Page 39 - BiTS_07_JULY_2023

Sonny Boy No. 1; it is a fine example of the way this band adapts older material, and so too is the
cover of John Lee Hooker’s ‘Dimples’. In fact, there’s not a poor track on this rather impressive
and thoroughly enjoyable release. Do check it out…

Norman Darwen

Boo Boo Davis—The Trio 2008 – 2019—Black & Tan B&t356
(www.blackandtanrecords.nl)

Mississippi-born, Saint Louis-based drummer, harmonica player
and especially gravel-voiced singer in the vein of Howling Wolf,
Boo Boo Davis toured and recorded in Europe as a trio with Black
& Tan Records boss Jan Mittendorp and John Gerritse during the
timespan of the title. Sadly, all good things come to an end, and
COVID put a stop to the tours, with all three men now deciding
they’re now all getting a bit too old for this kind of junket. It’s a
shame, but understandable – after all, Boo Boo was born in 1943
and is one of the few remaining bluesmen to have actually picked cotton in the Delta. Born on
3rd November, he’ll turn 80 this year.

So, what these guys have done is to pick fifteen of their favourite tracks from their shared
discography. It’s a strong idea too – the releases have been varied, from the straight up down
home Mississippi sound to blues electronica, and the hour’s worth of music here varies from the
straight-forward raw sound of ‘Boo Boo Blues’ - which sounds like it should be on a 78 from
Modern Records - ‘St. Louis Woman’ and ‘Cryin’ Woman’, all with fine harp and the last named
with a strongly Rice Miller-ish vocal, on up to the blues-rock influenced approach of ‘Stay From
The Casino’ and ‘Silvermine’ and the more mellow southern-soul styled ‘Why You Wanna Do It’.

A lovely collection then – it’s great to listen to, but it does also make me hope that these guys
might yet agree to “never say never again”.

Norman Darwen

Eric Heideman—Third Degree Gravity—Independent
(www.ericheideman.com)

Eric is a young singer and guitarist from Salt Lake City, Utah. He
is obviously pretty highly-regarded as he can call on well-known
names Victor Wainwright and Canadian guitar ace JW-Jones as
producers and Dave Gross as engineer.

“Third Degree Gravity” opens with the raucous rocker ‘I Didn’t Do
It’, with cool vocals by Eric and Victor also pounding the keys
Jerry Lee Lewis fashion. It’s a great introduction to the album and
to Eric, and the remaining songs only serve to underline his mastery, with a wide range of

arrangements, though all generally fit into a blues bag, with slight hints of blues-rock – but
unusually for these days, they are only slight. The rockiest number is the riff-based ‘Leavin’
Today’.