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Dustin Arbuckle and the Damnations—Live at the Sham-
rock—Independent

Dustin Arbuckle is a singer and blues harp player based in Wi-
chita, Kansas, who made his reputation with roots rockers

Moreland & Arbuckle, playing tough, driving blues and roots-
rock, but he is happy to try many kinds of related styles. That is
immediately apparent on the first two numbers of this beautiful-
ly-recorded live set made on his home turf - The Shamrock
Lounge has been in operation since 1932!).

It is a little bit of a shock to hear the jaunty, ragtime-influenced
‘You’re Gonna Hear Me On The Radio’ as the opener (that’s not a criticism, by the way, just
rather unexpected!), but normal service is quickly resumed with the powerful, driving, Muddy
Waters and Howling Wolf styled ‘Across The Desert’, originally on Dustin’s first solo album,
“My Getaway” from 2020. Harmonica wise, Dustin sounds as much at home with either style…

‘Dealer’s Lament’ lies somewhere between soul and country, before the up tempo blues of the
instrumental ‘Sioux City Strut’ and the beautifully sung, lilting southern soul ballad of Mike
Morgan’s ‘Let Me Live Again’ (no harp on this one). ‘Moonlight On The Mountain’ is a kind of
rootsy country number, again contrasting with the tough, grooving blues of ‘Woman Down In
Arkansas’. The set closes with the straight country of ‘My Baby Only Loves Me When I’m Gone’
and Bob Dylan’s ‘Tombstone Blues’, treated almost Mississippi Hill country style.

Norman Darwen

Jon Geiger—Live at Harvelle’s—Independent
(www.jongeiger.com)

New York born singer and guitarist Jon has a fascinating musical
history, incorporating stints in Boston, Massachusetts (at the
prestigious Berklee School Of Music) and Austin, Texas and he is

currently based in Los Angeles, California. He has been dubbed
a blues and blues-rock player, which is kind of correct, but just
listen to the opening track of this live set, Bill Withers’ ‘Ain’t No
Sunshine’, which has a very soulful vocal by Jon and plenty of
unexpected and highly accomplished guitar work – or try the Bo
Diddley-styled ‘The Voice’. Jon is certainly not afraid to explore
possibilities or follow through on improvised ideas, nor is he reluctant to draw on traditional
styles, sometimes, as here, within the same song.

‘Bullet’ starts off and ends as a heavy blues shuffle but takes some unusual detours in between.
This is the pattern for much of the material here, a blues format interspersed with almost free-
jazz-like improvisation by Jon and the band, with Jon’s vocals always adding that touch of soul.
Try ‘Desert Of My Heart’ for a good example which for some reason made me think of 60s
supergroup Cream in places. Then there is his sometimes ferocious version of ‘Feeling Good’
(you may know it via Nina Simone)

But throughout this set, Jon keeps the listeners on their toes – and you cannot say that of many
blues-rock releases these days. Intriguing.

Norman Darwen