Musical Ramblings

The Rhythm Junks - Virus B23

I can feel a somewhat rant-ish post coming up one of these days on the lack of creativeness in the musical field when it comes to harmonica playing. Now is not the time however, but it's not often that I get the opportunity to review a record that is trying to push the envelope  and actually achieves it too. There may also be another rant about harmonica albums as opposed to simply music, because the Rhythm Junks' album features much harmonica, but can in no way be described as a harmonica album. I suspect there's a link between the two rants, as well, but I need to furbish my arguments before I start talking seriously about it or the whole harmonica world will grill me with flamethrowers the second I hit 'post'.  So expect that for another day.

In the meantime, back to Virus B23. Steven De bruyn is a diatonic and chromatic player from Belgium. He used to be part of one of the most famous blues-rock bands there, El Fish. They released two very exciting and fresh blues oriented albums in the mid 90s, then came out with a very dark and interesting rock album that had little to do with blues except for some samples of Sonny Boy Williamson 2 calling Leonard Chess a motherfucker. Then the singer/gutarist left, was replaced, they released a somewhat weird mostly instrumental album and fell off the face of the earth.  Steven, thankfully, was one step ahead and already thinking about his next project. It was originally to be called Virus B23, but that's now the title of the album and the band is called the Rhythm Junks.

A fitting name, really. The Rhythm Junks are an odd line-up: drums and double-bass form the rhythm section, two trumpets and two saxes form a four-piece horn section, and Steven sings and plays the harp. No guitar, no piano, organ, no instrument, in other words, individually designed to produce chords and harmonies. This strongly focuses the music on rhythm, hence the name.

There's a definite funk jazz feel to the Rhythm Junks' music, and that's apparent from the first horn riffs of the first track, Power to Reality. Steven's half-singing half-rapping fits the genre quite well, and his lyrics are quirky and amusing, as showcased on the title track Virus B23 (about a funk disease that makes people dance) or the excellent Supergroover, about drummer Tony Gyselinck . It's hard to resist that particular groove they are going for: this really is an infectious album that will make you want to dance.

That being said, the track selection isn't totally even, and there's a section in the middle of the album with three or four tracks that lack the drive that really makes the rest groove.  As a consequence, you tend to dose off a bit until things pick up with Boogie Waltz. It's not so much that these tracks are uninteresting, there's just an overly long sequence of mostly slow, mostly instrumental and a little introspective tracks.

I mentioned in my introduction that I enjoyed this record because it wasn't a record made for harmonica players, and I guess I should qualify that. There's plenty of harmonica, and Steven is a very impressive player in his mastery of sound and placement. Apart from the occasioonal use of an alternate tuning, his approach is mostly bluesy on diatonic and more versatile on chromatic. The sheer power of his playing however, on diatonic especially, makes his usually short but energetic solo stand out and deliver. Big time.

But again, the quality of Virus B23 is in the ensemble rather than the individuals, impressive though they may be. The absence of an instrument that imposes the harmony has two very interesting consequences: first, there's a lot of suggested harmony, which gives the arrangements space and pushes the rhythm section forward, and second, the horn arrangements are truly vital, more so than in their habitual uses as a support to the harmony. In other words, the horns do a lot more than accentuate the music, they define the music.

So here's what you get with the Rhythm Junks : a vital, energetic, funky and modern sounding band with an approach that is both original and full of potential; excellent arrangements  and impressive musicianship that serve an ensemble rather than attract undue attention; plenty of harmonica. So the album probably isn't perfect, especially in terms of choice and sequence of repertoire, but there's loads to be enjoyed there if you like the kind of music that shakes the boogie...

Click here to purchase the Rhythm Junks' Virus B23 from www.proxis.be

More Inspiration

A couple of years back, under the loving care of French harmonica master JJ Milteau, a harmonica compilation called Inspiration: 22 Great Harmonica Performances was released by Universal Jazz. It sold rather a lot more than originally expected, so Milteau was asked to work on a second opus, which will be released on May 9th in France, under the title Inspiration:  22 Rare Harmonica Performances.  I've been privileged enough to help JJ in selecting some of the tracks, and I'm very pleased to let you know now, in a worldwide premiere, the exact contents of this new compilation. As you will see, there are some rare things indeed, and Howard Levy fans especially will be pleased to hear an amazing track that has been out of print since 1985 and never released in CD.

