the faces of not only those that loved Jeff Healey's artistry but to everyone that loves music of the finest quality unconditionally. Because this is indeed a very fine record.

Where Heal My Soul had finally brought to the light of the day some original, undiscovered (until now) gems written and played by the Canadian Guitar Virtuoso, Holding On.. shows instead different sides of Healey's enormous talent, as a songwriter and as a live performer. While the 5 Heal My Soul studio outtakes opening the album are an ulterior statement of Healey's artistry, the live performance recorded in Oslo in 1999 is the undisputed centrepiece of the whole record.

Between the outtakes included in Holding On.. Love Takes Time and Dancing With The Monsters shine in all their beauty and intensity certainly more than the others. Love Takes Time sees Healey pushing heavily on the rock pedal, though still maintaining a great balance between melody, quality of lyrics and the magic of his guitar sound, a sound that is strong and passionate exactly like the Canadian artist's personality. Dancing With The Monsters, although maintaining a solid rock vibe, it's more rootsy and allows Healey not just to display once again his unmistakable class as a guitarist but also his incredible voice, something that, in Yours Truly's opinion, has never been underlined and appreciated enough by the media throughout Healey's career.

Roger Costa, Healey's official archivist, has done once again a stellar job in bringing back to the surface some of the most glorious moments of the Canadian artist's career. The live performance present on Holding On... is a true masterclass in music. Healey does not just sound as powerful and inspired as he has ever been, in this recording, but also very happy, relaxed and amiable as ever.

To be able to select few tracks out of this memorable live performance is a titanic task. Healey always played anything that he wanted in his live concerts and this one is no exception. His cover versions of Robert Johnson's Dust My Broom, The Beatle's Yer Blues or How Blue Can You Get, a song that became one of BB King's signature pieces at his concerts, are truly outstanding. Even when Healey indulges himself by covering Stealers Wheel's classic Stuck In The Middle With You and The Champ's Tequila, he never loses track of his craftmanship and his ability as a guitarist and as a singer.

The temperature of the live performance, though, raises two notches when Healey is playing his own material. The semi-acoustic delivery of Macon Georgia Blue is so superbly crafted that the whole song feels like a blast of fresh air in the hottest night. Undoubtedly, one of the highest moments in Healey's career as a lyricist and as a performer.

The live version of Holding On, at the time of this recording still unreleased, encapsules perfectly the whole essence of Healey's creativity. There is wilderness, style, soul, once again excellent songwriting and bags of talent on guitar. Healey, vocally, has never sounded live on stage any better than this. The closing See The Light, one of Healey's biggest hits in his incredible career, feels a bit like a messianic ritual for all of Healey's fans. The Canadian artist is literally unstoppable. The power of his guitar sound resonates in the Norwegian skies like a rocket flying at the speed of light, the right conclusion to an utterly superb concert.

Holding On: A Heal My Soul Companion is a record that make us all miss even more the class and the talent of a true musical genius like Jeff Healey, taken away from life far too soon. His attitude, his personality, his versatility as an artist still speak to the hearts and souls of thousands of people now as much as when Healey was still with us. Human gifts that even death cannot take away from us all.

Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Holding On: A Heal My Soul Companion is out now and can be ordered via Mascot Label Group

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"

Details

Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Published: December 19, 2016

It's hard to believe that 2017 will mark 20 years of Mike Zito into the music business. His 1997 debut album Blue Room seems such a distant memory, still, that was an album that sounded so fresh back then as it does now.

Perhaps there are no real secrets about the power of longevity of any of Mike Zito's albums, because every body of work that he produces it comes from the heart and soul of an intelligent, articulated and, most importantly, incredibly talented artist.

These last 5 years have seen Zito reaching a success after another. His 2013's highly acclaimed album Gone To Texas saw him soaring high again in the blues charts worldwide, then came that very inspired and successful music project called Royal Southern Brotherhood until 2015, when the American Blues Hero decided to leave the Brotherhood and dedicate himself to write one of the most poignant and personal album of his music career called Keep Coming Back.

In a spectacular year of blues music releases as 2016 has been, Zito couldn't miss the opportunity to make another of his unique musical statements by releasing his brand new album called Make Blues Not War. This is a record that sees an artist so much at ease with himself and his music that the whole music offers that comes through Mike Zito's new album take a full advantage of the artist's current state of mind, giving to the record a phenomenal leap forward.

Through Make Blues Not War,  the American Guitar Maestro takes the listeners to a complete musical journey through all the places where he lived, the music he grew up with and his all-time Music Heroes. His lyrics are sharp and muscular, exactly as it is his guitar and they are a true reflection of the positive moment of the life and career Zito is living right now.

