Page 37 - BiTS_07_JULY_2020

Ruthie Foster Live At The Paramount Blue Corn Music
ASIN: B085DTB3LH

I'm a big Ruthie Foster fan and I must admit that I was a bit

disappointed to see this live album of her older songs and some
covers rather than hearing her doing new material. However,
from the first few tracks I immediately forgot my misgivings.
Apart from anything else this still showcases Ruthie's wonderful
voice, here supported by a four-piece band, a ten-piece brass
section (!), three backing singers and a conductor recorded live

in January 2019 in Austin's Paramount Theatre. This may seem
like a new venture for her but apparently Ruthie once fronted a US Navy big band when she was
younger, who knew!

The first two songs are originals, including the soulful 'Might Not be Right' written with Stax

legend William Bell but Ruthie completely transforms Johnny Cash's 'Ring of Fire' into a
smouldering soul ballad. I can't say I'm particularly a fan of big bands but on Ruthie's 'Stone Love'
both her and the whole band really swing, while 'The Ghetto' drops the pace and gives the brass
section a rest. However, they are back in force to join in the powerful gospel/blues of ‘Death Came
a Knockin’ (Travelin’ Shoes)’ and they stay for the following selection of more recent songs
including the excellent 'Singin’ the Blues', 'Runaway Soul', 'Woke Up this Morning', the New
Orleans-flavoured 'Joy Comes Back' and the (false) finale 'Phenomenal Woman'. It will come as no

surprise to fans of Ruthie, who will have heard her sing blues, gospel, soul, folk and rock, that she
can handle the two big band numbers of the encore - 'Fly Me to the Moon' and 'Mack the Knife' -
but I'm afraid that despite her past history with this genre to me it didn't sound that she was
completely at home and I much prefer her doing her usual material.

Graham Harrison

Larkin Poe Self Made Man Tricki-Woo ASIN:
B085DSDDW1

One of the best things on Youtube has to be the tribute videos
made by Rebecca and Megan Lovell (Larkin Poe) to artists and

records that have influenced them - anything from country blues
to classic rock - often recorded on the fly in hotel rooms they are
loose but none the less well-crafted and just exude joy and the
girls’ love of playing. You'd probably classify their own music
with the cliche ‘blues-rock’ but for me it’s much more than that,

you can hear a deeper feeling and understanding there, as well as
a pride in their southern roots.

We begin with the title track, a hard-rocking take on ZZ Top's 'Sharp Dressed Man', the single
'Holy Ghost Fire' keeps the same intensity but adds harmonies from Megan and 'Keep Diggin' is
deceptively simple, based on hand-clap backing behind Rebecca's lead vocals and Megan's