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The Wildroots—Wildroots Sessions Volume 2 —
Wildroots Records CD2022A

Following on from last year’s preceding release, this set again
features singer/ pianist and bandleader Victor Wainwright,
Stephen Dees and Patricia Ann Dees working with former
collaborators and alumni. These include vocalists Reba
Russell, Beth McKee, Anthony “Packrat” Thompson, Billy
Livesay and several others, including newcomers Dyer Davis
and Brianna Harris.

This is a fine rootsy set. There are plenty of blues numbers:
for starters maybe, try ‘The Bad Seed’, a romping blues shuffle
with some very fine BB King styled guitar work, and organ playing by the late Lucky Peterson.
‘Working For My Car’ is another fine blues that unfortunately resonates with me as I write, and
‘Wildroot Boogie’ is certainly descriptively titled. For a change of emphasis, lend an ear to the
jazzy blues of ‘That Man Of Mine’, which is followed by the rather fierce slow blues of ‘The
Threads Of Time’.

Then there is ‘Long Way To Go’ and the closing ‘Ready When The Day Is Done’, which are
based on old-time gospel, whilst ‘Good Word’ is also gospel, but jazzier; and then there’s the
jazzy Americana of ‘Sweet Louise’. ‘Put Your Hand In The Fire’ is a piece of banjo-driven old-

timey music – all 50 seconds of it! Despite the number of different people involved and the
diversity of approaches, there is a definite cohesion about this, with the result that this is a
nicely entertaining set.
Norman Darwen

(www.wildrootsrecords.com)

Miss Bix—Bring It—Blue Heart Records BHR-026

Miss Bix, previously known as Leslie Bixler released her debut
album on Syndrome Records, entitled ‘Make It Right’ under
her maiden name of Leslie Letven. While her son was growing
up she collaborated with Dick Van Dyke and Chad Smith
(drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) to create music for
children, resulting in two albums ‘Moon Food’ and ‘Rhythm
Train’. When her son was old enough, she moved south to
Clarksdale, Mississippi, to spend time there getting to know
the place, the people and the music, which resulted in the
album ‘We Don’t Own The Blues’. Later, she (and husband Bill

Bixler) then relocated to Los Angeles, sadly, whilst enduring the restrictions enforced by the
global pandemic Leslie and Bill, also lost their home in the Californian wildfires. Undaunted by
these setbacks she went on to record this new album. The main players are: Leslie Bixler; lead
vocals, Bill Bixler; baritone saxophone, Ralph Carter; guitar, bass, drums and percussion, John
‘JT’ Thomas; B3, Wurlitzer and keyboards with James ‘Jimmy Z’ Zavala on harmonica. The
relaxed, hand clapping, tramping shuffler ‘Ain’t No Such Thing’ opens the proceedings with a
swampy, gently swirling guitar from Frank Goldwasser that perfectly complements Leslie’s
almost sultry vocals. Addressing the matter of racial strife, Keeshea Pratt shares vocals with
Leslie on ‘Red Walls’, (this number was released as a single in 2020, gaining two Bronze