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The trio invited Chris Maresh; bass, Tom Brechtlien, Tommy Taylor, Brannen Temple, Jason
Corbiere; drums, into the Wire Recording studios in Austin, Texas. An array of special guests are
also featured, they include; Jimmie Vaughan; guitar and vocals, Mike Flanigin; B3 organ, Carolyn
Wonderland; vocals, Carmen Bradford; vocals, Johnny Moeller; guitar, Marcia Ball; keyboards,
Anson Funderburgh; guitar, Mike Zito; vocals, Guy Forsyth; vocals, and Michael Cross; vocals.
The first of the thirteen numbers here (eleven of them, original compositions) out of the
speakers is ‘Everybody Let’s Roll’, the loose limbed piano, percussion and guitar create a
floating foundation for Carolyn Wonderland’s invitingly raucous vocal, while underneath
swinging, swaying warm horns sweetly rise around you with an irresistible trumpet providing
a satisfying crescendo. The highly infectious, jumping and jiving ‘I Ain’t, Mad With You’, is the
first of five instrumentals, the mellow, swaying, honking saxophone playfully entwines with
some splendid rolling, trilling and tripping piano from Matt Hubbard. Together they invite you
to dance the night away.
A change of pace is delivered by the classy, urban grooving funk of ‘Die With My Blues On’. Guy
Forsyth with his slightly mellow, rasping vocal, joins the warming horns to soothe your fevered
brow, while underneath, bubbling keyboards and a smoothly ringing guitar help to float you
away. ‘Alligator Gumbo’, is a delightful New Orleans foot-tapper, the infectiously inviting rolling
piano and guitar leads you to softly rising horns and an exquisitely inviting trumpet. TTH’s
splendid version of the Beatles ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’, easily slides from gentle, urban
funk to the dramatic orchestrated brass interpretations of the early sixties. ‘The Big Lie’, is
simply a stunning, tight funk groove, which allows TTH to display their infectious and alluring
individual skills. On J.B. Lenoir’s ‘J.B.’s Rock’, Jimmy Vaughan delivers a top notch, fluidly inviting
guitar to a New Orleans march that is tightly underpinned by splendid martial percussion while
an entwining TTH deliver understated, infectiously swinging marching horns.
Thoroughly enjoyable!
Brian Harman
Rebecca Downes—The Space Between Us—Mad Hat Records
Rebecca Downes hails from the ‘black country’ area of the UK. She
is an outstanding singer with a fabulous voice for the blues. She
and her co-songwriter Steve Birkett, who also is the guitarist in
her band, produce some magical songs. Her band is a 5-piece, with
Rebecca on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Steve on lead guitar
and backing vocals. Keyboards and Hammond are managed by
Nigel Darvill, on bass guitar is Vince Yarrington and on drums is
Neil Ablard.
The last album ‘More Sinner than Saint’ was outstanding but this
one beats it hands down. The opener is a 56 second semi-acoustic jam by Beccs herself, ‘Beccs’
Blues’, which is delightful. It’s really a little taster of what she is capable of and I love it. I’d really
like to hear more of this type of stuff.