Maria Muldaur - Meet Me Where They Play The Blues

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 130.4 MB
Released: 1999
Styles: Contemporary blues vocals
Art: Front

1. Soothe Me (4:25)
2. I Wanna Be Loved (4:18)
3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (4:28)
4. It Ain't The Meat, It's The Motion (2:58)
5. We Can Let It Happen Tonight (4:09)
6. Meet Me Where They Play The Blues (3:52)
7. It Feels Like Rain (6:55)
8. Blues So Bad (3:38)
9. Misery And The Blues (4:25)
10. He Don't Have The Blues Anymore (5:41)
11. All To Myself Alone (5:51)
12. The Promised Land (5:22)

Meet Me Where They Play the Blues captures Maria Muldaur at her sexy, sultry, sizzlin' best. Twenty-five years after she sent her camel to bed in "Midnight at the Oasis," Muldaur delivers a soulful package of late-night blues gems bolstered by a top-notch supporting cast. Originally planning to record this material with the legendary singer/pianist Charles Brown, she ended up producing a tribute when Brown became too ill to join in. He was, however, able to sing a duet with Muldaur from his nursing home on "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You," a performance that turned out to be his last. On the remaining tracks, the spirit of Brown's "cool blues" permeates the proceedings. Most of the songs are taken at slow to medium tempos, and Muldaur intimately caresses each lyric to squeeze out every drop of sensuality. The arrangements work to complement her delivery, with David Matthews' piano especially important in filling the space where Brown would have resided, and a three-piece horn section figuring prominently on several tracks. Jim Rothermel's clarinet and saxophone solos are particularly noteworthy. The opening duo of "Soothe Me" and "I Wanna Be Loved" set the tone for this disc, as Muldaur issues the irresistible invitation to "love me 'til I'm numb with ecstasy." After proclaiming "It Ain't the Meat, It's the Motion," she makes an offer that "We Can Let It Happen Tonight." She reworks John Hiatt's contemporary blues standard, "Feels Like Rain," into a completely new song; glides over a Creedence-like guitar lick on "Blues So Bad"; and leads a gospel chorus into "The Promised Land." On "All to Myself Alone," Gerry Grosz' vibes atmospherically accentuate the singer's sad tale. This is an album that transcends genre. Perhaps the theme song of Meet Me Where They Play the Blues is really "He Don't Have the Blues Anymore," for on this recording, Muldaur delivers a surefire cure for even the most intractable case of the blues. ~ Jim Newsom
Recorded at Fantasy Studios, Studio D, Berkeley, California in October 1998.
Maria Muldaur, Charles Brown (vocals);
Danny Caron, Cranston Clements, Anthony Paule (guitar);
Jim Rothermel (clarinet, alto & tenor saxophones);
Steve Campos (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn);
Kevin Porter (trombone, bass trombone, tuba);
David Mathews, Chris Burns (piano, organ);
Marty Grebb (piano);
Gerry Grosz (vibraphone);
Reggie McBride (bass);

Meet Me Where They Play The Blues

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VA - Sean Carney's Blues For A Cure: Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 3

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 75:28
Size: 174.7 MB
Released: 2011
Styles: Contemporary blues
Art: Front

1. Omar Coleman - Hold On Me (4:50)
2. Jonn Richardson - Commit A Crime (5:59)
3. Ray Fuller - Wild About You Baby (3:53)
4. Omar Coleman - You Don't Have To Go (5:19)
5. Sean Carney - Cherry Red (7:35)
6. Duke Robillard - Hold It Right There (6:10)
7. Enrico Crivellaro - Alligator Boogaloo (10:01)
8. Omar Coleman - Two Headed Woman (5:09)
9. Ray Fuller - Feelin' Evil (5:17)
10. Jonn Richardson - Changing Neighborhoods (11:20)
11. Phil Berkowitz - Junco Partner (4:57)
12. Ray Fuller & Omar Coleman - Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man (4:54)

2010 marked year four of Blues For A Cure and our first event at the historic Lincoln Theatre in downtown Columbus. To celebrate that distinction, we welcomed Blues Music Award winner Duke Robillard and his wonderful band from Rhode Island as our headliners. I first saw Duke perform in Columbus in the early '90s at The Big Bear Rhythm & Food Festival, and he quickly became one of my very favorite guitarists – I’m not the only one.
We kept our International Blues Challenge tradition going by welcoming 2005 IBC/Albert King Award winner Jonn Richardson back from Houston, Texas (Jonn’s third year of BFAC!) and expanded upon the “international” theme with a very special appearance from Italian guitarist Enrico Crivellaro. We also decided to include Central Ohio blues legend guitarist/singer Ray Fuller who has been playing the blues in Columbus for well over 30 years. Duke Robillard was incredibly gracious and generous with his time, agreeing not only to hang out all weekend and join us in this recording session, but also to host a Blues Guitar Master Class at The Jazz Academy the next night.
Of course, Blues For A Cure isn’t all about the guitar, and this year we invited two outstanding harmonica players to participate. Young Chicago bluesman Omar Coleman (thanks to Honey Bee Records) has been a part of BFAC since the very beginning, and he’s not missed one yet. Although, this is the first time his schedule has permitted him to record with us. San Francisco based Phil Berkowitz also joined us with his swinging brand of harp work. Hammond B-3 organ boss Jon Eshelman performed with us for the first time, along with veteran drummers Louis Tsamous and Jan Roll. The bassists on this recording are The Sean Carney Band’s Steve Perakis and my dad, Larry Carney.
Our first two Blues Cures recording sessions took place at Central City Recording Studio in Columbus, but due to relocating the studio, we opted for Tony’s Treasures Recording Studio in Cadiz, Ohio. Mark and Cody have done an incredible job with Tony’s Treasures. The studio proved a relaxed and warm atmosphere, following the snowy drive from Columbus that nearly had us pulling the plug!
We went with a guitar “tag team” approach on most of the tunes, pairing guitarists in some masterful combinations on an incredibly varied set of material that ranges from lowdown to uptown and touches all of the bases between. With an abundance of vocalists on hand, this recording offers even more variation, allowing every one of our singers to take the microphone for at least one song, at times taking on a Johnny Otis style revue feeling that truly offers something for everyone.
I started writing these notes with the intention of highlighting a few inspirational moments, but was left with the conclusion that each and every track is magical in its own way. There were just too many moments to recall. I will, however, say that it was a true bucket list item for me to record with Duke Robillard! We selected an old Big Joe Turner classic, “Cherry Red,” as a tribute to our late, mutual friend Jimmy “T-99” Nelson. I also particularly enjoyed Ray Fuller and Omar Coleman going acoustic on Muddy’s “Whose Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I’m Gone,” a one take thing of beauty that had all of the musicians in the studio on their feet! I’m sure you’ll have special moments of your own as you enjoy this recording. Make sure you search for us on YouTube and Facebook to find the videos of the recording session, so you can experience the songs as they were tracked.
Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 3 is an incredible addition to a recorded legacy that already includes such stalwarts as Jimmy Thackery, Henry Gray, Trampled Under Foot, J.P. Soars, “King Saxe” Gene Walker, Bill Stuve, Steve Gerard, Ricky Nye, Micah Kesselring, The Matt O’Ree Band and some of the players on this volume. The collective passion of these musicians, and all involved in this project to battle a dreaded disease, is what brought us together. That love is apparent in each and every one of these tracks. ~Sean Carney

