Page 49 - BiTS_10_OCTOBER_2021

Mick Kolassa—Wasted Youth—Endless Blues MMK72021

(www.mimsmick.com)

Born in Michigan, singer, guitarist and songwriter Mick is

now based down in Memphis where he is a tireless worker
for the blues and from where he keeps up a reasonably
steady stream of rather nice albums. As here, he is often
aided and abetted by guitarist Jeff Jensen and also calls

upon a number of rather impressive guests.

This set is permeated by the pandemic of 2020 which had a
massive impact on Mick, and careful listening to the dozen

tracks reveals its effects. Not that this is a morose album - it’s solid blues all the way
through, from the nicely downhome-tinged title track (with fine blues harp from Eric
Hughes and excellent slide guitar from Brad Webb) and the brassy, funky ‘I’m Missing You’

to the jazzy groove of ‘Touching Bass’ and the moody, deep soul-blues of ‘It Hurts To Let
You Go’. ‘Easy Doesn't Live Here’ has a hint of Otis Rush, and the slow blues ‘Pieces Of My
Past’ is an emotional performance as Mick tells us “I’m haunted by what happened last

year”.

Anthony Paule contributes his strong guitar licks and memorable instrumental break to ‘I
Can’t Get Enough’, Brandon Santini adds powerhouse harp blowing to ‘My Mind Doesn’t

Wander’, and Victor Wainwright is responsible for the rolling piano licks on the slower
‘Feeling Sorry For Myself’. Albert Castiglia supplies slide to the closer, the acoustic ‘Edge Of
A Razor’.

This is a starkly honest release - it is also one that deserves a wide audience. The blues as
catharsis…

Norman Darwen

Cleveland Crochet & The Sugar Bees—Hillbilly Ramblers &
Sugar Bees—Bear Family BCD17598

More years ago than I care to remember, I bought a vinyl
album on Storyville “The Louisiana Blues In Person With The
Fabulous Weldon “Juke Boy” Bonner”. It was if fact an an-

thology of blues artists on the Goldband label. However, the
final two tracks were by one Jay Stutes and featured accordi-
on and steel guitar – rocking blues, Cajun style, and a won-

derful introduction to a whole new genre.

In fact, I had come across Jay Stutes before, but unknowingly. Canned Heat troubled the lower

reaches of the UK charts in 1970 with their version of ’Sugar Bee’, originally credited to Cajun
bandleader/ fiddler Cleveland Crochet and sung by Jay. That original had even made the
Billboard Top 100 in 1961.