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country past. I was surprised by this album which I thought was very good, with lots of variety,
     good playing and production and with Crystal not putting a foot wrong out front.


     Graham Harrison


                                        The Hungry Williams—Let’s Go!—Rochelle Records  ASIN :
                                        B0B8JRYVWD


                                        The Hungry Williams are from Milwaukee but you'd never guess
                                        it from listening to the vintage Crescent City sounds on this CD,
                                        which  are  pure  New  Orleans.  The  CD  was  recorded  with
                                        California Honeydrops' producer Jacob LaCally and the first track
                                        the  original  composition  'Mardi  Gras  Day'  features  the
                                        Honeydrops'  Lech  Wierzynski  on  trumpet.  The  band  is  leader
                                        John Carr (drums), Kelli Gonzalez (vocals), Joe Vent (guitar), Jack
                                        Stewart (keyboards), Mike Sieger (bass), Jason Goldsmith (tenor
     sax) and Casimir Riley (baritone sax).



     We are treated to 3 songs by blues belter Big Maybelle 'One Monkey Don’t Stop the Show', 'Gee
     Baby' and 'Then I’ll Believe' of which I preferred the real 50s R&R sounds of 'Gee Baby' with Ms.
     Gonzalez out front and the band joining in with the backing vocals. The band also vocalise on
     LaVern Baker’s 'You’d Better Find Yourself Another Fool' and on the NOLA classic 'Oooh Wow'
     written by Fats Domino’s guitarist Roy Montrell the band's guitarist Joe Vent steps up to sing the
     lead vocals. All the other songs are original compositions with Gonzalez contributing 'Boss Man'
     and  'Big  Mouth  Betty’,  with  all  the  songs  being  powered  by  Carr's  drums,  with  Stewart's
     authentic piano and with the saxes adding that extra class. I really enjoyed this record with its
     well-judged mix of NOLA classics and original songs and its good playing and production.


     Graham Harrison
                                         Duwayne Burnside—Acoustic Burnside—Dolceola
                                         Recordings  ASIN ‏ :B0B1XDG3XK


                                         Duwayne is the son of North Mississippi hill country legend R.L.
                                         Burnside and this album - his first in 17 years - was recorded
                                         around  their  home  in  Holly  Springs,  Mississippi  in  2018  and

                                         2019. The songs are mainly songs that Duwayne learned from his
                                         father,  including  songs  written  by  R.L.  -  'Going  Down  South',
                                         'Jumper on the Line' and 'Alice Mae' and all are performed on
                                         acoustic  guitar  in  the  trance  blues  style.  Duwayne  also  pays
                                         homage  to  his  neighbour  Junior  Kimbrough  with  versions  of
                                         Kimbrough's 'Meet Me in the City' and 'Lord Have Mercy on Me'
     as well as tackling blues standards like 'Dust My Blues' and '44 Pistol' ('44 Blues'), as well as the
     hill country anthem 'Poor Black Mattie'.


     You can hear that Duwayne is more used to playing electric guitar - listen to his single string
     work on 'She Threw My Clothes Out' - and there is also the influence of funk on some of the
     songs - 'Stay All Night' - but overall this is a modern take on good old country blues, very much
     influenced by the playing of his father.


     Graham Harrison
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