Music, unlike anything else, has the power to reverse the effects of time, and Breezy Rodio is an expert in that field! His Style of traditional blues ranges from 1940's to today's funky progressive version. Any listener would be hard pressed to find a better catalog of blues songs of various styles. Breezy Rodio is an excellent singer and songwriter but most of all he is a guitar virtuoso. Killer stuff!
It's almost 50 years since blues harp master Carey Bell released his debut album on Delmark Records. Carey's children followed him into blues and performed with him often while growing up. Lurrie's debut recording was with Carey appearing on Heartaches And Pain (DMK 666) and he joined with pops again in 2006 to record a live album / DVD, Gettin' Up (DMK 791/DVD 1791) only one year before Carey passed away. Now Lurrie, Steve, Tyson and James Bell join forces as The Bell Dynasty to present this tribute to their dad, Carey Bell. The Bell Dynasty is joined by special guests Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Branch.
Delmark Records were motivated to record this, their very first "jazz vocals" album after hearing Francine's outstanding singing talents - she has performed w. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis & many others.
Kahil El'Zabar, drums, earth drums, kalimba; Corey Wilkes, trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion; Ernest Dawkins, alto and tenor saxophone, percussion; Fareed Haque, electric and acoustic guitar. In a Down Beat review of their previous Delmark album, Freedom Jazz Dance (517) Paul de Barros wrote "The forms being advanced here-or at least merged in a creative, new way are African-American syncopation (Funk, Jazz) and the vertically integrated multiple parts of African drum ensemble music." DVD also contains audio interview special feature. NTSC all region.
A review of Linsey Alexander's previous album Come Back Baby (DMK 838) in Living Blues magazine called it "a can't-miss release for any lover of no-nonsense Chicago blues". The "Hoochie Man" is back with all original material including the new smash Two Cats! "My woman got two cats, one in the front, the other in the back!" From the searing "Where Did You Take Your Clothes Off Last Night" to the tender "Til I Kissed You", from the comedic "Facebook Woman" to the political "Comb Over Blues" Linsey weaves his colorful stories throughout this album of blues, soul, R&B and funk. It's great fun and serious music at the same time. 'Cause the blues don't mess around and neither does Linsey.
This band explores the boundaries between composition and improvisation. Keefe Jackson, saxophonist and principal composer, formed the Chicago group in 2003. Fast Citizens held a residency at Chicago's famous club the Hideout, where the group developed a formidable cohesiveness. Their music has broadened, even redefined the idea of a "cooperative" band. The group includes saxophonist Aram Shelton and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, who also composes for the group, and cornet player Josh Berman, drummer Frank Rosaly and bassist Anton Hatwich. Berman, Jackson, and Rosaly are also members of the Chicago Luzern Exchange. "... Jackson's marbled tone expresses a lovely lyricism no matter how brusque or serrated his lines get." - Chicago Reader in 2004.
Sometimes The Blues Got Me is Breezy Rodio's debut album for Delmark Records. A review of Breezy's self-produced 2015 release So Close To It said "Breezy Rodio absolutely smokes through this highly enjoyable mix of originals and covers. He has it all; the voice, the guitar chops, the great players, and you can tell he FEELS the blues, and that is the most important facet" - Music Morsels. While Living Blues described Breezy as "an artist who deserves to be on the radar of all blues fans." Breezy Rodio was in Linsey Alexander's band for 8 years and appears on all 3 of Linsey's Delmark releases.
Cowboy Roy Brown was born in Arkansas on April 20, 1875, the son of a preacher. He and his sister learned to play guitar from their father who they accompanied when he played violin in church. In his twenties, Roy visited St Louis during the 1904 World's Fair and later moved to Kansas City, then Marion, Illinois and then drifted to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Deadwood, South Dakota. Roy eventually returned to St Louis where he was a street singer performing with his guitar and catalog of blues, folk and cowboy tunes. Roy and his band - a guitar named "Baby" and a kazoo named "Leon" - performed cowboy standards and popular tunes. All of which can be heard here on this collection of previously unissued mid-'50s recordings.
Very much in the vein of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers or Coltrane's band on the legendary Blue Train album, Bakerzmillion is Chicago's hard bop ensemble par excellence. It's six members are a true dream team of talented and seasoned jazzmen. The band's longevity, over fifteen years already, contributes to the solid and balanced sound of the ensemble. Playing original tunes composed by the co-leaders the ensemble brings a breeze of fresh air to these mainstream sonorities. Recorded February 2018 by Robert Vallone, Produced by Andy Baker, Mixed & Mastered by Fred Breitberg, Photo and notes by Michael Jackson.
