Page 49 - BiTS_06_JUNE_2024

Nick Alexander—Lil Hoochie—Independent

Nick is the son of Chicago bluesman and Delmark Records artist
Linsey “Hoochie Man” Alexander, and he is certainly keeping
the blues in the family. The opening track finds Nick being
introduced to a live audience by his father over a tough backing,
and you just know this is going to be a good one…

So it is. Nick is backed by a bunch of very fine Windy City blues
musicians throughout, and tackles some of his dad’s songs -
‘Mona Lisa Was A Man’, loosely based on ‘Grits Ain’t Groceries
(All Around The World)’ was the first song Nick learned to play
and he plays his dad’s guitar too on this one. Nick has also said
that he has a healthy regard for the energy of 60s and 70s soul music, and he proves that early
on in this album with a storming version of James Brown’s ‘Popcorn’ (with the hornmen running
riot too!); he later remakes the Godfather Of Soul’s ‘Soul Power’ just as effectively, and includes
a meaty guitar break.

More blues come courtesy of the fine Chicago shuffle of ‘Dial Your Number’, a modernized
version of the venerable ‘Outskirts Of Town’ and a funky blues in ‘Moving To The Country’. The
almost seven minutes long version of Ray Charles’ ‘I Believe To My Soul’ certainly belongs in a
Windy City blues club, and ‘I’m Tired’ is nicely up tempo, before ‘Make It Funky’ takes us back
to James Brown to close out a rather fine album. Nick Alexander is a name to watch out for…

Norman Darwen

Noé Socha—Simplebluesboy—Independent
Noé was born in Italy and is now based in Brooklyn, New York,
although the opening instrumental might lead you to think I
have confused the Big Apple with the Big Easy as pianist Jon
Cleary (born in Kent!) and percussionist Lenny Castro help to
create a fine New Orleans groove behind the leader’s harmonica
playing. Follow-up track ‘Noé’s Shuffle’ is another fine
harmonica piece, this time with a swinging, jazzy tinge.

‘NYC Boogie’ is another self-descriptive title and sports some
excellent harp and slide guitar work - pardon the metaphor but
his guitar playing is another string to the leader’s bow. The
pinched sound of his harp blowing on ‘Jules Bistro’ (sic) adds a
slightly Gallic flavour, and shows he is unafraid to stretch out beyond the blues, though ‘Walking
Stick Blues’ leans towards a harder, powerful, blues-rock sound, and ‘Slow Dancing In A Burning
Room’ has a muted soul ballad feel.
‘2 Train Blues’ is a good old blues guitar instrumental with hints of Freddy King’s sound, ‘Funky

Elephant’ is indeed funky, and ‘Yellow’ is more than a little wistful. As a mainly blues-based all
instrumental album, this is a little different. Having said that though, there is certainly plenty
to enjoy here.

Norman Darwen