Virgil

Nico Duportal and his Rhythm Dudes

Nico Duportal & his Rhythm Dudes - Dealing with my blues
Nico Duportal & his Rhythm Dudes - Dealing with my blues
Nico Duportal & his Rhythm Dudes – Dealing with my blues

Nico Duportal and his Rhythm Dudes – Dealing with my blues

Rhythm Bomb Records ‎– RBR5844 [2016]
Don’t You See – I Know The Rules – Now Hush – The One To Blame – I Will Unfriend You – Mess And Chaos – Benzola Ascensor – Sometimes – Brand New Day – Junior’s Mambo – Soul Patch – Long Way To Go – Mess And Chaos (Acoustic Bonus Track)

Nico Duportal,French ace guitar player and singer, is not the kind of guy to rest on his laurels. One year after the excellent Guitar Player (that I hope you all own) he releases a brand-new platter that is even better. Once again, the Rhythm Dudes (Pascal Mucci on drums, Alex Bertein on baritone, Thibault Chopin on upright bass, Sylvain Téjérizo on tenor and Olivier Cantrelle on piano and organ.) are here to provide the perfect background to let the many talents of mister Duportal shine.

While his previous album was almost 100% rhythm’n’blues, “Dealing With My Blues” expands his musical horizons and shows the influence of many other genres, including a heavy dose of Soul with, terrific idea, the use of an organ (and if you like Jimmie Va. There’s someTilt a Whirl band, you’ll be delighted) Mambo too with Junior’s mambo penned by  Tim Lelegems ex-Fried Bourbon and Shakedown Tim and the Rhythm Revue, a band recently produced by Duportal. There’s also a bit of of surf (Soul Patch), a hint of Calypso (the One to Blame) and more modern things like Mess and Chaos (that Don Cavalli co-wrote) that shows that Duportal is not a “revival” guy and that his music is not a piece of museum.

All songs are originals mostly penned by Duportal but bass player Thibault Chopin composed two (and co-wrote another). In addition to Junior’s Mambo Tim Lelegems co-wrote I will Unfriend You (facebook friends beware!) and last but not least French blues legend Benoit Blue Boys penned Benzola Ascensor an instrumental on which he also plays harmonic (by the way Nico will appear on Benoit Blue Boy’s forthcoming album, a tribute to French Rock’n’rollers of the of the fifties like Mac Cak.)

Buy it here or if you order from France here.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Nico Duportal and his Rhythm Dudes - Guitar Player
Nico Duportal and his Rhythm Dudes – Guitar Player

Nico Duportal and his Rhythm Dudes – Guitar Player

Rhythm Bomb Records  – RBR5800 [2015]
When I’m Gone – Lost In The Game – Polish Woman – Oh Baby – Can’t Afford To Lose Her – She Knows How – Real Good Lovin’ Tonight – Big Mary’s – Guitar Player – Oh Oh – Josh & Slim – Much Later – Polish Woman (bonus track, unreleased version)

If you dig 50’s black rhythm’n’blues, stop what you’re doing right now and run to your local record shop – if it still exists – or go to Rhythm Bomb’s website to buy Nico Duportal’s amazing fourth album. When you listen to it, you’d swear that someone has unearthed a lost recording made for Peacock or Specialty and put it on cd.
The last time I had the same level of enthusiasm for a similar artist was at the turn of the millenium when I listened to Nick Curran’s debut album.
Like Curran, Duportal has the whole package: the voice, a guitar style in which one can hear the influences of Tiny Grimes, T. Bone Walker, Gatemouth Brown and Johnny Guitar Watson and the songs (and he even has the look!). Six out of 12 are originals he wrote or co-wrote and double bass player Thibaut Chopin wrote another one. The cover are well selected coming from the catalog of Jackie Brenston, Titus Turner, Johnny “Guitar” Watson and Eddie Bo.
One word has to be said about the Rhythm Dudes without whom this album wouldn’t be such a success. The rhythm section (Olivier Cantrelle on piano, Pascal Mucci on drums and Chopin on bass) keeps a steady beat whith precision and swing (yes, both!) while the horns (Alex Bertein on baritone saxophone and Arnaud Desprez on tenor) are groovy, juicy and hot.
A must have.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Wyatt Christmas Trio

wyattchristmas-trio-got-rhythm

Wyatt Christmas Trio – I’ve Got Rhythm

Part CD 6107-002
I Wear My Suit – Step It Up And Go – Movin’ On – I’m Goin’ Wild – Live It Up – It’s One Of These Nights – Red Hot – Sea Cruise – Mr Jones – Ride On – Sugar Sweet – Blues Is All Around Me – Diggin’ The Boogie

