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Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters—Rise Up—Stony Plain ASIN :
B08CFVQBBN
Ronnie's latest album contains both tracks recorded in his living
room in March 2020 while he was recovering from back surgery, as
well as live cuts from a January 2019 performance at Daryl’s House
Club. His band is Dave Limina (keyboards), Diane Blue (vocals),
Paul Kochanski (bass) and Forrest Padgett (drums), with extra
guitar (and liner notes) from Peter Ward. The material here is a
mix of familiar songs such as Eddie Taylor’s 'Big Town Playboy'
and Dylan’s 'Lord Protect My Child', together with more topical
originals such as 'Blues for Lucky Peterson' - an extended
instrumental in memory of the late bluesman who died in May this
year - and 'Blues for George Floyd'.

We begin with a lovely acoustic instrumental version of 'I Shall Not Be Moved', followed by the
original 'Higher Love', which merges into Fenton Robinson’s 'You Don’t Know What Love Is'. Both
these live cuts feature Diane on vocals with stinging blues guitar from Ronnie. 'Albert's Stomp' is a
pounding instrumental, while Lillian Green’s 'In the Dark' is a slow blues that plays Diane's relaxed
vocals against Ronnie's biting guitar, closely followed by an authentic reading of Magic Sam’s 'All
Your Love'. The whole band do a great bluesified version of Dylan’s 'Lord Protect My Child' then its
an instrumental romp through Ray Charles’ 'Mess Around' with Limina pounding the piano. The
album then finishes with another four instrumentals, including Jimmy Smith’s 'Blues for J'—
featuring Limina on organ - and the original 'Navajo Blues' written by Earl and Ward to highlight the
plight of native Americans disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 virus. This album, recorded in
unusual circumstances, does really hang together and works surprisingly well, indeed it sounds a lot
like Ronnie’s other recent albums and like those The Broadcasters do an excellent job in backing him
all the way.

Graham Harrison

Various Artists—Songs Of Isolation—The Crawdaddy Club

Songs Of Isolation is compilation album created to raise money for
NHS nurses, which features songs by artists that were written
during and about the Covid-19 Lockdown.

This NOT a blues album, abut the roots credentials of many of the
artists are well to the fore.

Contributors include James Sayer, Michelle John, Brent Carter, Fred

Vigdor, Rob Aries, Rumer, Mark Butcher, Martin Harley, John
Fiddler, Bill Wyman, Elles Bailey, James Maddock, Jo Harman,
Christopher Holland, Connor Selby, Hollie Rogers, Kiki Dee and
Carmelo Luggeri, and Fred Mollin. Outstanding tracks for me are Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings with a
cracking version of Slim Harpo’s ‘Got Love If You Want it’ and a super version of Rival Son's ‘Jordan’
by Elles Bailey.

Volume 1, is still available and you can get both by making a minimum donation of £25 or individual
albums for a minimum donation of £15 each. GO TO https://www.songsofisolation.com/shop

Donations received will fund childcare grants, PPE and food drops to NHS workers in need, all over
the country. Please donate today.

Ian K McKenzie

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