Page 45 - BiTS_12_DECEMBER_2023

REVIEWS

Various Artists—Blind Raccoon and Nola Blue Collec-

tion Volume Five—Blue Heart Records BHR039

This two CD set is the fifth collaboration, between Blind
Raccoon Promotions and the record labels Nola Blue

Records and Blue Heart Records. Once again, the thirty
numbers here are a mixture of album and unreleased
tracks, previously released singles and firm fan favour-

ites.

A stand out number here is the single, ‘Time Brings About
A Change’, from the late Texan pianist Floyd Dixon, which was released in March

2013, which is derived from a live concert from June 2006, the splendidly melan-
cholic, emotion filled, piano slow blues, includes a tastefully sympathetic guitar
from a young ‘Kid’ Ramos. A more recent number is from Carole Sylvan, who delivers

an enjoyably full throated R’n’B funker, entitled ‘Saving Up For Your Love’, with the
aid of The Uptown Horns. Bringing the emotions and pace down is Steve Howell &
The Mighty Men, with a seriously enticing, laid back instrumental version of the

classic ‘The In Crowd’.

The Gayle Harrod Band blast the cobwebs away with a stirring and uplifting Gospel
influenced brass filled stomper entitled ‘Come On People’. Stirring stuff! Another

blaster, is from Stacy Jones with ‘Jefferson Way’, this stomping, guitar sliding toe-
tapper features a seriously wailing harmonica, nice! The enticing, slow walking
blues of ‘Repossession Blues’, from Dave Thomas is further enhanced by the doleful

and wistful harmonica of Wallace Coleman. The sleepy, New York soulful, ‘Maybe
You Will Someday’, from guitarist Robert Hill and the emerging slinky and silky

voiced S. JA�, slowly draws you in and wraps itself inside your mind. On the other
hand, the jaunty New Orleans / Scott Joplin inspired rolling piano, horns and guitar
instrumental, entitled ‘Hey Nola’, from The Maple Blues Band is, quite simply—a
delight!

Meanwhile, in 2017, Jimmy Bratcher delivered a brash, Hard Rock/Metal version of
Hank Williams’ ‘Honky Tonk Blues’, which, on reflection, is not as bad as it could
have been. A splendid moody, slinky, shuffler from Teresa James entitled ‘I’d Do It

For You’, merges laconic guitar and piano with invitingly lazy drum work, over which
Teresa’s soothing vocals glide. A nifty little rock’n’roller entitled ‘My Blue Guitar’, has

it all, pounding piano, strident drum work and frantic lead guitar, lovely. Tiffany
Pollack shines on the enjoyably modern blue eyed poppy soul of ‘Dissent’. While on
‘Tight Black Sweater’, Kenny Parker eagerly enthuses about a girl of his dreams.

Side two opens with ‘Haven’t Seen My Baby’, a splendid slow rolling piano blues
from Anthony Geraci. This is followed by the live and seriously toe-tapping, head