Tuneage Tutelages

What do you call a band with a shared belief that “we can all access a multitude of other frequencies than the five senses allow,” one that has a mission to “encourage people to live truthfully and courageously?” A band that calls their fans SuperSTARS and encourages them to send in short inspirational stories by sending verses and will then cut additional versions of the song with those submissions?

Americana, bluegrass, roots; it seems recently these are the fastest growing musical genres. Many bands try to capture the pure sound of mountain music but most end up with a weak impersonation of the music.

Out of Canada comes country-bluegrass that would make Bill Monroe smile.

Ms. Barbara Blue is a Memphis original, even if she was born in Pittsburgh, PA.

Holding court at Silky O’Sullivan’s Pub on Beale Street some 5 nights a week for the last 13 years, Ms. Blue has released seven albums in that time, the last three all Live recordings.

This week, her 8th album will drop. It is called ROYAL BLUE and it is a winner.

Recorded at the famous Royal Studios here in Memphis (the history of this studio is fodder for a post of its own), with Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell as producer, the album is a throwback to those great blues records of old.

Barbara’s band includes; Lester Snell on Fender Rhodes, B3 Hammond Organ and Acoustic Piano; Skip Pitts on Guitar Rhythm and Lead; Steve Potts on Drums and Dave Smith on Bass.

Additionally she has brought in Lannie McMillan and Gary Topper on Tenor Sax; Marc Franklin on Trumpet and Jim Spake on Baritone Sax.

She then sprinkles in some fabulous special guests including Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms on Harmonica (tracks # 7 and 10); Brandon Bailey on Harmonica (tracks #11 and 12); Josh Roberts on Slide Guitar (track # 12) & Guitar (track #11); Preston Shannon on Guitar (track #9); and Cody Dickenson on Electric Washboard (track # 2).

Background vocals are supplied by Daunielle “Pie” Hill and Jackie Johnson.

This is a true collection of blues, funk and soul. On the album, Ms. Blue has writing credit on 3 of the 13 tracks. The other 10 are classics she has put her own spin to.

The horn section gives a tremendous layering to the entire album with stand-out tracks including “If I Could Reach Out (And Touch Somebody)” and the opening tune “Beware”.

I found her take on the Al Green penned song “Rhymes”, as a wonderful tribute to the great man.

She takes the Syl Johnson song “Back For A Taste Of Your Love” and gives it a feel Jonny Lang misses, in this writers opinion.

You have to have total confidence in your abilities to take on “Heartbreak Hotel”, especially being from Memphis. Ms. Blue slows the number down and adds big horns and some tasty guitar licks by Skip Pitts and turns it into a brand new song.

Ms. Blue takes ownership of every song she sings, but even more so on her original tunes. “Blue” starts off the trio and seems autobiographical in nature. A fine example of Memphis Blues.

One of my favorite cuts on the album is the song “All You’ve Got” which was written by Ms. Blue along with Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms. Robert is the keyboard and harmonica player from the Reba Russell Band and it is some fine listening to hear him collaborate with Ms. Blue and add his sweet harmonica playing to this track.

Other songs on the album include “Your So Fine”; the J.D. Loudermilk tune “Turn Me On” on which Ms. Blue shows off her vocal chops on a sweet bluesy ode; “8 Men and 4 Women”; another Barbara Blue original “Too Late”; “Going Back To Iuka” and the final song on the album “Let’s Stay Together” penned by Al Green, Willie “Pops” Mitchell and Al Jackson.

Her interpretation will just send you soaring as high as Ms. Blue’s vocals on the song. This is as close to a capella as you come, with only minimal piano and some tasty horn work during the breaks.

Want to listen to a true Memphis soul but can’t afford to get in your car or jump on a plane or train, then click on over to Barbara Blue’s website and purchase Royal Blue. As a bonus, Ms. Blue autographs every album bought on her website.

But my suggestion IS to get in your car, jump that plane or train and get yourself down to Silky's and watch this stellar artist live and full force.

It was the night before the 2010 Blues Awards here in Memphis, Tn and I found myself at The Juke Joint on Beale Street to see Brandon Santini and Delta Highway.

During the second set of the night Brandon invited musicians in the room onto the stage to jam and one of the participants was Dustin Arbuckle. That night I heard his harmonica playing for the first time and was immediately struck by his technique.

Later that evening, Brandon waa gracious enough to introduce me to Dustin and his partner, Aaron Moreland. I noted them and told myself I would get them on Music On The Couch as soon as possible.