“I’ve Got Rhythm” is Wyatt Christmas Trio’s second album. It’s an interesting mix of Rock’n’Roll, blues (jump, rockin’ or classic), Rockabilly, Doo Wop and a bit of Jazz too. There’s a lot of variety all through the records. They add plenty of little things to always bring something new to each song whether it’s a different lead singer, some doo wop backing vocals (making them sound a bit like the Speedos or the Keytones), slide guitar, a couple of guest on blues harp, boogie woogie piano and saxophone, each song song different from the previous one. Some numbers have a slight pop edge that could appeal to a broader audience which is everything we could wish for them.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Sun Demons

The Sun Demons – Return of…

Floyd Burney Records ‎– FBEP-001 [1997]
Damn Drunk! – Pick-Up Truck – The Lonely Man – Portrait To Go

The Sun Demons were an exciting rockabilly trio made of Dan Edwards (guitar/vox), Jeff West (uprightbass/vox) and Joe Tatar (drums/vox).
If their songs and style are rather  traditionnal they’re not against a little modernity that you find in Edwards’ guitar sound that is not that far from the great Brian Setzer (Rant and Rave period). West and Edwards sing lead on two songs each, both being two solid singers with a distinctive style. Good production with a powerful slap bass too.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Red Peters and her Solid Senders

Red Peters and her Solid Senders - Rockin' Out The Blues
Red Peters and her Solid Senders – Rockin’ Out The Blues

Red Peters and her Solid Senders – Rockin’ Out The Blues

Crazy Gator Records ‎– CGRLP003 [1997]
My Man Ain’t Coming Inside – The Big Saturday Nite – Gettin’ High – As Long As I’m Movin’ – Ride Daddy Ride – Rock This Joint – I Ain’t Talkin’ – Hey Everybody – Whole Lotta Shakin’ – Shake That Thing

Red Peters, the girl with the big voice, and her band the Solid Senders (guitar, honkin’ saxophone, trumpet, drums and double bass) and guest Chris Gardner (Stargazers) on piano released Rockin’ Out the Blues, their debut 10″ in 1997. With no concession made to modernity this hot platter is a white heated slab of late 40’s/early 50’s Rhythm’n’Blues and Jump in which one can hear the influences of Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner and of course Ella Mae Morse. The band’s originals match with the covers easily. Red’s voice is really impressive, confident and powerful without shouting while the band provides a solid backing.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Red Hot Max and Cats

Red Hot Max and Cats ‎– The Thrilling Sound Of Hot Rockabilly
Red Hot Max and Cats ‎– The Thrilling Sound Of Hot Rockabilly

Red Hot Max and Cats ‎– The Thrilling Sound Of Hot Rockabilly

Wildcat Record Company ‎– WRC-LP-5002 [1981]
Have You Heard-Rockin’ And Rollin’ With Granmaw – Rock’N Roll Ruby – Hot Shot – Been In Memphis – Stomp Rock – Baby Let’s Play House – I Have Thought – Max Rockin Boogie – Flip, Flop Mama – Red Hot Stomp – Wanne You – Rockin With Me – Dig That Boogie – Done Gone – Jitterbuggin Baby

With “the Thrilling…”, Red Hot Max and Cats made it on long distance (and what distance no less than 16 songs) for the first time after an ep that sold out in weeks.
Red Hot Max and Cats were one, if not the first, band in Sweden to use a double bass. Their brand of Rockabilly is wild and frantic as demonstrated by their Burnette influenced “Have You Heard” or their cover of “Rock’n’Roll Ruby”. Some songs feature a piano which is always a plus and they bring variety to the set with songs like “Rockin’ and Rollin’ with Granmaw” that shows some influence from Bill Haley’s Saddlemen (with steel and piano). Talking about Bill Haley there’s a couple of songs with sax that leans more on the Comets sounds while I Have Thought features an harmonica and reminds of Howlin’ Wolf’s Smokestack Lightnin’.
Too bad some songs are a bit wasted by their drummer who is not always in place and misses some break. Anyway it remains a good album.