Here's the track listing :

• Jerry Jeff Walker - Harmonica Talk
• Damien Masterson - Intercambio
• Eddie Taylor (w. George Harmonica Smith) - Going upside your head
• El Fish (Steven deBruyn) - Pussy Arrête
• Norton Buffalo - Eighteen Wheels
• Hugo Diaz - Mi Buenos Aires querido
• Duster Bennet - I choose to sing the blues
• Don Les & Mo Vint - After you've gone
• Paul Butterfield - Born under a bad sign (live)
• Donald Kachamba - Tiye tiye loko jive
• Little Walter - I just keep loving her
• Laurent Maur - Slap mama
• Wilson Poirier - Le reel des écureuils
• Charles Leighton - Gershwin's 2nd Prelude
• Les Primitifs du Futur - Leecan & Cooksey
• Andy Belvin - Travelin' Mood
• Paquito d'Rivera (w. Howard Levy) - The Lady and the Tramp
• Yoshiro Morimoto - Konomichi
• Papa John Kolstad (w. Mike Turk) - Beans Taste Fine
• Gabriel Grossi - Rebuliço
• Jimmy Smith - Mountain Blues
• Donald Black - Slow Airs

I can't wait for it to come out. I love the first Inspiration, which I believe to be one of the most comprehensive aural panoramas of what the harmonica can be, and I heard some of the tracks on this new release, all of them astounding. I'll post a quick review when I have the thing in my hand in a couple of weeks!

The John Butler Trio - Sunrise over Sea

I think I'm a sucker for nice black and white photos of acoustic string instrument. In fact, strike that: I know that I am. The other day, I was browsing through the pop/rock section of one of the record stores near work (the pop/rock section being where they keep Dr John, that gives you a good idea of the state of the industry...)

Anyway, I stumbled upon a listening post with the John Butler Trio's Sunrise Over Sea. On the front cover, John Butler in the studio sitting on a stool with his acoustic guitar and a rack of pedals, a banjo leaned against the wall next to him. On the back cover, a panoramic view of the studio, Butler on the left, the drummer in the center and the double-bassist on the right hand side.

I only vaguely remembered having heard a John Butler Trio track from one of the Bonnaroo CDs, and not being overly impressed. I listened to the first minute or so of the first track and I walked to the counter with a copy of the album. I think it was the double-bass on the back cover that did it.

Man am I happy to go on impulse sometimes! Sunrise over Sea has not left the inside of my CD player ever since. It's definetely the most interesting find I've made in the rock arena since Derek Trucks (assuming one classifies Derek as rock, which could be debatable...)

First of all, John Butler himself is a very impressive acoustic guitarist, at ease with fast picking and slide playing, and a nice, unassuming singer. If that wasn't enough, his writing is fresh and vivid, both lyrically and musically. To top it all, his sidemen are excellent in their own field, very together, and bring the best support for both his guitar playing and his singing. Not bad, for a guy I didn't even know of three weeks ago, eh ?

One thing that really impresses me in this album is that the material is both varied and cohesive. From the groovy hip-hop on Treat Yo Mama to the melancholic aggresiveness of Sometimes, the music sounds at times hendrixian, at times dylanesque, and at no time passé. Furthermore, and that's rare enough in rock to need mentioning, although it would be excessive to describe Butler's songs as complex writing, there's an evident thought given to dynamics.

A great example of that is Peaches & Cream, the second song on the album: it's 6:47 long and starts as a solo acoustic ballad. It's a somewhat introspective song, and as the verses advance, you find yourself getting drawn into the song and sharing the interrogation. Then subtly, after three or four minutes, the rest of the band joins in. Their backing lifts the song up, it really gives it a different feel, and it's a bit like the song evolved and you with it. Great stuff. No genius involved, just excellent use of the tools at their disposal.

