Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: Deb Ryder – Let it Rain

Hello!

This CD review was originally published in the May 7, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Deb Ryder – Let it Rain | Album Review

Bejeb Music

www.debryder.com

11 tracks / 46:54

Sometimes an album comes along that just has everything going for it: solid songwriting, talented personnel that click with each other, and top-shelf production values. Deb Ryder’s sophomore solo album, Let it Rain, checks all of these boxes and then some. This disc proves that her excellent debut CD was no fluke, and that she definitely has a role in the future of blues music in the United States.

Deb Ryder is originally from Illinois, where she got an introduction to the Chicago music scene courtesy of her father, an in-demand musician and club owner. Her family moved to Los Angeles, where she often had the opportunity to sing at the Topanga Corral (owned by her step-father), opening for great artists such as Big Joe Turner, Charlie Musselwhite, and Taj Mahal, as well as her mentor, Etta James. Fast forward a few years, and you will find her still in the City of Angels, and making a name for herself as a powerful singer and songwriter.

For Let it Rain, Ryder could not have done any better than having Grammy-winner Tony Braunagel come on board as producer and drummer. They were joined in the famed Ultratone Studios in Studio City by bassist Ric Ryder (her husband), Mike Finnigan on the keys, Johnny Lee Schell and Kirk Fletcher on guitar, and the killer horn section of Lee Thornburg and Lon Price. These folks are all first-call musicians, and there are also a few guest artists that joined in to really make this a special project.

Like her debut, Might Just Get Lucky, this album is made up solely of songs that were written by Deb, and you will find that she is a very good songwriter and she does not limit herself to one sound. This record is a journey from Illinois to Louisiana, and she nails the blues sound as it is found in both of these places, as well as everywhere in between. The set opens strongly with “That’s Just How It Is” and the band is tight with killer leads from Fletcher’s guitar, and Finnigan setting the tone with his Hammond B3 as Ric Ryder and Braunagel hold the bottom end down. Deb’s voice is worthy of this fine accompaniment, as her voice is powerful and dripping with soul.

The next track brings the well-arranged horns and Schell’s guitar into the mix with the cool Latin-tinged shuffle, “Can’t Go Back Again.” This song is backed up by the swinging “You Won’t Be True” and gloriously dark “Guilty As Sin,” couple of tunes about a woman done wrong. A tasty bonus is some righteous harmonica work from guest artist Kim Wilson on the latter. You know, you just cannot beat lines like, “You’ve been talking in your sleep, and Betsy ain’t my name.” Ryder’s timing and phrasing are spot on as she adds plenty of drama to the proceedings.

Deb Ryder is not afraid of jumping into the deep end of the pool and she wrote a couple of heartfelt gospel and soul tunes, “Cry Another Tear” and “Hold Your Lamp High” to really change things up. Her voice can take on all of the genres that she tried on this disc, and these two songs are no exception. Of course, she is helped out by her steady backline and some wonderful work from Finnigan on the organ. This record really delivers the goods, and things never get dull!

On “Ma Misere,” Braunagel lays down a heavy Cajun beat as he is joined by David Fraser on accordion, and none other than Albert Lee on guitar. There are definitely benefits to recording in LA, and having Mr. Telecaster just down the hill from you in Malibu has to be near the top of the list. After this super-fun song, the disc closes out with “Round and Around,” a more bare-bones Delta and gospel-inspired track that features lovely resonator guitar from Schell and some nice harp courtesy of Wilson. This was a wise choice to end the set, as it brings the listener back to the roots of blues music.

There is not a miscue through all eleven of these tracks and kudos for this studio magic need to go out to Schell, who recorded and mixed the album.

Deb Ryder’s Let it Rain is the real deal, and we will certainly be hearing more from her. Though you will certainly love this disc, keep in mind that her talents go beyond the studio. Judging by her show last month at Malarkey’s in Long Beach she is a tremendous live performer too, so you should be sure to check out her live show if you are around the Southland -- it will definitely be a good use of your time and money!

Mahalo!

Karen Lovely – Ten Miles of Bad Road | Album Review

Karen Lovely – Ten Miles of Bad Road

Kokako Records

www.karenlovely.com

13 tracks / 51:32

Portland, Oregon’s Karen Lovely really hit it out of the park with her 2010 sophomore album, Still the Rain. With a trip to the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis (2nd place!), and three 2011 Blues Music Award nominations, she received a lot of well-deserved recognition. Karen has not been resting on these laurels, though, and her latest album, Ten Miles of Bad Road, is also amazing, earning her another BMA nomination, a Blues Blast Music Award nomination, and the 2015 Blues411 "Jimi" Award for Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist. This all makes perfect sense, as she is a tremendous talent who works hard and inspires those around her to do their best.

Ten Miles of Bad Road has everything going for it, as it was put together in Los Angeles by the best in the business, including producer Tony Braunagel and engineer Johnny Lee Schell. Both of these fellows are members of the legendary Phantom Blues Band, and they also provided the drum and guitar parts, respectively. Karen took care of the vocals, and she was joined by Jim Pugh on keys, James “Hutch” Hutchinson on bass, and the late Alan Mirikitani on guitar. Listeners will hear a lot of other A-list talent that helped out on many of the tracks, all of which are originals.