Red Hot Max & Cats - Cuckoo Clock Rock
Red Hot Max & Cats – Cuckoo Clock Rock

Red Hot Max and Cats – Cuckoo Clock Rock

TCY Records – 024 – 2013
Bring my Cadillac back – Well, now dig this – Equator-Mama’s little Baby-Bim bam –  Cast iron arm –  You gotta be loose –  Cuckoo clock rock – Stop –  Birht of the Boogie –  School of Rock & Roll –  Jitterbop Baby – Spirit of Woodstock –  The Saints Rock & Roll –  Svartbäckens Ros – Digga Rock & Roll

Formed in the late 70’s, Red Hot Max & Cats are some sort of an institution on the Swedish rockin’ scene.This cd is th ereissue of an album originally released in 1989. With Cuckoo Clock Rock, Red Hot Max took a slight departure from thier usual rockabilly sound. The addition of a permanent sax players as well as guests on second sax, piano and even trombon saw them morphed into a tight rock’n’roll unitin the style of Bill Haley, the Jodimars and the Stargazers.
It’s very well recorded and the result is pretty good and highly danceable but lacks of originality, partly due to the fact that all songs but one are covers, and furthermore some well known ones.
The reissue includes two extra tracks not on the original release – one being a Swedish version of the Jodimars’ Now Dig This – and a nice booklet with pictures and a band history.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Rockin’ Rocket 88

rocket88countryRockin’ Rocket 88 – Country

Western Star WSRC 030 [2009]
Thinkin ‘Bout You – Good Morning Judge – Susan When She Tried – The Storm – Sanity – Want You To Be My Gal – The Measure Is The Pleasure – Animal Instinct – Heart of Stone – Sittin’ Down Boogie – Rocket 88 – Bustin’ Loose – Sittin’ Down Boogie Blues

Rockin’ Rocket 88 are in the circuit for some times now. «Country» is their latest release and has been recorded at Alan Wilson’s Western Star studio.
They play good old rockabilly music mixed with a touch of neo-rockabilly with a hillbilly flavor added by the fiddle. The result is very original, but that wouldn’t be enough to be original, it’s also very convincing. Singer Leroy bradley shares more than his name with the singer of the Blue Cats, he also has the same kind of voice which makes him at ease with rockin’ numbers and ballads and allows him to sing Elvis’ Susan When She Tried.
The musicians are all excellent and I especially dig Matt Linton Smith’s fiddle. Played at a manic pace it adds a Ray Condo and the Hardrock Goners feel to some of the songs. “The Storm” is a wild neo-rockabilly number that reinforces the comparison with the Blue Cats (Fight Back era). “Sanity” is a classic rockabilly number with stop/start arrangements. You can appreciate the sound of the acoustic rhythm guitar. Western Star recordings are always top notch, especially the mix that never buries the instruments behind too much echo or recording tricks. “I Want You To Be My Gal” is a rockin’ blues number with harmonica and reminiscent of “That’s All Right”. “Measure Is The Pleasure” with its Buddy holly feel is one of my favorites here quickly followed by “Animal Instinct”, one of those haunting mid tempoes enlivened by the fiddle on which Leroy’s voice shines. “Hear Of Stone” shows the hillbilly side of the band with harmony vocals. Still on the country side it’s time to dance the “Sittin Down Boogie ” with the boys. With such a name they had no choice but covering the old Jacky Breston classic and they manage to make it original with a latin feel in it. “Dustin’ Loose” is a neo-rockabilly tune with a great and distorded guitar part. The album ends with a Chicago blues reprise of “Sittin’ Down’ Boogie”.
Great album, warmly recommended.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

1 … 98 99 100 101 102 … 123