I am tempted to compare this record to three of the most interesting acoustic rockers of the moment, namely G. Love, Ben Harper and Jack Johnson. Butler sometimes strays towards G Love's groove and there's a definite kinship with the instrumentation, but whereas G Love is often all groove, all rock or all folky, Butler is always somewhere in between these three pillars. Butler's guitar playing, especially his use of effects like wah-wah on acoustic guitar playing is reminiscent at times of Ben Harper, but I feel Butler is the better soloist of the two and his writing is a little less cerebral. Finally, some of the tracks have that laid back feel that you can only find on Jack Johnson records, although Butler knows when to make the engine roar, something that Johnson never does. So in the end, although I think there's a definite familiarity within John Butler's style, he is no less his own man, and I don't feel his work to be in any way derivative.

So, what else can I say? I tried it on a whim, and I discovered something truly unique and exciting. I think you should try it too. Certainly if you're into any of the artists mentioned above, there are chances you'll find something to hang onto in Sunrise over Sea. If you enjoy rock from back when the word still meant something but like to hear stuff that's modern and fresh, then the dynamics, the wah-wah guitar sounds and the driving rhythms should grab you. And if you're just into sepia toned black and white photos with acoustic string instruments featured, well, you will at least get a kick out of the cover and sleevenotes!

CLick here to purchase the John Butler Trio's 'Sunrise over Sea' from Amazon.com

Jean-Jacques Milteau - Blue 3rd

Blue 3rd is the most recent release of French harmonica player Jean-Jacques Milteau. JJ's approach on this album is similar to the one taken on the excellent Memphis released in 2001: recorded in the states, with a mix of local musicians and some of the talented crew that normally accompanies Milteau in France. The album features 13 tracks including 8 instrumentals and, as on Memphis, not only is the backing band partially native, but four guests enhance the record with their vocals and/or instruments.

This time, it’s not in Memphis that Milteau decided to drop his harmonica case but in New York. Memphis was clearly aiming for a ‘Memphis Sound’ whereas Blue 3rd is not so much preoccupied with a context as it is with sound in general. It's a quest for a particular grain, a particular growl, the one, specifically, that we often associate with black singers. Unsurprisingly, the three vocal guests are therefore soul-blues songster Terry Callier, Nu Soul diva N’dambi and grandfather of protest hip-hop Gil Scott-Heron. The fourth guest, Howard Johnson, does not sing, but he brings with him that growling timbre of baritone sax and trombone that fits perfectly with the  album’s concept.

What about JJ Milteau, you will rightly ask? Well, apart from five ‘guestless’ instrumentals, on which he plays both themes and long improvisations, he remains in line with the trend of his last few releases where he has showcased his ability to brilliantly accompany his guests without stealing the show. Some may find that relative lack of flash regrettable, but the taste and finesse displayed in his interventions more than make up for it. If your affinity is with musicality over virtuosity, you should find his approach hard to fault.

It's obvious to me that JJ has given a lot of thought to the role of the harmonica in the musical whole, it's particular sound in interaction with other instruments, etc. In other words, he’s not just playing indiscriminately: his contribution to each track is specific to its context, both in the choice of tonality, position, tuning, amplification and phrasing. I once compared this particular stande to that of Miles in the early days of cool, and although I am in no means saying that Milteau is as crucial an artist as Miles is, I think there are some similarities in concept. They both pay as much attention (if not more) to the sound of the instrument and what it contributes to a given piece as to what notes are actually being played.

Beyond the simple enjoyment of listening to the record, a harp player may find it interesting to decode the choices that Milteau makes to contribute ideally to each track and ensure that the harmonica enhances the whole rather than just be a part of it. As an example, on ‘Some Kind of Pressure’, JJ chooses a low keyed harp with draw 3 and draw 7 retuned a semi-tone down for a more minor bluesy sound. This, in combination with the sparse accompaniment and relaxed phrasing responds beautifully to Terry Callier’s warm and soulful voice. On the other hand, on the cover of Lou Donaldson’s ‘Turtle Walk’, JJ uses a high pitched harp to counterbalance Howard Johnson’s baritone sax.