Recorded completely live in Nashville, in true Zito's style, with producer, co-writer and also drummer on the record Tom Hambridge, Make Blues Not War draws a complete circle of Zito's artistry. There is the blues, there's the rock, the boogie, even touches of soul on this sparkling and beautifully constructed record.

Highway Mama, the album's opener, is a clear homage to Freddie King's style with echoes of 70's rock of the early Zeppelin. Zito is absolutely devastating on guitar and so is one of his old fellow music friends and role models Walter Trout, special guest on this song that feels like a runaway train of blues/rock of the finest level.

Make Blues Not War, as previously mentioned, is a statement in music of everything that inspired and still inspire Mike Zito's artistry. There are traces of Stevie Ray Vaughan in Redbird, one of the most fascinating and inspired songs of the whole album. Zito and his thunderous Rhythm Section made by Hambridge on drums and Tommy MacDonald on bass offer a touch of their musical chemistry and extravaganza by totally improvising the closing part of the tune on the spot and lifting the whole tune by an extra notch through the last 90 seconds of the song.

Another fine moment of this really majestic album comes from the record's title-track Make Blues Not War. Zito's heart beats at the same rhythm of this tune, a tune that brings fond memories of the late great Muddy Waters. Having said that, though, the mood, the energy of the tune, umistakebly, musically and lyrically, is all about Zito.

The Guitarist and Singer/Songwriter does not just fully respect his music heroes but also the places in America that so much influenced his eclectic background. There are clear Chicago Blues vibes on tracks like Wasted Time and Chip Off The Block, (the latter seeing also the music debut of Zito's son Zach on guitar), or the raucous boogie sounds of cities like St. Louis (One More Train) and New Orleans (Route 90).

There are two songs of the album deserving a special mention, only because they portray beautifully Zito's scintillating music form and deep understanding of the blues at 360 degrees. Girl Back Home is vintage Zito, through a phenomenal performance on slide guitar on this Americana style tune while Road Dog, a highly emotive blues ballad, sees once again Zito's unique capacity to tell tales of the hard life on the road in a way that very few artist of the current blues generation are able to do.

Make Blues Not War is an album that, despite being recorded with Zito's traditional immediacy, it's executed with high brilliancy by every musician present on the album. Together with Hambridge and MacDonald, Kevin Mckendree on piano, wurlitzer and clavinet does a stellar job throughout the whole album and also Jason Ricci, another special guest of the album, provides a very fine musical support on harmonica on a couple of the songs of the album.

Last but not least, there is Mike Zito's voice. A voice that can be sometimes passionate, hard, raucous but it can also become warm, softer, more gentle, still carrying all the values and cores of a true bluesman through and through like Zito is.

"I am a Road Dog, All I ever do is live", is what Zito sings in one of the finest moments of an excellent record as the new Make Blues Not War is. A record that gives us music lovers the work of an artist at the top of his game and one of Zito's finest hours of his whole career.

Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Make Blues Not War is out now and it is available via Ruf Records

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"

Details

Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Published: December 15, 2016

Many have tried, through the years, to give a real definition of what "Living The Blues" really means. Often, many fans or even music press have labelled the genre as one expressing sadness, loneliness, living tough times or going through rough patches in everyday's life.

The English Blues Maestro Eddie Martin has got a much more lucid and wider vision of what Blues and being a Bluesman is all about. His brand new album, called Black, White and Blue is a clear statement of how much, in Martin's eyes, the genre has been, and still is, the motherload for Black Music, Rock &Roll, Jazz, you name it.

Black, White and Blue is an entertaining, exciting, vibrant and irresistible record for many reasons. The album showcases an artist at the highest level of his musical ability in each of the 10 songs present on the record, no matter whether it's through Martin's harmonica, his Telecaster Custom or even his Slide Guitar.

Eddie Martin's songwriting is sharp, ironic at times, even mellow on a couple of songs but it's strong and written with intelligence and wittiness at the same time. Moreover, his storytelling is definitely miles away from the common stereotypes that expect Blues stories to be linked uniquely to sad aspects of human lives in various forms.

The one-two that open Black, White And Blue is pure dynamite. Mississippi Sound has got that unstoppable foot-stomping tempo typical of the great John Lee Hooker's style but executed by Martin and his Power Trio spectacularly well, with Martin's slide guitar sounding like heaven. Same goes for Angry, a tune with a strong rock influence, with Martin's lyrics as cut-throat (..politicians don't stand for what it's right...) as it is his thunderous Stratocaster guitar sound. A true highlight of the album.

