Michelle Willson & The Evil Gal Festival Orchestra - Wake Up Call

Size: 112,0 MB
Time: 47:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Funky Blues, Blues Jazz
Art: Full

01. Wake Up Call (5:23)
02. Just Like A Dog (Barking Up The Wrong Tree) (3:45)
03. They Don't Want Me To Rock No More (3:57)
04. Leap Of Faith (3:47)
05. Think About Me (4:32)
06. Pleasin' You (3:06)
07. The Way You Say Goodbye (3:56)
08. Set You Free (4:35)
09. Water Water (2:29)
10. Crazy, Crazy (4:18)
11. Mi My Moo (3:40)
12. People Say (4:00)

Songstress Michelle Willson tears it up on her jazz-infused blues set Wake up Call. The album is rife with dancing organs, bouncing drums, a sizzling saxophone, and the robust vocal stylings of Willson. The album opener and title track is an entirely funky affair. Willson's voice struts over a groovin' rhythm, bass clarinet accents, and soulful Hammond B3 organ trills. It is impossible to not be moved by this performer. With her lush, sultry, and robust voice, Willson can get a rise out of a stone statue. The smoking blues-rock anthem "Just Like a Dog [Barking up the Wrong Tree]" is among the disc's many shining moments and boasts a siren of a saxophone line and Willson, again, cutting it up. Five of the 13 tracks are originals by Willson -- she generally performs music by other songwriters and artists -- and they fit right in with the disc's funky jazz-blues. "Set You Free," one of Willson's own, snaps, crackles, and pops as the singer says good riddance to a deadbeat lover. What a bouncin' good time this recording is. Just try to sit still while listening -- it won't happen. Willson's singing is like a strong cup of Joe -- it beelines right to the gut and jolts the system. If there ever was a wake-up call, this worthy album would be it. ~Liana Jonas

Wake Up Call MP3
Wake Up Call FLAC

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Michelle Willson - So Emotional

Size: 135,6 MB
Time: 57:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Electric Blues, Jump Blues
Art: Full

01. Better Left Unsaid (3:23)
02. So Emotional (4:07)
03. Don't Worry Me Baby (4:32)
04. You're So Mean To Me (4:43)
05. The Girl Can't Help It (2:55)
06. Long John Blues (6:55)
07. Real Lovin' Mama, Real Lovin' Papa (Feat. Sugar Ray Norcia) (2:44)
08. Girlfriend Says (4:07)
09. What Can I Do? (2:44)
10. My Heart Is Mended (6:45)
11. Lonely Teardrops (3:41)
12. Sexological Solution (6:13)
13. Strange Things Are Happening Every Day (4:45)

Michelle Willson is a shouting blues singer with plenty of sass who is quite assertive and not shy about talking about her desires and feelings, some of which are fairly obvious. This CD is full of extroverted singing with fine backup from a '50s style jump-blues group that plays in the vein of Roomful of Blues. There are a liberal amount of tenor and guitar solos and some of the music really cooks. Highlights include "Better Left Unsaid" (whose lyrics change direction in a surprising way), the double entendre "Long John Blues" (the usual tale about visiting a dentist), a rare remake of Bobby Troup's "The Girl Can't Help It" (from the Jayne Mansfield movie of the same name) and the jubilant "Strange Things Are Happening Everyday." There is plenty of fun goodtime music on this often-rollicking and easily recommended set from the thus far underrated Michelle Willson. ~Scott Yanow

So Emotional MP3
So Emotional FLAC

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Peter Ward - Train To Key Biscayne

Source: Lossless Digital Copy
Size: 101,8 MB
Time: 43:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. The Luther Johnson Thing (Feat. Luther Johnson, Sugar Ray Norcia & Anthony Geraci) (4:18)
02. A Westerly Sunday Night (Feat. Sugar Ray Norcia) (3:44)
03. When You Are Mine (Feat. Sugar Ray Norcia) (4:53)
04. Train To Key Biscayne (Feat. Johnny Nicholas) (2:41)
05. I Saw Your Home (Feat. Michelle Willson) (4:55)
06. Blues Elixir (Ronnie's Here) (Feat. Ronnie Earl & Sugar Ray Norcia) (4:06)
07. Supposedly (2:58)
08. Change (Ain't Never For The Good) (Feat. Johnny Nicholas, Sugar Ray Norcia & Anthony Geraci) (3:28)
09. As Long As I Have A Chance (Feat. Sugar Ray Norcia & Anthony Geraci) (2:59)
10. Coffee Song (Feat. Michelle Willson) (3:29)
11. Something Always Slows Me Down (Feat. Sugar Ray Norcia & Anthony Geraci) (4:29)
12. Anthony's Son (1:07)

