Page 57 - BiTS_01_JANUARY_2025

The Hitman Blues Band—Calling Long Distance—

NERUS NR4493

(www.hitmanbluesband.com)

Russell “Hitman” Alexander and his big band are
thankfully regular visitors to these shores, but don’t
make the mistake of taking these modern bluesers for
granted. If you’ve not had the good fortune to see them

live yet, then this album will give you a strong idea of
what you missed, and yes, you’ll regret it.

This is some of the best blues around these days – and it is the blues. Sure, there may

be an occasional soul touch – with a big horn sound, and Russell’s excellent vocals,
that might be unavoidable - but listen to a track like ‘I Know You Rider’, a lyrical

mish-mash based on traditional lyrics, which might read a little dismissively but it’s
quite the opposite. Hitman writes notable, striking songs, and even the instrumental
‘Blood Alley’ surprises, mixing an early 60s feel with tinges of psychedelia to good,
spooky effect.

If you don’t know about Russell’s connection to the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival
(UK, by the way), you might be a little surprised by the inclusion of Stuart Maxwell’s
(of The Shufflepack) wonderfully swinging blues ‘Watch That Thing’ – a genuinely

stupendous performance! The album’s other covers are his revisioning of Kris
Kristofferson’s ‘Sunday Morning Comin’ Down’ into a West side Chicago blues classic

(and predating Kristofferson’s recent passing – it can also be heard on the 2023
compilation, “Hey, Can You Guys Play…” ) and, just as startling, a successful blues –
and gospel - reimagination of Johnny Cash’s ‘Folsom Prison Blues’.

So yes, here’s a very strong album. One of the best I’ve heard in 2024 and one that
will be on heavy rotation in my house in 2025!
Norman Darwen

Dennis Herrera – Four – Deep Groove

(www.dennisherrera.com)

A good while back now, I wrote once that the presence

of Texan guitar legend Anson on an album was a solid
guarantee of high quality. Well, Anson pops up here
on a remix of a track called ‘Mean Old Texas Shuffle’

(what else!) and yes, this release is an excellent
record! It is Dennis’ fourth album, as you might have
guessed, and it is basically rather traditional-sounding

Texas electric blues.

Well, to be fair, there are nods to California and Chicago too, but maybe that’s not
too surprising as Dennis is actually from San Jose, California, and grew up listening