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Jeffrey Scott – Going Down to Georgia on a Hog – Music
Maker Foundation LC57
www.musicmaker.org
Music Maker Foundation continues to find artists playing in
more or less the traditional blues fashion and brings them to
public attention. Back in the 90s, I saw songster John Jackson,
the Virginia-born singer and guitarist, playing his venerable
music and thought I’d never witness his like again. Well, here’s
the nephew he taught to play the blues…
Now in his late 50s, the first tune ‘Uncle Johnny’ taught him was
Big Bill Broonzy’s ‘Key To The Highway’, which he remakes here. Other songs include several
items from Blind Boy Fuller, Willie Walker’s ‘South Carolina Rag’, Elizabeth Cotton’s ‘Freight
Train’, and with the venerable ‘Trouble In Mind’ to close this lovely release. There’s also
Lonnie Mack’s ‘Oreo Cookie Blues’! Jeffrey also remakes a couple of his uncle’s songs, as on the
title track.
Throughout the thirteen tracks on this set, there is plenty of fine Piedmont blues styled
fingerpicking and warm singing by Jeffrey. John talked with the youngster about passing on
the blues baton, and there is certainly a sense of that here; I do think he’d be rather proud of
his nephew. Lovers of older blues styles should investigate forthwith!
Norman Darwen
Tim Woods – For You - Independent
www.timwoodsmusic.com
This is the fourth solo album from Western Pennsylvania singer
and guitarist Tim Woods. It was recorded in Georgia and
features some stellar players, including producer and multi-
instrumentalist Bobby Lee Rodgers. There is also plenty of organ
work, which gives the set a strong 60s feel at times.
That is almost certainly intended too. Lend an ear to the
psychedelic influences on both organ and guitar on ‘Low Down
Blues’ (which isn’t, by the way), and the spirit of 1967 crops up
elsewhere too. But the focus of the first half of this album is generally on the blues, sometimes
more over towards the blues-rock end of the spectrum , as on the first three numbers, though
the opening ‘Can’t Stop Rockin’’ has hints of both John Lee Hooker and Howling Wolf.
‘Mimic’ is an instrumental leaning a little towards funk and more towards the jam band
approach, and ‘Reaching Out’ draws on blues, soul and rock. Some of the remaining tracks move
further away from the blues, but most readers should find a lot to enjoy about this set, especially
if they are “of a certain age”.
Norman Darwen