TRAIN TO KEY BISCAYNE is an exciting followup to Peter Ward's debut release, BLUES ON MY SHOULDERS which garnered rave reviews upon its release in 2017.
Ward, former guitarist for the Legendary Blues Band (Pinetop Perkins, Willie Big Eyes Smith, Calvin Jones and Jerry Portnoy) wrote 12 new blues, ballads and retro-style rock n roll — all with a fresh sound and '50s flavor.
Before they brought Peter into the band, the Legendary Blues Band were the guys who backed the great Muddy Waters. Hitting the road with those cats was like Blues 101 as the band crisscrossed the country in a van, traveling hundreds of miles each day to perform to delighted audiences at night. Peter learned then how to play a brand of unhurried unadulterated blues. Prior to that, Peter backed Jimmy Rogers, Junior Wells, Joe Beard, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Lowell Fulson, Louisiana Red and Sunnyland Slim. His blues philosophy is in finding an original way to play blues within a traditional framework.
TRAIN TO KEY BISCAYNE opens with a tribute Peter wrote to his hero, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, the former Muddy Waters guitarist. It's a song about Luther's own life. The album features Peter's friends, the renowned Ronnie Earl on guitar, Michelle "Evil Gal" Willson, Johnny Nicholas and Sugar Ray Norcia, all on vocals, and Peter's brother Mudcat on bass. Also appearing are Neil Gouvin on drums, Anthony Geraci on piano and the aforementioned Norcia on harp — all of the legendary Sugar Ray & the Bluetones — former John Copnlee keyboardist Hank Walther on piano, George Dellomo on drums, Bob Berry on bass, Aaron Gratzmiller on saxophone, Jiri Nedoma on piano and Keith Asack on bass and guitar.
The songs reflect joy, sadness, humor and everything in-between.
"Coffee Song," sung by Willson, is about serving piping hot coffee and pancakes in bed to the person you care about without worrying who does how much for whom. There's a story about road rage "Something Always Slows Me Down," persistence and love "When You Are Mine" and the journey we dare take to revive a friendship "Train to Key Biscayne."
Ronnie Earl called the record inspiring and Peter thinks his fans will like this album! He hopes to reach a wider audience with this new release.

Train To Key Biscayne

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Michelle Willson - Tryin' To Make A Little Love

Size: 126,8 MB
Time: 53:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Jump Blues
Art: Full

01. Tryin' To Make A Little Love (3:59)
02. Ay La Bas (3:37)
03. Life Rolls On (4:10)
04. I Would Rather Do Without It (3:56)
05. Each Day (2:44)
06. Half Past The Blues (6:17)
07. Responsibility (5:00)
08. Bring It Home To Me (2:25)
09. Shifting Sand (4:42)
10. Someday (5:14)
11. Corazon De Hielo (3:55)
12. Guess You Didn't Love Me Enough (3:47)
13. In The Driver's Seat (4:04)

For her third album, Tryin' to Make a Little Love, Boston's Michelle Willson traveled to New Orleans, worked with producer Scott Billington, and embraced a variety of material. Her singing was still brassy, sassy, and full of attitude, and she could still handle the type of invigorating 1940s/early-'50s jump blues for which she was known. But this isn't an album that neatly fits into any one category. Though retailers placed Tryin' to Make a Little Love in the blues bins, this isn't strictly a blues outing. Willson brings her passion to the jump blues of Dolly Cooper's "Ay La Bas," the Latin jazz of "Corazon de Hielo," and the Southern-style soul of "I Would Rather Do Without It." Also, her emotion can be heard on "Shifting Sand" (a Willson original), "Life Rolls On" and "Responsibility" (a Dr. John/Doc Pomus composition). Before this album came out, the singers Willson was most often compared to included Dinah Washington, Ruth Brown, and Big Maybelle -- and they're still valid comparisons; this time, however, Etta James' name can be added to that list. While it doesn't hurt to name Willson's influences, it's important to point out that she's quite recognizable herself -- Tryin' to Make a Little Love is the work of a singer who shouldn't be pigeonholed. ~by Alex Henderson

Tryin' To Make A Little Love

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Michelle Willson - Evil Gal Blues

Size: 110,1 MB
Time: 46:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994
Styles: Electric Blues, Jump Blues
Art: Full

01. As Long As I'm Movin' (3:09)
02. Evil Gal Blues (4:58)
03. Blues For A Day (3:46)
04. You Got What It Takes (4:26)
05. At Last (2:44)
06. I Know How To Do It (3:28)
07. Voodoo Voodoo (2:38)
08. Big Long Slidin' Thing (3:30)
09. Three Aces Club (5:08)
10. My Man Called Me (3:19)
11. Cry Me A River (4:50)
12. I'm Just Your Fool (4:43)

The liner notes to this record proclaim that Michelle Willson will take over the crown, worn for many years by Dinah Washington, as the next queen of the blues. While that may be a bit of an overstatement, Willson does have great vocal ability, which she shows off here on her debut. Backed by the jump blues band Evil Gal, Willson shows her range by smoking through songs associated with her idols (Washington and Ruth Brown), such as "Voodoo Voodoo" and "I Know How to Do It," then doing a complete turn-around and giving beautiful readings of such classics as "At Last" and "Cry Me a River." She may not have reached the dizzying heights of her great influences, but with this fine debut, Willson is well on her way. ~by Steve Kurutz

Evil Gal Blues

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