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harp out front and ‘She’s Alright’ is a Muddy tune with ex-Waters sideman Bob
Margolin on guitar but ‘That Ain’t Enough’ is one of seven originals, again in the

Chicago blues style of Muddy, with that characteristic slide guitar.

However, with ‘Went Home This Morning’ we get some up-tempo Jimmy Reed-style

blues with Bob’s high register harp and ‘She Turned Me Down’ is a slow blues with
Willie’s authentic vocals over a fine performance by the band, especially Anthony
Geraci on rolling piano. Muddy’s band regularly played Big Joe Williams’ ‘Baby

Please Don’t Go’ and this version is similar to their swinging version and that same
drive continues on ‘Me and My Baby’. Finally, we get another distinctive slow blues
‘Let Me Find Out Your Name’ with Bob on chromatic harmonica and Ben Levin on

dramatic piano. I’m with Willie in my admiration for the Muddy Waters Band and
the combination of Willie’s authentic voice, Bob’s always wonderful harp and the
excellent band, which combines veterans like Bob Stroger (bass) and Bob Margolin

with younger players like Ben Levin, makes for a very enjoyable album.

Graham Harrison

Steve Marriner—Hear My Heart—Cordova Bay
Records

Listening to Canadian bluesman Steve Marriner’s
new album I couldn’t remember where I’d heard

the track ‘I Can’t Dance’ before – then it hit me it
was a hit for British band Genesis but here it’s
re-imagined as a swampy blues with Steve’s

throaty vocals, harp and slide guitar. ‘Workin’ on
Something’ and ‘Got to Be an Answer’ start the
album with Steve’s soulful vocals and chiming

guitars, with ‘Answer’ adding brass and backing
vocals. There are more swampy sounds on
‘Hellbound for Heaven’ with its atmospheric electric slide guitar and echoey

chromatic harmonica.

With ‘Straight Line’ we get a driving Cajun two-step with Steve’s harp taking on the
role of an accordion and also some lovely honky-tonk piano, while ‘No More
Nashville’ as you’d probably expect is a country song, a poignant heart-broken ballad
with Steve’s harmonica joining pedal steel guitar – this is great song writing, evoking

the classic country songs of George Jones and more recently John Hiatt. ‘Through
the Night’ is a tough song that increases tempo half way through and reminded me
of The Fabulous Thunderbirds with Steve’s distorted blues harp, ‘Little Bird’ is
another country song and we finish with ‘Shootin’ Off’ a swinging jump blues
instrumental featuring Steve’s agile blues harp. This is a really good record that
keeps Steve’s blues roots buts adds other genres and allows him to demonstrate his