Blues Cures Studio Jam Vol. 3

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Connie Townsend - Gentle Graces

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 45:19
Size: 105.6 MB
Styles: Country blues, Contemporary Blues, Modern Blues, Swing
Released: 2001
Art: Front

1. It's A Banjo Playing (2:21)
2. Darker Shades Of Blue (3:20)
3. Gentle Graces (3:54)
4. There You Go Again (3:07)
5. Who Will Remember? (3:22)
6. Freight Train (3:31)
7. Telling A Stone (4:27)
8. Dreamers (3:49)
9. Defying Gravity (3:11)
10. Did Me In (2:45)
11. Summer Song (2:40)
12. Life's A Penny (2:47)
13. Country Mile (2:43)
14. Nothin' In Ramblin' (3:15)

Connie Townsend is a true West Virginia singer-songwriter. Born in the Ohio River Valley, she now makes her home on a ridge top in the Allegheny Highlands region of the state. The roots of her music are set in the rock and tangled with the roots of the hardwood forests of her home.

Connie's vocal work often evokes comparisons to Emmylou Harris, Iris DeMent, Gillian Welch and a young Mother Maybelle Carter. Which would seem to say that she is a fine vocalist with a strongly rooted and mature presence. She delivers beautifully everything from funny little ditties to gritty blues to classic and alternative country. Her songs are a mix of covers and original work. Her style is her own. Her music has been aired on National Public Radio.

Connie's second album represents a significant step in developing her own style and substance as a performer. Ten of the fourteen cuts are original songs by Townsend and her partner Dave Parker. There is some world-class fiddling, funky resonator guitar, sweet, sweet harmonica, and concertina accompaniment on the disc.

Connie Townsend - guitar and vocals
Billy Ward - fiddle
Buddy Griffin - fiddle
Colleen Dugan - djembe
Dave Parker - guitar
Harvey Reid - dobro, guitar & harmony vocals
Jim Truman - resonator, guitar
Larry (The Iceman) Eisenberg - blues harp
Pete Tenney - concertina
Randy (The Armadillo) Tucker - bass, harmony vocals
Seth Maynard - mandolin, bass

Gentle Graces

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Backslide Cats - Only Good For The Blues

Size: 115.6 MB
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Time: 50:29
Released: 2003
Styles: Contemporary blues
Art: Front

1. Only Good For The Blues (3:34)
2. Living Our Lives Alone (3:23)
3. Heartbeat Away (5:17)
4. Everywhere (3:42)
5. Shadow Blues (4:38)
6. Low And Lonely (3:52)
7. Dead And Gone (3:59)
8. Moonshine Blues (3:16)
9. Soothing (3:51)
10. Take My Hand (2:57)
11. Do Your Thing (4:44)
12. Tears On My Pillow (3:28)
13. Gone (3:42)

From Örnsköldsvik comes Roger Häggström who has made this record at home and written all the tunes himself. He also manages the singing in a satisfactory way. Backslide Cats consist besides Roger of Jan Ivarsson: guitar bass, Jim MacCarty: drums and Mikael Bergström: Hammond organ. Good musicians all of them, no doubt about that; the Hammond organ is handled in a way worthy of imitation. The fact that it is a home recording where you have unlimited recording time makes the sound a little too stiff and perfect here and there, but that's not only a bad thing. This dish is very personal and gives you some associations to "The Blues Band" and the choice of tunes is thoroughly varied. Here you find ZZ Top-inspired rock blues like for example "Everywhere" - groove of a caliber! Canned Heat boogie in "Living Our Lives Alone", slow handsome blues in "Heartbeat Away", jazzy blues in "Soothing". The last-mentioned is a pearl, very nice delivery.
It's always fun for me to hear home recordings, they are often more honest compared to expensive studio products and the contributors decide themselves how it shall be. This is a pleasant CD; there is just enough variation and it never gets dull. To be a home recording made under simple circumstances they have managed to create a tight and snappy sound. ~Göran Svensson

Only Good For The Blues

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