Page 44 - BiTS_07_JULY_2022
P. 44
Ian Siegal— Stone by Stone— Grow Vision Gvis101
UK singer and guitarist is highly respected across not just the
British blues scene but the US and Europe too. He is
something of a veteran now, and some of the respect he has
garnered can be hear on this set.
Not that this is in any way playing safe or even formal. Right
from the opening notes, there is something of the atmosphere
of friends playing together, enjoying themselves on a
programme of loosely blues-, soul-, gospel- and Americana-
based numbers. It was actually recorded at Grow Vision
Studios in Riverside, California, the home of Beaux Gris Gris &
The Apocalypse, which explains the presence here of singers Greta Valenti and Robin Davey
and other band members. It might also explain some of the slightly off-the-wall sounds here.
Ian’s fans will be aware of the excellent work he has done with Jimbo Mathus, who also turns
up on this album and is just as good as on previous efforts. Shemekia Copeland supplies her
excellent vocals to ‘Hand In Hand’, but things like this are the icing on a formidable cake.
This CD is really about Ian Siegal, and it’s really rather wonderful.
Norman Darwen
Delbert McClinton—Outdated Emotion—Hot Shot
Records ASIN B09V5M63MR
Delbert McClinton is from Fort Worth, Texas where he grew
up listening to Wolfman Jack on AM radio station XERF. Jack
played the nascent rock and roll alongside blues, country and
western and jazz - forever influencing Delbert's taste in
music and providing the basis for this his latest record co-
produced by himself and Kevin McKendree at Kevin's Rock
House Studio in Nashville where Delbert now lives. This 16-
track collection features songs by Hank Williams, Jimmy
Reed, Little Richard etc. as well as five original songs written
or co-written by Mr. McClinton.
We have three Hank Williams songs - 'Settin' The Woods On Fire', 'Jambalaya' and 'Move It On
Over' - all done in original Hank-style with minimal backing, plus reflecting his jazz side we
have the standard 'Hard Hearted Hannah', Amos Milburn's 'One Scotch, One Bourbon, One
Beer' and Delbert's own 'Connecticut Blues'. On the rock and roll side there is a cover of Lloyd
Price's 'Stagger Lee', Little Richard's boogie-woogie 'Long Tall Sally’ and again his own
number 'Sweet Talking' Man'. We also get two Jimmy Reed songs 'The Sun is Shining' and
'Ain't That Lovin' You' (Delbert's first chart hit) as well as a version of Billy Boy Arnold's ‘I
Ain't Got You' featuring Delbert's harmonica (this is the man who taught John Lennon to play
harp!). This is a superb record full of variety with Delbert effortlessly changing from one
genre to another and being backed up by Nashville's finest - with his musical philosophy
spelled out in his own song 'Two Step Too'.
Graham Harrison