The album kicks off with “Low Road,” a smoky blues rocker that was penned by Mirikitani, featuring super clean leads from him on guitar and cool Hammond B3 from Pugh. Karen’s vocals are smooth and powerful as she describes her emotions after a lover cuts town in the dark of the dawn. Reviewers compare her vocal style to other artists, but she really has a sound of her own, and her voice blends well with backing singers Julie Delgado and Kenna Ramsey. This is followed up by “Company Graveyard,” another song that was written by Mirikani, but this time with a driving roadhouse beat courtesy of Braunagel and Hutchinson.

There are a lot of other neat songs in this set, and there is not enough room for me to write about all of them, but here are a few other highlights from the disc:

- The title track, “Ten Miles of Bad Road,” brings in the killer horn section of Joe Sublett (sax) and Les Lovitt (trumpet), and this uptempo piece is very accessible, making it radio-friendly. But it is not a sell-out pop song, rather a cool and detached narrative of a relationship that may not be worth the effort that is being put into it. Lovely shows a lot of depth here as she can sing pretty much anything that is put in front of her and make it her own.

- Karen has the perfect voice for ballads too, and a good example of this is “I Want to Love You,” which features solid piano leads from Pugh and more sweet backing vocals from Delgado and Ramsey. With a more sparse instrumentation and a slower pace, the tightness of the backline of Hutchinson and Braunagel is quite prominent.

- The album closes out with “Frank the Spank,” a boogie that sets the tone for the story of a bartender who is too generous with his pours; Lovely’s vocals smoky vocals really drive home the point on this one. This tune is upbeat and fun, and Schell’s guitar is a cool counterpoint to the harmonica of the surprise guest artist, Kim Wilson. What blues album would be complete without some sort of drinking song?

Karen Lovely has raised the bar with Ten Miles of Bad Road, a classy set of a thirteen quality tracks with not a clunker to be found. It is gratifying to see her talent and hard work pay off, and if you are a fan of contemporary blues I highly recommend you pick up a copy of your own -- this is Karen’s best work to date. Also, head on over to Lovely’s website to check out her tour schedule, as she has some gigs coming up around the US. Once you hear her you will not be disappointed!

Various Artists – Blues for Big Walter | Album Review

Various Artists – Blues for Big Walter

EllerSoul Records

www.ellersoulrecords.com

16 tracks / 76:00

The use of harmonica in blues music owes a big debt to Big Walter Horton, who helped define the harp sound that we still hear today. Big Walter passed on back in 1981, which was way too soon, and to honor him and his contributions, Li’l Ronnie Owens (also no slouch on the harmonica) put together a cool tribute disc that includes nine harp players running down sixteen cool tracks. There is a little bit of everything on Blues for Big Walter, and recording took place on two continents over the course of three decades.

Besides Owens, on this production you will hear Kim Wilson, Mark Hummel, Bob Corritore, Sugar Ray Norcia, Steve Guyger, Mark Wenner, Kurt Crandall, and Andrew Alli. Each of these guys has a great sense of history and incredible talent, making this a very special project. As an added bonus, backing them are dozens of incredible musicians, including Anthony Geraci, Bob Welsh, Robert Lockwood Jr., Big Jon Atkinson, and many more. This was a labor of love, as the artists performed for free, and proceeds of sale go towards two fine blues charities: The Blues Foundation and the Handy Artists Relief Fund (H.A.R.T).

There are both studio and live recordings, acoustic and electric arrangements, and a lot of different sounds and feels. For example, “Easy” is covered twice here, with Mark Hummel and Andrew Alli each having a different take on it. Hummel went for a full band, while Alli kept it down to a more simple arrangement with just an acoustic guitar for accompaniment. Each version is wonderful, but variety is the spice of life and these guys deliver the goods. It is not possible to run down each of the other sixteen tracks, but a few of them really stood out for me:

”She Loves Another Man” showcases the hard-working Bob Corritore on harmonica and the late Jimmy Rogers on vocals and guitar. This is Chicago blues at its finest, and Bob’s understated harmonica work fits in perfectly. His phrasing and sense of space complement this song perfectly, which is what Hornton brought to the projects he worked on. Big Walter was the ultimate sideman!

”Sugar Ray Medley” is the showpiece of “Blues for Big Walter,” an 18-minute track that includes “That Ain’t It,” “Walter’s Boogie,” “Everybody’s Fishing,” “I Don't Get Around Much,” and “Blueberry Hill.” A lot of thought and practice went into this medley, as the individual songs blend seamlessly into each other and have an amazing balance. And, of course, Sugar Ray Norcia nails the vocals and harp parts; he is simply a joy to listen to.

Finally, the album closes up with ”Think Big,” a live version that was cut by Li’l Ronnie with Terry Garland on guitar in at the Canal Club back in 2009. Owen’s harp is crystal clear and takes a nice leading role over Garland’s acoustic guitar. It is cool to finish up with a bare-bones instrumental that features the harmonica up front for this very special compilation.

If you are a fan of blues harmonica or Chicago style blues, Blues for Big Walter is a must buy. Rumor has it that there were many more artists that were interested in participating, but there just was not enough room on the disc (it comes in at 75 minutes), so there might be a volume 2 coming up. So, keep your fingers crossed and check in with the Ellersoul website for updates.