D.C. Bellamy - Water To Wine (2000), Give Some Body To Somebody (2006)

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Kansas City, here I've come !

I suppose we could say that D.C. Bellamy plays Chicago blues, but in this case it is a very personal kind of Chicago blues made in… Kansas City. What strikes immediately in his style is a special underlying sound, different, hardly heard before, mixing heartfelt vocals, appealing guitar tone, prominent organ (at least on the first album), and grooving self-written repertoire.

Gregory "D.C." Bellamy, born in 1949 in Chicago and grown up on the West Side, is a younger half-brother of the late Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999). Of his different influences, Rhythm'n'Blues had the greatest impact on his style.

Curtis Mayfield

For a decade he accompanied singer Betty Everett (1939-2001) on her tours around the world, and when at home, he did sessions for musicians like Donny Hathaway, Gene Chandler or Brook Benton.

Betty Everett

He also got close to the influential Jimmy Reed (1925-1976) who opened his mind to the endless possibilities of songwriting and guitar-playing.

For eight years Bellamy's band took over from Bobby Rush as the house-band at the Chicago “Beale Street” club where he played next to an array of renowned bluesmen from or passing through Chicago.

In 2000, Bellamy moved to Kansas City where he had got a residency at the late Club Paradox, and entered the Blue Heaven Studios in Salina (Kansas) to record his first album, “Water to Wine”. He could at last prove his talent as an inspired songwriter and seducing guitarist.

Water to wine
On this debut album, Bellamy is backed by the “America's Most Wanted” band, an appealing group featuring Dan "Juice" Hettinger (harmonica), Harrison Irons & Ray Hopper (keyboards), Louis Villeri & Ben Shult (bass), James "Spoon" Wilson (drums) and Jimmy D. Lane, the son of the legendary Chicago bluesman Jimmy Rogers (lead guitar on track #6).

Nine originals signed by Bellamy, and three covers : John Lee Hooker's “Dimples”, Marvin Gaye's “Hitch Hike”, Peter Chatman's “If You See Kay”. The 12 tracks are all impeccable, each with its distinct mark, and a fact revealing Bellamy's writing talent : his own titles sound better than the covers except maybe the Marvin Gaye's one.

Some numbers particularly drew my attention, like the soulful “Just Foolin' Yourself”, and “Water To Wine” with its enthralling tempo, gripping vocals, and Harrison Irons' exciting piano. “Give Me What I'm Gettin'”  has a lively beat, fine organ by Ray Hopper, and soulful vocals by Bellamy

Ben Shult's rolling bass, Dan "Juice" Hettinger's harmonica, Harrison Irons' piano and Bellamy's soulful vocals and searing guitar make “I Can't Leave You Alone” a great track too.

But the strongest title of the album in my opinion is undoubtedly “I Ain't Gettin' What I Used To Get” : stirring rhythm, inspired vocal style, catchy chorus, and on guitar, Jimmy D. Lane.

An impressive debut from a really attractive bluesman.

Give Some Body To Somebody
On this second opus, Bellamy leaves the lead guitar in the hands of the appealing Walker Tippit on four tracks. Bart Colliver is on the organ, and Jeff Jones, on piano. Ralph Ybarra plays the bass, and behind the drums set is Big Woody Davis. The backing band is completed by harmonicist John Paul Drum, and not “John Paul : Drum, Harmonica”, as written on most of the specialized sites that all copy each other, as we all know, for the better and often the worse like here !

Nine Bellamy originals, and five covers : heartfelt versions of Lowell Fulson's “Room With a View” and Frank Ace's “Bury the Bone”, gripping cover of Bobby Charles' “Why Are People Like That...”, of the excellent “There's a Rat Loose In My House” from Southern soul musician Billy Ray Charles, and of JB Lenoir's “How Much More”.

Like on the previous album, all the tracks are pretty enjoyable. Globally, Bellamy's vocals sound more intense and passionate, and the band, more earthly though less diverse rhythmically than on the first album.

Again some titles stand out : after the excellent “I Don't Care About That”, “Give Some Body to Somebody” ― intro by Drum's harmonica, soulful vocals, big organ, high tone guitar ―, is a powerful track. “One's the Woman, One's the Wife” or “What I Caught Him Doin'” follow in the same vein.

“Started Me to Drinkin'” has a barrel-house fast rocking beat while the pounding “Monkey See, Monkey Do” features appealing guitar from Tippit (let's tip him for that !).

As already mentioned, “There's a Rat Loose In My House” is probably the most thrilling moment of the album, an impressive example of Chicago blues of the best kind.

Two very inspiring albums mostly written by a blues musician certainly unjustly underestimated. ■

The albums (audio)
► “Water To Wine” (single file) : https://youtu.be/dW6CAFDDnns
► “Give Some Body to Somebody” (playlist) : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nQX7c_n6udYasqBO2i-wCdejCSYene4mc

With fellow guitarist Will Crosby (right)

Videos
Unfortunately, there's very few videos of Bellamy on YT, and most of them are shot by amateurs and not at the top as far as quality is concerned…
► Lee's Summit, MO, 2007 : https://youtu.be/EnL5oXkTxIM
► With Mauro Serri, Le Méridien hotel, Paris (France), 2008 : https://youtu.be/p-hM_ENcCXM
► Talking about the Club Paradox juke joint in Kansas City, where Bellamy used to play regularly, with Glenn Patrik & drummer James "Spoon" Wilson, 2010 : https://youtu.be/cHvTp4xV2bg
► "A Rat In My House" with guitarist Kenny Brunner, The RearView, St. Joseph, MO, 2011 : https://youtu.be/v_k90xrWxyo
► Australian tour Vlog, 2015 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/7NqL9zleCZY
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/WvCyvE9rD8Q
→ #3 : https://youtu.be/c7JHLMqOQhA
→ #4 : https://youtu.be/KtsECKNIVFc
► Kansas City Street Blues Festival :
→ 2016 : https://youtu.be/mV9ejLnhTVI
→ 2018 : https://youtu.be/LE0L0nrZcsE and… upside down ! : https://youtu.be/V2aXowmbMOI
► With guitarist Josh Vowell, 2022 :
→ https://youtu.be/z5rebppA6Yg
→ https://youtu.be/f3uljKHYBUk