The choice of the album title has not been casual for the English artist's new album. Black, White And Blue are the three colours through which Martin sees the way the Blues has confluenced itself into other music genres through the years and the record's title-track, through its clever pastiche of blues, rock and hillibilly, is the best way to sonically illustrate Martin's musical views.

One of the many aspects of Martin's talent is not just linked to his extraordinary ability as a musician but also to the maturity he has reached as a songwriter. Black, White And Blue is an album that sees an artist and a man sometimes struggling to understand the illogicality of politic or religion, as he so well does in the powerful closing tune of the album, It All Depends but also able to talk about love, as in the case of the splendid, soulful ballad I Choose You.

There are a couple of moments of the album which show a further and more funny angle of Eddie Martin as everyday life's perfect raconteur. Too Much Choice reflects on the irony of a modern society that offers media platforms to many and meaningless music genres, except the blues. It's a truly excellent tune, with a great funky feeling coming from a fabulous Rhythm Section made by Tom Gilkes on drums and Zak Ranyard on bass, a Section that sparks like a diamond, musically speaking, not just on this tune but throughout the whole album.

I've Lost My Phone is a sublime concentrate of swing, jazz and, most of all, the great intelligence of an artist that knows exactly when to take himself less seriously. The tune is about losing a mobile phone which means, in nowaday's lifestyle, the end of the world for many individuals. Where Martin's tone can be ironic in his lyrics, the musical structure of the whole track is first class.

Despite the variety of themes present on the album, there is a definite unity on Black, White And Blue. The Blues is the element that brings all together and the way that Martin balances all the different music tempos, moods and styles, is the work of a very inspired artist.

Eddie Martin is and has been an English National Treasure and Blues/Rock Institution for the last quarter of a century. Through this new record, the 10th studio album of his glorious career so far, Martin definitely chisels his ultimate musical masterpiece to date. Black, White And Blue is his First Class ticket for Blues Worldwide Excellence.

Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Black, White And Blue is out now and can be purchased via Eddie Martin's Official Website or via Amazon

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"

Details

Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Published: November 30, 2016

The British Blues, R&B and Soul band Nine Below Zero is one of those very rare group of musicians able to travel through the music decades thanks to their unique music combo, without feeling the weight of changing times and fashions.

Formed in 1979, the collective created by two of the finest British musicians, Dennis Greaves on guitars and vocals and Mark Feltham on harp and vocals, saw the peak of their media popularity through the iconic 80's BBC TV Serie called The Young Ones, in which the band was regularly featured. The band built through the years, thanks also to the addition to the original line-up of the band of Mickey Burkey on percussion and Bryan Bethell on bass (plus touring bassist Ben Willis), a serie of remarkable commercial successes, from the epic 1980's Live At The Marquee's album until the more recent 2014's re-release of one of their most successful records, Third Degree.

Throughout the 35-plus years of Nine Below Zero's existence, many of the original band members left and then re-joined the collective from time to time. It took, though, the suggestion of one of Greaves & Co.'s good friends and Universal's catalogue man, Johnny Chandler to the band on making an album that would pay tribute to Blues and R&B, to generate new enthusiasm within the band and make possible that this eclectic group of musicians would enter the studio once again with their original line-up. It didn't take long for Nine Below Zero to think about paying tribute, through this new record, to their most favourite artists by playing their own personal cover versions of some of such artist's classics and hidden gems of their repertoires.

What came out of the band’s musical top hat is truly excellent. 13 Shades Of Blue, Nine Below Zero's new album, is a remarkable homage not just to the genres previously mentioned but also to the work of pioneers of genres like Funk and Cajun of the 50's and 60's.

For this exciting project, Nine Below Zero decided to call a generous number of fellow musicians to help them cutting the record in the studio, with a full array of instruments including a Horn section, violin, accordion, backing vocals and even an ukulele.

The sound of the British collective on this album is as sharp, powerful and cohesive as it has never been before, a clear sign of artistic maturity and high level of craftsmanship. Senior’s Soul classic  Don't Lay Your Funky Trip On Me is the perfect opening statement of the album, a tune that enhances the rich sounds and powerful vibes coming from the English collective’s great artistry.

Dennis Greaves is a truly fine guitarist, as repeatedly demonstrated through the whole band’s career and this new album is no exception. Little Milton’s That’s What Love Will Make You Do and B.B. King’s You’re Still My Woman display Greave’s ability in full swing, through two memorable guitar solos. As an added bonus to the record, his vocals too get better and better too, as the years go by.

