My name is Martin Scholes. I like writing reviews on Ciao. I am married, we have a cockatiel and a c...
My name is Martin Scholes. I like writing reviews on Ciao. I am married, we have a cockatiel and a cat. And a growing African Grey. Who orders the cat around!
Member since:06.12.2003
Reviews:334
Members who trust:65
My taste in music is Catholic. In hat my taste in music is wide and varied. Which is why you will find me writing reviews on a wide range of musical styles and genres.
One of my passions is the Blues. This review is a review of Comin' Home to the Blues, volume II.
This really is a classic CD if its type. It sounds like a Whose Who in Blues Hall of Fame. There are tracks my Howlin' Wolf, Bo Didley, sonny Boy Williamson, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Elmore James. Little Walter, Otis Rush, Etta James (who has one of the sexiest female voices ever. In any musical genre!) Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Rogers, Koko Taylor (who has the other sexiest female voices ever. In any musical genre!) Washboard Sam and Lowell Fulson.
The CD begins with Howlin' Wolf's Red Rooster. This is laid back blues, filled with everything that the blues is all about. Love, hate, pathos, hope, despair with some fantastic blues and blues slide guitar technique.
The next track, I'm a Man by Bo Didley is interesting. It is still obviously The Blues, yet it is Chicago Blues, vastly different from the Delta Blues that Howlin' Wolf is such a fine exponent of. However, one thing you must realise about Bo Didley is that although Bo Didley performs in the Chicargo Blues idiom, Bo Didley is, first and foremost, Bo Didley. When they made Bo Didley, they broke the mould. His style is truly unique. Apparently even to the extent of making his own guitar effects such as a wah wah unit from an old alarm clock before the wah wah unit was heard of.
The songs are not politically correct. But then, they reflect the harsh reality of lives gone bad. Your Funeral and My Trial sung by Sonny Boy Williamson is a good example of what I mean.
Chuck Berry? Does he belong on this Blues CD? Most definitely, he does. As well as helping to create the new Rock and Roll sound, Chuck Berry was a very accomplished Blues man. As his song Wee Wee Hours is a firm testament to.
And the First Time I Met the Blues by Buddy Guy? If this doesn't send shivers up and down tour spine, baby, you ain't GOT no spine!
I made mention of Etta James. Her song Tell Mama is a good, romping song, which, with its horn section reflects the style of Blues epitomised in the film the Blues Brothers, which was, in all probability dipping very tentative toe into the waters of Rhythm and Blues.
Willie Dixon's Walking the Blues, however, gives more than a nod towards Dixieland Jazz. I think it was something my father would have approved of, him being a fan of Dixieland Jazz an of no other type of Jazz.
Amongst the other tracks is Wang Dang Doodle by Koko Taylor. From the high notes of the amazing guitar licks and the strong, sexy tones of Koko's extraordinary voice, you know you are listening to the best of the best. It's different, it's brash and it is one hell of a power filled song. The story goes that the Young Koko Taylor was somewhat scared of the lyrics of the song and didn't really understand them. She was told not to worry, that it would be a hit. Guess what? It was!
You have heard versions of I'd Rather Go Blind. If you haven't heard Etta James' version of this song, then you really haven't heard this song. Her rendition of this song really is that good.
There is a total of 24 tracks on this CD. If you have even a passing interest in the Blues, you'll love his CD. And Washboard Sam really does play washboard Blues on his song, Diggin' My Potatoes.
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