Page 49 - BiTS_08_AUGUST_2023

Dr. Will—Soiree Macabre—Solid Pack Records ASIN:

C54HXZ9V

Dr. Will (Will Hampel) is a German singer and entertainer from
Munich, his approach is very dramatic and eccentric, in the
tradition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Tom Waits and indeed

he covers both of them here – Hawkins’ ‘I Put a Spell on You’ and
Waits’ ‘Jesus Gonna Be Here’. The title ‘Soiree Macabre’ refers to
the fact that all the songs have a ‘dark’ theme - from the opening
(and closing) ‘Voodoofied’, through John Mooney’s ‘Drink a Little
Poison 4 U Die’ to Hank Williams’ ‘I’ll Never Get Out of this World

Alive’. I’ve liked previous Dr. Will records and I really like this one which has that jazzy/bluesy
Tom Waits’ vibe, complete with Dr. Will’s slightly unhinged delivery (listen to ‘Dead Babies’!)
as well as good playing from the band.

Graham Harrison

Duke Robillard—Six Strings Of Steel—M.C. Records ASIN :
B0C26MWMMT

I’m not the biggest Duke Robillard fan but his last two albums
have been really good and this new one gets underway with
Duke’s take on jazzman Barney Kessel’s surprisingly bluesy
instrumental ‘Git with It’ with Duke’s twangy guitar and Doug

James’ baritone sax. More sax from James on ‘Lima Beans’ a fun
song where Duke sings about someone addicted to lima beans
(!?!) and Chuck Willis’ ‘Love Struck’ is a nice blues ballad

featuring Chris Cote on vocals and with a classy solo from Duke.
The rest of his “All-Star Band” are Bruce Bears (keyboards), Marty Ballou (bass) and Mark
Teixeira (drums) and as well as all playing on ‘In Perfect Harmony’ they also co-wrote this
vintage sounding R&R song with Duke.

Dylan’s ‘Watching the River Flow’ is given a bluesy Western swing makeover with Asleep at
the Wheel’s Kate Shore on fiddle (and of course Duke has toured as Dylan’s guitarist) and more
reimagining on Fats Domino’s ‘I’m Gonna be a Wheel Someday’ this time done ska-style. Ike
Turner’s ‘Take Your Fine Frame Home’ is rocking jump blues and Lowell Fulson’s ‘Lovin’ You’

is a mid-tempo blues sung by Duke himself.

We also get more instrumentals - Leo Parker’s jazzy ‘Billy in the Lion’s Den’, the band’s own
‘Groovin’ in the Swamp’ - which does what it says on the tin - and we bow out with an authentic
take on Link Wray’s iconic ‘Rumble’ – the first ever song that Duke learned to play. This is

another fine album from Duke with lots of variety and different styles and although obviously
his guitar is featured it’s also very much a band album.

Graham Harrison