Page 53 - BiTS_01_JANUARY_2024

Righteous Villains—Unusual Suspects—Independent

Here’s a four-piece outfit out of Buffalo, New York, led by singer
and harp blower Don Wegrzynowski. They have been playing in
this format since March 2022 and what they play is their own
take on the blues. The songs are in blues structures for the most
part, though not always strictly 12 bars – and some of the songs
are overtly political. They mention on websites that they are
concerned about the rise of fascism in today’s USA, and this is
certainly well in evidence on the satirical boogying blues of ‘Cops
Were Cool’ and the slow Magic Sam inflected ‘(Five Hour Bus
Ride With A) Trumper Blues’, which coincidentally includes some
excellent harp and electric guitar sparring, the latter by Brian Gerbracht.

The eleven songs are all originals, and there is a fine attention to detail throughout, musically

and lyrically. There is some tough, energetic blues playing throughout (try ‘Finally Free’ for one
example), but note that only one track, really qualifies as blues-rock. That’s the lively, seven
minutes plus of ‘Price Of My Soul’ - let’s mention too the excellent rhythm section of Cody
Barcroft on bass and drummer Ryan Campbell, impressive across the course of the album but
totally stupendous here. Overall, this album is a rather fine example of strong bar-blues by a
bunch of guys who know just what is needed – and more importantly, just how to deliver it.

Norman Darwen

John Mayall—Live in France 1967-73—Repertoire Records
ASIN : B0BSY5F77V

Following Mayall’s recent 90th birthday we now have this 2x
CD set (also available on DVD) Live in France recorded by
French television between 1967 and 1973. We begin with John
doing Sony Boy Williamson’s ‘Help Me’ on vocals, Hammond
organ and mouth organ with just a rhythm section, this is listed
as “Baton Rouge, 23 December 1967” but John was in the UK on
this date. We then have three tracks from the ‘Laurel Canyon’
band recorded in January 1969 at the Marquee Club featuring
Mick Taylor on guitar with just ‘Baby What’s Wrong with You’
featuring brass. Then it’s seven tracks recorded live in Lyon in June 1970 with the ‘Turning
Point’ band Johnny Almond (sax, flute), Jon Mark (guitar) Steve Thompson (bass). We also get

three tracks by one-man-band Duster Bennett who was supporting John on the tour. This
jazz-leaning drummer-less band was a radical move for Mayall at the time and for me the
version of BB King’s ‘Sweet Little Angel’ here doesn’t really work with this line up.

Disc 2 has six tracks recorded live at the Olympia in Paris in March 1971 with the ‘USA Union’
band with Harvey Mandel (guitar), Larry Taylor (bass) and Don ‘Sugarcane’ Harris (violin).
However, although the band play tracks from the USA Union album, here we also have a
drummer - Paul Lagos. I feel that the tracks work well, merging Mayall’s flirtation with jazz
together with his blues roots, with Harvey Mandell’s lead guitar linking with previous Blues-
breakers’ guitarists and the drums holding everything together for live performance. Next
come three jazz leaning tracks from Olympia in 1973 with the ‘Ten Years Are Gone’ band with
Freddy Robinson (guitar), Blue Mitchel (trumpet), Red Holloway (sax,flute), Victor Gaskin
(bass) and Keef Hartley (drums). The same band also close the album with ‘Harmonica and
Brass Freeform’ recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival on 4 July 1973. This album show-