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the way. April Dirks, also from Iowa, plays upright bass and mandolin; she joined Tom in 2014
forming C.C.C.. The opener ‘Utah’ is an enticing slap bass driven road song that states the lady
driver is a felon in Utah. The sparkling duet ‘Country Records’ is a rousing mandolin led tale of
failed love.

The foot-tapper, ‘Long Time Gone’, is another engaging duet concerning failing lovers, with lovely
bluegrass influences throughout. ‘Gimmie Lightnin’’, is a splendid rocking hangover tale, with a
fast slapping bass to add to the headache.

Gus Cannon’s ‘Poor Boy’, is a lovely, fast paced acoustic piece.

Muddy Waters’ ‘Trouble No More’, is led by a delightful, almost wobbly, driving, slapping bass

line. Son House’s ‘Walkin’ Blues’, features an enticing slow slide guitar intro before it gathers speed
into a fine guitar roller.
The sprightly slapping bass and guitar on ‘Voodoo Doll’ tells the tale of man who believes he is a

Voodoo Doll victim.

The splendidly brooding Hill Country influenced feel of Jessie Mae Hemphill’s ‘Shake It Right’,
enjoyably borders on menacing.

The gentle stomping of ‘Homesick Blues’, drives a tale of persecution, from both men and women,
causing one to leave, to search for better prospects.

Recommended!

Brian Harman

Chris Yakopcic—Live At The Hidden Gem—Yako Records
YAKO702

Chris is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist from Dayton, Ohio and
specialises in the inspiring manner that was preferred by
pre-war delta and Piedmont players.

The opener is the gripping, high energy thumb picked ‘Gotta Get
Goodbye Somehow’, the fast paced vocals are quite breathtaking.

Blind Blake’s ‘Chump Man Blues’, is mellow, flowing, sweetly
and deftly picked. ‘When It All Goes Wrong At Once’, is a jaunty,
toe-tapping tale of bad luck and sorrow.

Robert Johnson’s ‘Travelling Riverside Blues’, slowly entices you in, then, Chris hastens the pace
until he slows it down to a snail’s pace—then abruptly stops.

The sweetly picked ‘The Hangover’, is a very pleasant shuffle, bemoaning the lack of clarity on the
morning after, while Leonard Cohen’s ‘Tower Of Song’, has echoes of bluegrass and is very well
adapted to the blues style.

On Robert Johnson’s ‘Kind Hearted Woman’, the delicacy and crispness of playing possess just the
right amount of starkness and the inviting and dramatically struck strings on ‘Sounds Of The
Highway’, succinctly describes a preferred rolling, tumbling life on the road, rather than slipping
into old age.

On the enjoyably, almost racing, Tom Waits’ ‘2:19’, Chris crisply picks the strings, with a satisfying
train like momentum and urgency.