Phil Alvin - Un “Sung Stories” (1986) / County Fair 2000 (1994)

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Searching for the roots
Blasters' co-leader solo adventures are musically exhilarating, vocally unique and full of exulting humor. Be it with jazz or brass bands (The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Sun Ra's Arkestra, The Faultline Syncopators), accompanied by his Blasters, or by a tasty choice of guests (Billy Boy Arnold, James Intveld, Jerome Bowman, Mary Franklin, Top Jimmy, Fayard Nicholas, Eddie Baytos, Ike "Diz" Williams, Jerry Angel…), or alone on guitar, Phil Alvin's journey through the roots American music is absolutely rejoicing.

Phil musical career started in his native California in 1979 when he and younger brother Dave formed the cult roots rock revival band The Blasters. Although receiving largely positive reviews and developing a devoted fan base, mainstream commercial success didn't follow. When Dave left in 1985, Alvin returned to California State University to complete a master's degree in mathematics and artificial intelligence (he would have got a Ph.D. later) while working on his first solo project, “Un 'Sung Stories'”, which was released the following year (1986). Meanwhile he had reformed the Blasters without Dave and through various line-ups in time. A second solo album, “County Fair 2000”, appeared in 1994, featuring, among others, the “new” Blasters and members of his side project, The Faultline Syncopators.

Otis Grand-Anson Funderburgh-Debbie Davies - Grand Union (1998)

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Guitar XXXL
Three XL guitar slingers together in a studio do not necessarily deliver a XXXL album. At least for non guitar-junkies. For guitar addicts, “Grand Union” is probably an album to have in their records collection.

Fortunately for the first ones, the one-time trio had the good taste not to record pure instrumentals and to call in three good vocalists, Sugar Ray Norcia on six tracks (also on harmonica on two of the six), Brother Roy Oakley on two, and drummer Tony Coleman on two also, as well as some fine musicians like Ike Turner on piano for a couple of titles, or sax phenom Gordon Beadle on three numbers. Plus no less than two horn sections : the Buzz Horns and the Bee Horns.

Sax Gordon - You Knock Me Out (2000) / Live At The Sax Blast (2002, rel. 2004)

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Honkin' fever

This guy, that I've re-baptized “Honkin' Sax Gordon”, puts in studio the same passion and energy he gives in his live performances. His second album is rightly titled : he really knocks you out with his explosive mix of bebop jazz, R'n'B, jump and blues, accompanied by an exciting bunch of jumpers like Marty Ballou (bass), Marty Richards (drums), Matt McCabe (piano), Tom West (organ on three titles) and the ever excellent Duke Robillard (guitar).

It all starts at 90 mph with a track announcing what's awaiting you on the twelve muscular or cooler following numbers. His tenor sax is switching from screaming to warm bluesy jazz tenderness as the tracks unwind and you're getting feverish after a few songs.

Eric Clapton - Pilgrim (1998, 2014 reissue)

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In Clapton's eyes

At the time of its release 25 years ago “Pilgrim” was harshly treated by many rock critics who didn't understand they were listening to one of his best works ever. Full of sonic innovations Clapton didn't get us used to yet, the result of a thorough conception and production, certainly hours of studio work with an impressive list of musicians and programmers, it's also his most dark and desperate introspective opus where he probably unveiled his torments like never before but transcended them into a masterpiece that catches you right by the guts.

I remember secretly copying “My Father's Eyes”, the opening song, on my daughter's Walkman as a little message of love when she was still a teenager more into the Spice Girls and other such pop stuff. She fell in love with it and soon asked me for the whole album ! Since then, this particular song has been our little secret bond. Today she's playing guitar and writing her own songs. I dare believe that's something I transmitted to her with the help of Clapton...

Creedence Clearwater Revival - 1969 Live At Woodstock (2019, Remastered) / 1970 The Concert (2009, 40th Anniversary Remastered Ed.) + 1969 Willy And The Poor Boys (2008, 40th Anniversary Expanded Ed.)

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Rockin'  the bayou

The best word to describe CCR is probably “simplicity”. But simple in no way means primary or awkward. From the beginning their music was simple compared to the “acid rock” of some psychedelic bands at the same period often tortuously artificial, due to their strong attraction to artificial paradises precisely. Their songs were generally short and extremely punchy, naturally rooted in vintage blues, rock'n'roll and R'n'B, but revisited in the unique CCR way by leader John Fogerty. “Kick-ass” rock'n'roll, as Peter Fonda once described it when introducing the band at a Vietnam tribute concert.

Steve James – Live, Vol. I, Austin TX & Berkeley CA (2016) - Blues And Folk Songs, Vol. 1 (2018)

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Departure of an acoustic roots blues goldsmith

Last January 6th was a sad day for acoustic roots blues lovers. That day guitar virtuoso Steven James Wright, better known as Steve James, put his instrument down, definitely, struck down by a lightning brain tumor. A great loss for blues. He was picking flat-top guitar or sliding on steel resonator guitar (aka dobro), mandolin and banjo, and singing with a powerful but at the same time fragile voice.

Born in New York City in 1950, he first discovered blues listening to his father's old 78-rpm discs from Leadbelly, Josh White or Meade "Lux" Lewis. Later, in Tennessee, he met and learned from great finger picking guitarist Sam McGee (1894-1975) and B.B. King's supposed cousin Furry Lewis (1893 or 1899-1981).

Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias - I'm Back At Carnival Time! (1990) / 1313 Hoodoo Street (1996)

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Wild Injuns down in New Orleans (*)

The only words I know to describe such type of music are “New Orleans”. New Orleans and her Mardi-Gras and Carnival, New Orleans and her old dixie jazz, New Orleans and her jazz funerals and second line parades, New Orleans and her tribal rhythms, New Orleans and her swamp blues and bayou R'n'B, New Orleans and her Zydeco and Cajun music, New Orleans and her French creole culture, New Orleans the unique, New Orleans the Big Easy where music is a way of life, New Orleans the Big Funky, New Orleans the only city that could beget Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias !

Some characteristics make the Mardi-Gras Indians of New Orleans quite unique : strong Afro-Caribbean musical roots immediately identifiable in their rhythmic patterns (bass drum, congas, cowbell, tambourine…); incorporation of brass jazz; traditional lyrics in Creole French patois; constant call-response between the lead singer and the background vocalists; and last but not least sumptuous costumes as colorful as a party of tropical birds in the jungle.

Kirk Fletcher - I'm Here and I'm Gone (1999/2009)

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Here and not gone

For a debut album it's a hell of a great album ! It's titled “I'm Here And I'm Gone” but the 24 years old Southern California native Kirk Fletcher is never gone since, active and acclaimed ! An exceptional guitar player and thrilling vocalist, Fletcher was lucky to find a talented producer, the excellent Jimmy Morello, who wrote more than half the songs and brought with him some of his pals : guitarist Alex Schultz, bassist Rick Reed, drummer Paul Fasulo, and John Marx, here on vocals.

Fletcher belongs to this new generation of bluesmen who do not limit themselves to one blues style but explore most of them and blend them together to forge their own personal signature. Fletcher debut album mixes jump, swing, boogie, Texas style, Chicago or Memphis sounds, infusing a rock'n'roll energy in many of the songs, and delivering long soulful guitar solos. The only kind of blues absent from the album is acoustic roots blues.

I wish you
a Happy New Year and
a year 2023 full of love and...
blues 😉