All this being said, I have to admit that the album as a whole isn’t quite as cohesive as Memphis was. Blue 3rd may be the victim of excessive attention to detail and production, which seems to constrain spontaneity in a way Memphis didn’t. As a consequence, only those tracks which have a strong personality seem to shine. The end feeling is that Blue 3rd isn’t one album, it’s two very different half albums.

The first one includes the collaborations with Callier, Scott-Heron and Johnson. Sometimes it’s halfway between jazz and old-school soul, as superbly illustrated on Scott-Heron’s classic ‘Home is where the Hatred is’, sometimes it flirts with blues on Callier’s ‘Some Kind of Pressure’ or even more openly on ‘Fishing Blues’, the duet between Johnson’s tuba and Milteau’s harmonica, a marvel of freshness and spontaneity. These tracks all have that ‘sound’, that particular growl that Milteau seems to be aiming for. They also have a strong identity that may not appeal to those who are interested mainly in blues, but will satisfy those who delight in heartfelt, strong musical statements.

The second half-album includes most of Milteau’s guestless instrumentals, and the collaborations with the singer N’dambi. These tracks are not worse interpreted than the rest, but they lack personality, and the excessively clean sound of the whole makes them extremely neutral, at least to these ears. I hate to use the term easy listening lightly, because it has grown to have a very negative connotation, but I must say that’s what I feel they are when I’m listening: unadventurous, polished, excessively clean and possibly designed to please the largest number…

In addition, it's a pity that Milteau didn’t want (or couldn’t) invite a female singer with a somewhat less polished voice. N’dambi’s voice is very pretty, but it sounds like so many of that horde of female singers that haunt the charts these days on both sides of the Altantic... I will admit not to being a fan of that style of singing though, so maybe what I’m saying here isn’t exactly relevant to those who are!

Globally, Blue 3rd is still an album worth owning and listening to. In fact, some of the tracks are, in my opinion, the best that Milteau has released these last few years. That being said, there’s a bit more material in there that is unappealing to me than in most of Milteau’s other records. As usual, it might not appeal to the fans of harmonicistic acrobatics, and hard-core blues fans might not find what they seek in Blue 3rd, but if you’re open-minded musically, if you like jazzy atmospheres, talented musicians, tasteful improvisations and singers with a strong personality, there’s still a lot in this record that will please you.

Click here to purchase JJ Milteau's Blue 3rd from Amazon.com

All round the world !

I've been linked by what appears to be a Hong Kong harmonica bulletin board. Unsurprisingly, I can't understand a word about it, but there are some nice links around. And if you speak Chinese, obviously, it may be a lot more relevant to you !

Capetown Blues

I just spent last week in Capetown, South Africa, half of the week working and half vacationing. I'll ramble on about South Africa later (I'm writing this sitting in Johannesburg airport waiting for my flight back home) but I wanted to share this picture, taken on the Waterfront. Despite beinig essentially a tourist trap, the Waterfront is still pleasant and has musicians playing on every street corner.

I saw a really good saxophonist who played solo, New Orleans style, a full dixieland jazz band complete with singing Mama, and this guy here on the right. Now you'd think this guy played the meanest blues, right? His guitar built with a Castro Oil can as a body looks way cool, in a third-world kind of way. Unfirtunately, it turned out that his musical specialty was elevator music, played to a pre-recorded background. He had two compilations out called Soft Tone 1&2. I didn't buy them... He played pretty well, but elevator music ? Ugh...

Mountain Dulcimers ?!?!

Yeah! I've been linked in by a new site called Dave's Mountain Dulcimer. I never even knew there was an instrument called the Mountain Dulcimer, and man, does it look funky ! I love obscure instruments. Anyway, Dave Murray seems to be nearly as much a harmonica fan as he is a Mountain Dulcimer fan, and he has a fine collection of harmonica links on his links page.

I don't resist the pleasure of adding a picture of a bunch of Appalachian Dulcimers shamelessly stolen from one of the websites listed in Dave's collection, namely the site of Bearmeadow, a company who manufactures these instruments. Aren't they beautiful ?

got mule !!!!!

