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sacred type number with three backing singers helping out the ensemble (and plenty
of hand-clapping). Or there is ‘Svelte Man Blues’, opening like Robert Wilkins in
Memphis, but heading down into Mississippi as the song progresses. The title track

also has hints of Wilkins and some subtle harp – John remembering that sometimes
less is more.

Both men are of course vastly experienced – John is the elder of the two, having been

performing since the 70s, having worked with Bonnie Raitt, the under-rated Sparky
Rucker and many more; he is a founding member of leading Philly blues band The
Dukes Of Destiny. Johnny Never has been playing Mississippi and Piedmont blues

for over a couple of decades, and the sound the two produce is certainly tight but
also spontaneous sounding.

There is just the one cover here, a relaxed version of Charley Patton’s ‘Dirt Road

Blues’ that reveals a lot about the duo’s approach. I enjoyed the whole set a lot and
look forward to hearing more from them.

Norman Darwen

(www.brotherjohnblues.com)

Todd Albright—Blues for Dexter Linwood—
Misfortune Records

You might think at first that this is one of those virtuoso
acoustic guitar blues albums where the focus is very
much on the playing. After all, Todd’s repertoire draws

from the pre-World War II sounds , and he plays a
baritone 12-string guitar in a variety of tunings.

What that doesn’t tell you though is that he sings and

plays naturally in a style that could have come straight
off a vintage 78 that sold in the tens maybe. He was
mentored by Paul Geremia, one of the finest blues revivalists who himself learned

directly from first generation blues artists, and this release was produced by Charlie
Parr (who also occasionally plays slide guitar here; Dave Hundrieser supplies blues

harp). Misfortune is Todd’s own label, with the name a play on Detroit’s Fortune
Records – he now lives in the Motor City, and the album title references a district in
the city.

But it is the music that counts and Todd certainly provides. 12-string guitar
obviously suggests Blind Willie McTell, and such a supposition would certainly be
correct – try the opening track, Willie’s own ‘Drive Away Blues’. Leadbelly was
another 12-stringer, here listen to ‘Fort Worth And Dallas Blues’ and ‘The Death Of

Ella Speed’ is also relevant. Maybe try too Peg Leg Howell’s ‘Skin Game Blues’ or
Blind Lemon Jefferson’s ‘Shuckin’ Sugar’ (which Geremia has also recorded) for just