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Sam Cooke’s gospel influenced ‘Just Another Day’ is, quite simply, a delightful heartfelt emo-
tion stirring, slide instrumental. While, ‘River’s Calling’ is a haunting, slow burning mixture of
emotive slide and vocals, encased in quietly shimmering percussion. ‘You Can’t Stop A Guitar
(From Playing The Blues)’ can only be described as a grooving, slide filled rocking ode to the
blues. The evocative, instrumental ‘Sliding Into The Blues’ is a delicate, almost serene, dreamy
slow burning ode to the blues-slide!

Recommended!

Brian Harman

Breakin’ News—Ten Years of Blues—Nola Records NB025

It has been ten years since the inception of the blues label NOLA
Blue, a label that has focused on overlooked, underappreciated
and possibly forgotten artists but this compilation changes all
of that. Here is some of the most satisfying music around today
and our yesterdays.

The opener is ‘Breakin’ News’ from Benny Turner. This is a fine
blues shuffle that first appeared on his “Journey” album from
2014. The rich voice of Benny is backed by a splendidly soulful
horn section. Cash McCall joins Benny on ‘It Hurts Me Too’, from
the album “Going Back Home” which they recorded in 2019.
This number is a splendid emotional slowburning harmonica and slide led blues.

‘All My Dues Are Paid’ is from Frank Bey’s 2020 album of the same name. Frank’s richly
smooth soulful vocals are splendidly backed by Kid Andersen on guitar and keyboards.

Cash McCall’s 2020 single, ‘One Who's Got A Lot’ is a lovely slow shuffle, with some very
comfortable guitar and piano.

‘If Only We Could’ was a single released by Clarence Spady in 2022, featuring a sparkling
guitar from Clarence and singeing Hammond B3 from Dave Archer.

‘Golden Girl Blues’ is a single from Trudy Lynn’s 2022 album “Golden Girl”. This grooving
shuffle delivers not only a splendid vocal from Trudy but also features subtly enticing horns,
guitar and organ.

‘After All’, from The Love Light Orchestra’s album ‘Leave the Light On’, is a delightfully enticing
horn-soaked ballad with a sumptuously, silky vocal from John Németh, which is quite sublime.
John features again on the joyously raucous gospel-influenced blues of ‘The Last Time’, from
his 2022 album, ‘May Be The Last Time’. The infectious harmonica draws you in, along with
John’s raw vocal.

Lil' Jimmy Reed and young pianist Ben Levin recorded an album entitled “Back To Baton
Rouge”. Here is the autobiographical number, ‘They Call Me Lil' Jimmy’ recalling upon how he
became known as “Lil' Jimmy Reed”. It is a simple but, affecting, raw slow-guitar and piano
blues. Splendid.

‘Who Sang It First’ from Benny Turner, is a fine respectful, slow burning gospel infused
number, with a restrained vocal from Benny. The equally restrained organ and Wurlitzer work
is from Clayton Ivey, Wurlitzer and Joe Krown, organ. This was released as a single in 2019.

Recommended!

Brian Harman