That will happen next Monday, June 21st, when Dustin joins me. Prior to that, I received their album FLOOD, just released on the Telarc International label.

This is their third album, the first three being self-published. What is a trio live - Moreland plays Electric, Parlor, Resonator and Cigar Box Guitars and Banjo; Arbuckle is lead vocalist and plays Harmonica and Brad Horner is on Drums and backing vocals - is augmented by Tom Page (guitar on "Can't Leave Well Enough Alone"; Michael Moreland on keys; Trevor Stewart-Chapman plays Stick on "Before The Flood" and Dave Spindle contributes on bass.

The album opens one of three songs not written by Moreland/Arbuckle, the Little Walter blues classic "Hate To See You Go" and you are immediately struck by the sound of Arbuckle's harp layer over the bottom layers of Horner and Moreland. I was struck by the similarities to the East Texas sounds of ZZ Top - a compliment from this lover of that genre of blues.

Then a traditional blues song "The Legend Of John Henry" follows. A live performance, (no credit given as to where it was recorded) this shows the band as they are on stage. Just Harmonica, drums and guitar. Moreland's Cigarbox guitar is unique in that it has one string which feeds to the bass amp and three strings that feed to the guitar amp. The sound is gutsy and raw and transports you back to the delta.

Arbuckle's vocals are compelling on this song. He makes you feel the legend down to your soul and his harmonica riff in the middle of the song home is something special.

"Before The Flood" follows and is a departure from what came before. a combination of feedback from Morelands guitar as he picks and underneath various notes from the harmonica of Arbuckle it would be as if they added harp to one of the Dead's jams.

It smoothly segues into "18 Counties" a lamenting tune of the destruction of property and lives after the flood. "I am too damn old, too damn old, to start over now". The song is fueled by the rhythm of Horner and Moreland, that driving beat of roots blues and is tied up perfectly with the haunting harmonica riffs played by Arbuckle.

"Your Man Won't Ever Know" showcases the bands delta blues side. Stripped down to just Moreland's simple guitar run and Arbuckle's vocals and harp work. When I got to this song I really began to wonder why these guys are not huge.

"Don't Wake Me" brings us to the sound of Chicago blues, beginning with a barrel house run on the keys by Michael Moreland. Each player takes their turn to show their wares here...

"Bound and Determined" adds Tom Page to the writing credits and has what I call that railroad blues rhythm pushing it forward.

"Can't get Clear" appears twice on the album, first as an electric blues version and then a banjo version & Personally, I preferred the banjo version as I think it holds the song together better.

"Can't Leave Well Enough Alone" is an acoustic Piedmont-type blues song that is well formed and brought me to a different place than the rest of the album.

"In The Morning I'll Be Gone" brings us back to roots blues with an influx of electric blues.

"What You Gonna Do" is the one weak point on the whole album. It sounds like thousands of songs out there.

"Red Moon Rising" a delta blues based song is also acoustic in nature, but does not have the strength of "Can't Leave Well Enough Alone"


Here is what I know. Throughout the weekend as I was doing mundane chores outside the house, I found snippets of these songs rolling around in my head. Now this happens with songs I have known for years, but rarely, if ever, does it occur with an album I have only listened to a few times.

FLOOD is a winner in my book, Moreland and Arbuckle are on the cusp of being household names in homes where the blues is admired and appreciated.

This is a band to watch and a band to listen to. This is a MUST BUY.

The band is called Miles and is composed of Marc Plotkin on vocals, guitar, saxophone, percussion, organ, and Benjamin Jacobs on bass, vocals, guitars, percussion, piano, organ, synthesizer, and drum programming. Then they surround themselves with talented musicians like Kenneth Flax, Ryan Andrews and Nick Svoboda on drums, Brandon Sherman on guitar, and Adam Ahyia on piano and what you come up with is a truly enjoyable set of music from this band from Brooklyn, NY.

Now, I have to begin by saying that only recently have I begun listening to John Mayer. Sure I have known of him and all, but listening...well that just started recently. I only had a couple of his songs on my iTunes and I always enjoyed them. I have never seen him in concert either.

NEIL DIAMOND. My experience is, there are three camps when it comes to Neil Diamond. There is, of course, the fans who L-O-V-E Neil Diamond. Then there is the camp that just do not get the attraction to Neil Diamond. And then the third camp who have always been ambivalent about Mr. Diamond.