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Paul Orta & Steve Coleridge—The Slim Harpo Project—
Sidetrack Records

Sadly Texas blues harp master Paul Orta passed away back in
2019 way to young due to cancer. He did manage however to
record this tribute to Slim Harpo along with Steve Coleridge but
sadly he never got to hear it. The backing on this album is
provided by Steve’s Short Fuse Swamp Blues Band.

The album opens in true Slim Harpo style with ‘I’m Your

Breadmaker Baby’. Despite there being so many versions out
there of the classic ‘Got Love If You Want It’, it still never fails to
click, the sign of a great song. The instrumental ‘Moody Blues’ slows things down a little and there
is a rasping sax solo from Jeanne Wilson to enjoy.

There’s a nice rhumba feel to ‘Mailbox Blues’ and Paul really digs in on ‘Jody Man’ with a great
bluesy vibe. Paul hits the high register on the harp with ‘What’s Going On’. Perhaps the most

famous Slim Harpo tune is ‘King Bee’ and it gets an airing here too. There is some great rocking
piano from Pepe Moreno on ‘You Ain’t Never Had To Cry #2’. The album closes with the slow blues
instrumental ‘Dreamy Blues’.

Whilst there is nothing new or radical here it’s always good to hear some Slim Harpo tunes. The
arrangements here are basic and the production is so so, I guess it is what it is. However It’s
always good to hear Paul Orta playing harp and if you are a fan you will like this album.

Whilst listening to this album I couldn’t help but think that the early Fabulous Thunderbirds were
so much influenced by Slim Harpo which just goes to show what an iconic bluesman Slim Harpo
truly was.

Ged Wilson

Johnny Tucker Featuring Kid Ramos & The Allstars—75 And
Alive—Blueheart Records & Highjohn Records

Johnny is well qualified to play Chicago blues with a highly
nuanced southern feel, for he is one of the few living people

whose family have endured the unpredictable and harsh life of a
seasonal sharecropper. Originally from Fresno. he relocated to
Los Angeles in 1964 and after meeting Phillip Walker he became
the man behind the drums in Walker’s band. He travelled the

world with them for the next 34 years. This is Johnny’s follow up
to his last solo outing “Seven Day Blues’”HighJohn Records 007)
in 2018. This album was recorded at the Pot O’Gold studios,

Orange, California, on the 17th of October 2020 which, was in fact Johnny’s 75th birthday. Joining
Johnny—who takes lead vocals— is Kid Ramos, guitar, Carl Sonny Leyland’ piano, John Bazz, stand-
up and electric bass, Jason Lozano; drums and Bob Corritore; harmonica. Ron Dzlubla provides

saxophones and horn arrangements. Also present in the studio during the recordings was Johnny’s
late wife Georgia May to whom this album is a tribute. The twelve numbers here are original