I'm just back this minute from an awesome Gov't Mule gig at the Trabendo in Paris. Despite the fact the the drinks and food at the venue were stupidly expensive, the night started on a nice surprise when a lovely woman I never knew came up to me with a great smile and pointed at my belly saying "I designed this T-Shirt !" I looked down: I was wearing my Derek Trucks shirt.

The Trabendo was packed and the Mule came up at 8 o'clock sharp. They opened with a nice and heavy Blind Man in the Dark, and then straight into Thorazine Shuffle. Matt was let loose there for a moment, and my dream of finally seeing one of my favourite rock bands live was enhanced by their opening with two of my fetish tracks. Warren then sang a soulful Banks of the Deep End. I was standing with my pal Tof at the front of the stage and although it was a bit too loud when the band really hit it, the atmosphere was great. My only frustration came from the fact that my digital camera was again playing up and I couldn't get any decent pictures.

To my delight, the band then walked into Birth of the Mule, and Danny took a long solo in which I think I heard a little Eleanor Rigby tease. I"m often frustrated that Danny doesn't have more space to express himself, so it was nice to hear him stretch his fingers.  After a quick comment on movie stars and presidents, Warren launched into I Think You Know What I Mean. It was nice and somewhat mellow, but that didn't last long since the band then played About to Rage, complete with a middle bit where they jumped into a rock and roll twelve bar structure for about a minute and then jumped back into About to Rage. I'm not sure if this was a specific track or a generic rock n' roll thing, but it was nice anyway!

After that, Warren cooled things down (not!) with an amazing cover of Red House. It's not like Red House isn't one of the most covered songs ever, but hearing it played live by someone who has nailed down the Hendrix sound so well was something quite special...  The first set then ended with Lay Your Burden Down, in which Warren got the French crowd to sing, and Lola Leave your Light On which was a tad heavy for my tastes, but I suspect I would have liked it better if I hadn't been so close to the speakers.

The band took a break which allowed me to meet up with Christophe and Jocelyn who had also come to the gig. Neither of them knew of Gov't Mule previously, Christophe had some on my recommendation and was cautiously pleased, and Jocelyn came because he knew Warren from the early 90s ABB, and he very much disliked it. He left early into the second set. Oh well, can't please anyone...

The second set opened on a mellower note with My Separate Reality. By then I had moved a little way back and above, which allowed me to see Warren better and preserve my ears. I couldn't quite see Andy anymore but you have to make choices in life... After this song from Deja Voodoo there was a nice sequence of really early Mule songs with No Need to Suffer leading into Painted Silver Light.  From there they moved into Trane and then out of Trane into  an impro. Warren and Danny traded licks over a strange rhythmic pattern. It all felt very 70s prog rock when the whole band just goes wild but there's some underlying structure nonetheless. Amazing.  Everybody was into the trip. Warren, Andy and Danny then left the stage to Matt who played a long drum solo including an entire section just with his hands.

When everyone came back, they played a growling, heavy Monkey Hill. There was an amusing bit in the middle where I believe Andy got lost after a key change. Nice to know that they are human after all ! The song suddenly lurched into the Beatles I Want You (She's so Heavy). I lack culture in 60s rock I guess, but a good part of the audience knew the song and was singing along. Then they played another cover, I'm a Ram which alternated between a heavy section and a reggae funky section. Very nice stuff. Finally, the second set ended with Mister Man.

The crowd called Warren back with an impromptu Happy Birthday, and the Mule ended the show with a long, soulful New World Blues. It was great ending to a great gig, the kind that doesn't leave you pumped up with energy but rather nicely mellow. Apart from Jocelyn, all the people I knew were amazed by the concert and the band, especially Christophe who was litterally swept away by the second set despite having had some reservations at the end of the first set. The band played a little short of three hours, which is something very rare here in France.

An added bonus of teh gig for me is that I will now listen to Deja Voodo with a different approach. I haven't been as taken by Deja Voodoo as I was by the previous albums, but hearing some of the songs live has put them in a new light.  My Separate Reality and New World Blues inparticular will likely get more attentive listening in the coming weeks.

