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song and ‘Repeating History’ is a dramatic socio-political song “How many times we gonna go
around before we stop repeating history?” with Colt wigging out with a Hendrix-style solo.
This is Vintage Trouble’s usual mix of blues, rock, funk and soul with Mr. Taylor’s compelling
vocals out front and the band’s playing and Chris Seefried’s production all adding to a
great-sounding album.
Graham Harrison
The Teskey Brothers—The Winding Way—Decca Records
ASIN: B0BV9HPZ2Y
The Teskey Brothers are from Melbourne, Australia but this
summer they are undertaking a tour of Europe (including
Britain) followed by a tour of North America – and after listening
to this CD you’ll realise why, they are the equal of any blues/roots
act on either side of the Atlantic. For a start Josh Teskey has one
of the best voices around – think Joe Cocker, Frankie Miller etc.
– and the album is produced by guitarist brother Sam together
with Eric J Dubowsky (Chemical Brothers etc.). The three
opening tracks – ‘I’m Leaving’, ‘Oceans of Emotions’ and ‘Take
My Heart’ all have the laid-back feel of classic soul from Memphis or Muscle Shoals, indeed
‘Take My Heart’ with its strings could have been a track by Otis Redding.
More strings on ‘London Bridge’, while ‘Carry Me Home’ is a nice heartfelt acoustic blues with
slide resonator guitar and harp and ‘Blind Without You’ is a dramatic blues with Josh’s voice
counterpointed by Sam’s subtle guitar runs.
More drama on the mid-tempo ‘Rich Man’ and ‘Remember the Time’ ups the pace again with
its riffing brass and Sam’s understated guitar - like a Stax classic - and we finish with the
soul-drenched ‘What Will Be’. Catch them if you can in a small venue on this summer’s tour –
if they come back to Britain again I can’t help thinking that it will be in much bigger arenas.
Graham Harrison
Jabo—Jabo Blues—Momojo ASIN : B0C3MW3CGX
This is the debut recording of 78-year old James ‘Jabo’ Houston
who, together with Roy Lee Crawford, has for many years been
one of the main men of the Austin blues scene. Jabo was a singer.
bass player and drummer but is now confined to a wheelchair
and has switched to organ. Their band wanted to preserve the
two men’s music and so organised this recording session – the
band are Jack Edery (guitar), Eric Przygocki (bass), Nico
Leophonte (drums), Bobby Terrell (sax) and Billy Cummings
(organ and trumpet).
Opener ‘Down Home Blues’ is typical of the set with Jabo on vocals and nice greasy organ and
sax and ‘Woke Up This Morning’ sees Roy Lee doing the singing. We carry on with blues
standards like Guitar Slim’s ‘The Things I Used to Do’ and Ray Charles’ ‘Night Time is the Right
Time’, as well as two originals ‘First Name Is Jabo’ and ‘Down in Louisiana’ with both men taking
turns with the vocals. This isn’t the world’s greatest record, both singers have voices damaged
by age and life but this is a lovely gesture by their band to capture their music on record for
the first time and you can’t deny that the results have a certain charm.
Graham Harrison