Mark Feltham is an authentic Harp Virtuoso that has reached numerous by the worldwide music press and fellow musicians in his career, thanks to his great talent and his artistic background showcased through the last 4 decades of music, not just with Nine Below Zero but also by collaborating with artists such as Terrorvision, Dido, Oasis, Talk Talk, Joe Cocker and Roger Daltrey, just to mention few of the great acts Feltham has been working with in his career. His harmonica sound may fly like the speed of light in John Mayall’s classic Crawling Up A Hill or provide the ideal sonic carpet with his playing style for the whole band in It’s Your Voodoo Working.

As much as Greaves and Feltham’s artistry fully deserve to be underlined, it’s also true that those 13 tracks couldn’t sound as effective and well executed as they are without the support of the splendid group of musicians present on the album. Charlie Austen on vocals gives great justice to Aretha Franklin’s Don’t Play That Song and Stephen Large on Piano does a very fine job too, on the same tune.

Bryan Bethell and Ben Wallis on bass are the engine of a spotless rhythm section of a band that emanates energy and class throughout the whole album. When it comes the time to close an album in style, Nine Below Zero never fail to deliver the task. Allen Touissant's Hercules perhaps doesn't pack the same punch on the vocals as much as previous versions of this track as other artists have made, like Boz Scaggs or Aaron Neville, for example. Still, the band plays at their finest, with the Horn section of Chris Rand, Adam Davey, Tom Waters and Jazzy Jeffery Brown shining through the whole song with a masterful performance.

The closing track is pure loudness and fun, in true Nine Below Zero style.  Boozoo Chavis's Paper In My Shoe is finely executed by a band, once again, in splendid form, with Greaves launching himself even in singing few lines of the tune in French language, adding a sprinkle of extra fun to the collective's sound.  

13 Shades Of Blue is a record that shows a band expressing class, energy, creativity and respect for their music heroes without taking any heavy license at all off the original versions. Still, the vibes that Nine Below Zero exude are perfectly recognisable, thanks to a trademark sound that has accompained the band for their entire career. A career that just gets better and better with each passing record.

Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

13 Shades Of Blue is out now and it is available via Nine Below Zero's Official Website

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"

Details

Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Published: November 20, 2016

For years, there has been an unjustified rumour in the music business about how much blues artists are capable to play their instruments to perfection but constantly struggling to write great lyrics for their records.

Fortunately, as time goes by, more and more artists show every time, through their hard work and talent how untrue this is, by crafting marvellous albums full of catchy tunes, excellent songwriting and superb musicianship.

The second album of the John Weeks Band from Denver, Colorado called Dark Angel, is the full proof of how a group of skilled musicians can produce, by combining all together their many abilities, all the ingredients needed to create a record with great depth of quality as Dark Angel.

John Weeks, guitarist, vocalist and chief songwriter of the band has been and still is one of the most respected blues musicians of the United States for the last couple of decades. Through the years, he has learned very well how to bring the blues to a new level, by adding elements of swing, jazz and even particles of 70's rock in the already rich and sumptuous sound produced by Weeks and his band.

It's a record where every musician, within the band, has the space to shine and let it loose when the tune allows it, without overshadowing his fellow musicians but just enriching the band's sound even more through their individual skills.

Dark Angel is a finely played album, full of groove and some swagger too. Weeks has got the luxury to have many songwriters in his band, to help him out building a highly entertaining record like this.

Danny Haynes on keyboards and vocals is a true revelation. His songwriting is inspired, his vocals crisp and his work on keyboards an authentic joy to listen to. Stacey Turpenoff helps out as well on the songwriting but when it comes to singing, she is certainly The Lady in the John Weeks Band's house. Her vocal deliveries are terrific and Turpenoff is able to deliver either joy and playfulness, like in the song Devil In My House or intense, deep emotions, like in that splendid ballad that is The Blues Just Got More Blue, thanks to her soulful, powerful voice .

The new John Weeks Band's album delivers many wonderful musical moments. Impossible is a delicate semi-acoustic tune, perfectly executed by a band in stratospheric form. A separate mention deserves How Can You Love Me?, a slow tempo blues tune that exemplify the most the fluidity of sound of this tried-and-true music machine. Stephen Whitfield on bass and Robert Fiorino on drums work in perfect synchronicity with one another. Week's guitar solo on this tune is absolutely outstanding. Danny Hayne's work on piano is, again, top notch and Stacey Turpenoff's singing style is smooth like the sweetest of caresses.

Dark Angel is an excellent record and musically, a vast step forward in comparison to the band's debut album. The John Weeks Band shows all the positive signs of a band destined to a great future in the music business.

Giovanni "Gio" Pilato

Dark Angel is out now and it is available via John Weeks Band Official Website

"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"