Professor Eddie Lusk mastered the keyboards while still in his teens at his father's south side church. That enduring spiritual base remained at the heart of the Professor's blues until his tragic 1992 passing at the age of 43. While he played with numerous blues and soul greats (Junior Wells, Z.Z. Hill, Luther Allison, Koko Taylor, Syl Johnson, the Soul Stirrers), Professor Strut was his only American release under his own leadership. (Previously deleted:6/1/05. Original release date:8/16/93)"Makes US see, even feel, the passion, joy and intensity of the blues. It is these uninhibited images that the unique vitality of the Chicago blues world shines through". - Rolling Stone.
Little Arthur is a powerful blues singer & harmonica player who pounds away at you with his voice, reminiscent of the heavy, unpolished blues singers like Floyd Jones - at 65, he's part of the second generation of Chicago bluesmen, just behind Muddy, Wolf, Sonny Boy #2 & Elmore James.
Alabama barrelhouse blues pianist Robert McCoy, born in Aliceville in 1908, had two rare LPs in the early '60's on the Vulcan label. Delmark has acquired the masters & is now re-issuing the material on CD for the first time with many never before released tracks. These were his first recordings as leader although he recorded in the '30's with Guitar Slim, "Jaybird" Coleman & Peanut the Kidnapper. The San Francisco Examiner says: "Stomping piano solos & blues vocals played with vitality & authority. McCoy sets a happy & boozy pre-depression mood that is fun to share with him".
NIGHTWALK IS THE THIRD DELMARK ALBUM FOR Dave Weld & the Imperial Flames. Deepening on the furrows opened by "Burnin' Love" and "Slip Into a Dream", Dave, Monica and their band weave an original tapestry of pure Chicago blues tradition with a forward-looking sound and energy. Bringing along the beauty of the tradition he learned next to Chicago blues stalwart J.B. Hutto, Dave Weld is one of the few real innovators in the blues realm of today. His song "Mary Who" is an authentic tour de force, a vivid portrait of urban life where Dave Weld shows his metal as storyteller. Moreover, in every single track of this ground-breaking album we can relate to the vibrations of contempo- rary life blowing like a fresh breeze from the depths of a well-rooted sonority. The album was recorded at Joyride Studio, mixed at The Switchyard Studio in Nashville, pro- duced by Tom Hambridge and post-produced at Delmark Records Riverside Studio by Elbio Barilari and Julia A. Miller, who was also the album's mastering engineer.
Jazz trumpeter Brad Goode relocated to Denver two years ago, but he maintains his Chicago connection by performing there at least once or twice annually. Brad resided in Chicago and had a weekly gig 12 years running when he cut his first Delmark album, "Shock Of The New" (DMK #440). Since then he's recorded 3 more CDs most recently for the European Steeplechase label. The last time he was in Chicago Brad recorded this new, exciting and sometimes edgy session. His rhythm section features newcomer Adrean Farrugia on piano, veteran bassist Kelly Sill and longtime cohort Dana Hall on drums. Contains 9 tracks including 4 Goode original compositions. (Previously deleted:5/1/11. Original release date: 4/18/06)
With special guest Randy Sandke. In addition to being the host of WDCB's "All Things Jazz" John Burnett is the leader of "maybe the best contemporary swing big band on the planet" - Amazon. Com. Formed in 1999 this orchestra is comprised of topnotch Chicago musicians and features guest vocalist Frieda Lee. This live recording was captured at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn, IL and the band is joined by special guest trumpeter Randy Sandke. Groovin' High, Night In Tunisia, Struttin' With Some Barbeque, One O'Clock Jump, Sweet Georgia Brown, April In Paris and more. "His object is to keep the big band alive and swingin'. In this, he has done admirably well. " - Louie Bellson.
A wonderfully dramatic showman, Tail Dragger also possesses one of the most authentic and distinct Chicago Blues voices ever. In 1998, his 'American People' (DMK #728) was described as 'tour de force Chicago Blues' by Art Tipaldi in Blues Revue.
The Edward Petersen Quintet has been appearing weekly at Chicago's well known jazz club, The Green Mill, for about three years. The music on this album is a sampling of that which the group performs in a "live" situation. These recordings were done directly to a two track digital recorder and no elaborate production techniques (i.e. fixing mistakes) was possible. These are simply recordings of the band playing the way we play.