Anyway, here's for a quick report while I'm still on a high. I can't wait for Muletracks to release the concert and I'll be looking forward to seeing the Mule again in Paris soon! I'll go hit the sack now !

Too much negativity ?

It strikes me that my recent reviews have been mostly of stuff that didn't light my fire, so to speak. Not necessarily negative, but not exactly enthusiastic either... I guess it's due to the fact that I tend to push back the moment when I write such reviews, cause I don't like to say bad things about people's work. I know that there's a lot of emotional charge into producing any sort of artistic work, and a negative review is always painful. That being said, I try to be as truthful as I can while avoiding any offensive opinion, both because I think that's what my readers expect of me and because I feel that, as an amateur artist, painful as it is, such criticism always holds a grain of truth and helps moving forward. A few of you have sent me e-mails these last few days supporting this approach, for which I'm thankful.

That being said, I'll try and line up a few next that I do feel enthusiastic about, and I'll try to work on at least one or two reviews guaranteed 100% harmonica free. After all, I wouldn't want my readers to think that music with harmonica is the be all and end all of music !

Steve Guyger - Past Life Blues

Many blues harp player strive for an eldorado of the sound: despite the modern techniques of playing and recording, the thing is to sound vintage. To my ears, these initiatives often end up like washed-out copies, due mainly to the fact they respect the material that's played, they haven't grasped the spirit of the early blues, only the letter...

Steve Guyger studied direct from some of the blues harp masters, so there is little doubt that his heart lies in the early post-war blues. Unlike other, better known modern blues harp players, however, Steve has digested the spirit of the style. As a consequence, he speaks rather than regurgitates, and that is what makes his music interesting. That is, also, why his recordings bear repeated listening.

I discovered Steve through his semi-acoustic album Last Train to Dover, a very powerful record, dark and warm at the same time. Past Life Blues is his follow-up release, in which he is surrounded by a  more urban line-up of drums, double bass and guitar.

As soon as 'I Thought I Heard' starts, it sounds like we're amongst family: live in the studio recording, ear-catching harp sound, intimate instrumentation. Steve's musicians, by the way, are really top notch. Guitarist Rich Yescalis, in particular, plays very fluid and inventive lines, and his improvisations as well as his backing are delightful.        

Steve plays mostly amplified harmonica in this album, unlike on Last Train to Dover. His harp playing is bare, he lets his phrases breathe, his notes vibrate. He has a relaxed, swinging groove and knows how to use amplification to color his sound rather than just play meaner and louder. It's interesting to note that although he is firmly rooted in tradition his phrasing sounds fresh: no pre-processed, canned stuff here, but the result of influences that have matured into a language of his own.       

The choice of repertoire is exemplary as well. Steve navigates through relaxed beat-driven pieces, first class rockers like 'We’re Gonna Ride', in which he whips out his chro 64 (and he's a mean chro player too!) and a few melancholic slow blues ('I Tried So Hard', very Muddy Waters, or the excellent 'Bricks in My Pillow', acoustic). The album ends with a great George Harmonica Smith cover: 'Monkey on a Limb', very jazzy, a welcome change of pace and atmosphere.  I always feel that the choice of tracks on a record is at least as important as the interpretation, and I'm glad that Steve went through the effort of building up something cohesive yet varied here.

If I had one criticism to make about Past Life Blues it would be that Steve Guyger's voice isn't always solid enough to match the rest of the music. At times he lacks the power and precision to deliver the lyrics convincingly, which is a shame, because I really believe Steve to be one of the top blues harp players on the scene today. In this respect, unsurprisinglty, Last Train to Dover fared better on the whole, the acoustic instrumentation being an easier backdrop for a below-par vocalist.

That being said, the rest of the package is so good that it's not too difficult to ignore his occasional vocal weaknesses (and I'm notoriously picky about singers.) Steve Guyger deserves to be better known and I warmly recommend the purchase of this album (and of the previous one as well ). It'll make you rediscover blues harmonica if other, more predictable players have grown to bore you as they have me.

This review was originally published in Planet Harmonica issue #2 in 2000. It has been amended slightly, but on the whole it reflects my opinion of the record to this day.

Purchase Past Life Blues from Amazon.com