LIVE AT ROSA’S LOUNGE Stefan Hillesheim Band (Stella Blue Music) ****
Some sweet live blues here from a German transplant that calls Los Angeles home. Live At Rosa’s Lounge was recorded at the famed Chicago club, is smartly recorded and well played, sharp musicianship meets satisfying songwriting. Yep… this is extremely diggable.
Hillesheim moved to LA at the age of 27 to attend Musicians Institute where he was awarded “Most Improved Student Of The Year” in 2015. He’s a fine rhythm guitarist and an in-demand session player- one listen to Live At Rosa’s Lounge will make ‘why’ readily apparent. His sound is smooth, jazzy, lyrical and easily identifiable, not unlike George Benson and, like the other members of the band, his guitar and vocals serve the songs without grandstanding. Those members are, by the way, Dionte McMusick on drums, Darryl Wright on bass and Sumito Atiyoshi on keys. As Blues Blast Magazine has noted “if this guy doesn’t receive greater recognition there is definitely something wrong in the cosmos.”
Live At Rosa’s Lounge was produced, mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Pete Galanis, and based on the sound of this disc I wouldn’t be surprised to see his name pop up in more album credits off of this. This is the blues with pop song craft, not just the usual 12 bar stuff- not that there’s anything wrong with that. Stefan’s influences include Albert King, Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James, whose influence you can hear particularly in his slide playing, and the band are superior groove merchants… this is one of those discs you can listen to all day.
Hillesheim has worked with a wide range of artists, not just blues guys, and you can feel that in the breadth of songs here. Live At Rosa’s Lounge is a fine piece of work.
HOT TRACKS: Seduced By The Blues, Harlem Avenue Lounge, Sins Of The Father
BLUESIN’ IT UP Otilia Donaire (independent) **** ½
Blues with sassiness and grit on top of dynamite playing is what this San Francisco native has in store for you. Bluesin’ It Up presents one of the most talented and female voices in the blues you’ll ever hear, combining newer material with stuff from her previous EP The Queen Bee. One of Otilia’s biggest influences as a singer is Chicago blues queen Koko Taylor, and while similarities might not readily come to mind they are a match in the passion department. She’s one of the genres finest singers male or female this chick can really wail, not unlike Lee Aaron.
This album ruins the gamut of blues emotion, from upbeat shuffles to some funky rhythms to heart-wrenching ballads that you will feel. It features some great originals along with covers of songs by the likes of Koko Taylor (Voodoo Woman), Willie Dixon (Hoochie Coochie Woman) and JD Miller (Sugar Coated Love). There are too many people involved in the sessions to note here, all fine players, but let’s not kid ourselves… Ms. Donaire’s passion-drenched voice is really the star here. It’s smooth, soulful and enticing, not a bad way to get people’s attention.
Otilia Donaire isn’t re-inventing the wheel but on Bluesin’ It Up she and her Bay Area pals are playing righteous, funk-driven, soulful blues that will get under your skin in the most delightful way This fine album, packed with great songs, should be in your collection.
HOT TRACKS: Wrong Side Of 45, Sugar Coated Love, Meet Me In My Dreams.
CRAZY TALK Howard Gladstone (bandcamp) *** ½
Here is the 8th album from this Toronto area troubadour. Crazy Talk is gentle, unassuming company as Gladstone ambles between folk, rock, world and jazz genres. Sounding like a mix of Raffi and Jonathan Richman (the guy that keeps showing up in odd places in There’s Something About Mary), this disc is real easy on the ears.
Of his stuff The Toronto Star says “if you heard this music in a crowded room you’d swear it was a lost gem from another time”, an interesting thought and I really get where they’re coming from. With Howard’s laid back singing and ‘ordinary’ voice (not a criticism by the way), Crazy Talk has a Mark Knopfler vibe to it too, particularly Mark’s solo records like The Ragpicker’s Dream. The easygoing musicality- mainly acoustic guitar with some sax and BG vocals- is the perfect backdrop for his lyrical observation which range from tender to poignant and biting.
Gladstone’s band is really tuned in to what he’s after and the production is masterful. That group, which backs him during a monthly residency at Toronto’s Tranzac Club, includes Tony Quarrington (guitar), Laura Fenandez (vocals), Bob Cohen (bass)and Ambrose Pottie (drums), with several more of TO’s finest players joining for an album release performance Sept.25th at the Dakota Tavern. No doubt they will play much of Crazy Talk as well as selections from his other albums, and if I didn’t live all the way across the country, I’d be tempted to drop by.
Crazy Talk is one of those albums that you won’t listen to all the time; but then there’ll be times when nothing else will do.
https://howardgladstone.bandcamp.com/album/crazy-talk
HOT TRACKS: Crazy Talk, Sea Of Sorrow, Irish Rain
DO THE RUMP! JD Simo & Luther Dickinson (Forty Below Records) ****
This is the first time up for Simo & Dickinson together, and what a dirty little pleasure this is. Do The Rump! Is live in the studio, no overdubs, spontaneity captured in its purest form. Fusing the blues with Afro beats this is greasy, nasty and dirty in a way that makes Neil Young look like Steely Dan. Rump is one of those albums you’re either going to love or… not.
JD and Luther got to know each other on stage as touring members of Phil Lesh & Friends and they have their own bonafides; Luther Dickinson had already established himself as one half of the Grammy-winning duo North Mississippi All Stars as well as playing guitar for The Black Crowes and John Hiatt. JD Simo has been a session musician for Jack White, Beyonce and Chris Isaak as well as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie. Rump! was recorded at Simo’s home studio House Of Grease with a drummer named Adam _____, and the disc happened quite organically. “Adam would play something cool, and once we had that groove we’d build on top of it” JD says. “That’s how the album was made- we couldn’t have done it with anyone but Adam.”
Do The Rump! Is mostly cover songs by people like RL Burnside, JJ Cale and John Lee Hooker, but I’m willing to bet the rent you haven’t heard them quite like this/ The rough and tumble production style may put some audiophiles off but it works ridiculously well with this material. Looking for a blues adventure? Take a walk on the wild side with Do The Rump!
HOT TRACKS: Street People, Do The Rump Louise, Lonesome Road
