Revievus CD Albums

rocks! Waterford delivers 'Move Your ALBUMS Hand Bahy' with a sly wink and a b'rin, and 'Gnrfield Avenue Blues' is a beautiful personalized blue". Waterford pays tribute to several of CROWN PRINCE his musical peers with Pete Johnson's WATERFORD 'Roll 'Em Pete', Joe Turner's 'Piney ttl .Jim McKaba and The Brown Blues', and Walter Brown is After Hours Band represented wit.h both 'Confes"in'The Blues' and the leS'er known 'Lonely AllOver But The Boy Blues'. Completing the 10-track houtin' blues shouter's menu are the Springing The Blues everg-.·een 'How Long Blues' and Productions (US) no # 'WolTied Life Blues'. Some may be wary of a track listing pepper~d with a This new release by Crown Prince large dose of familial' material. They St.arting off with a brief but Waterford will come as quite a "hock need not worry. Waterford provides cooking band introduct.ion, Ike is to those familiar with t.his singer's ample evidence that great blues b!'Ought on to go straight into 'Baby's rich mu"ical past, and, particularly, sing-ing is timeless and the band Got It', a brass-laden instrumental his morc recent calling as the pro~ides just the right amount of spice !'Ocker, with Ike on his keyboard and Reverend Solomon Charles Waterford. to hold the Ii"tener's attention. the I'olling piano played by one of Ike's For the uninitiated Waterford is one of Although the spotlight is justifiably on oldest friends, Ernest Lane. Lane's the few survivors of the blues shouting the Crown Prince's vocals, the band is style is so similar to Ike's on this style first popularized by Big Joe f:,tiven sufTicient solo space to make boogie, that one could be forgiven for rfurner and Vvynonie Har'ris over a their own sympathetic contributions mixing them up! Next, for me, is the half century ago. He began his on piano, saxophone and guitar. My absol ute killer-diller of the whole CD. musical c.;areer in 1936, and continued only reservation is that the playing 'Sweet Black Angel' smouIders and to perform over the next three time is rather short at just over 30 smokes with the gently moaning horns decades, all the while easily straddling minutes. But how can one possibly in the background, Ike on unmistake­ the blues and jazz divide. DUI'ing that complain'! We should be extremely able guitar and deep-down vocals t;me Waterford worked with such grateful tbat Waterford had both the (Rome great asidesl ), while Lane ag·ain noted musicians as Charlie Christian, courage and strength to sing once obliges on piano. Get this: this was Mary Lou WilJiams, Jay McShaon, again. Who would have thought that recorded exactly 53 years and one and Pete ,Johnson, to name just a few, his inspiration would have led to such week after Lane accompanied Robert Although never becoming 9 m.ajol' hit­ an enjoyable result? Nightbawk on his 1949 Aristocrat. maker, he recorded prolifically, with a I'm extremely disappointed to version o-f the song! I'm dazzled and in number of excellent Hides appearing report that Charles Waterford's health awe! on Philo, Aladdin, Capitol, }(jng and took" turn for the worse not long 'Ike's Theme' is a typical rocking Excello. Then, in 1965, a lifelong aller this recording. It seems highly "howcase for Ike's whammy-bending dream of Waterford's was fulfilled unlikely that further performances, or guitar (and good to hear the barit.one when he became a preacher. Building the in-depth interview I had hoped to sax i.n the background), while 'You several churches in northern Florida, get, will be forthcoming. This is all the Can't Winnum All' is his updat.ed take he served the ministry for over 30 more reason to treasure this gem of a on a song which he has been involved years. Although he had long since release. In addition t.o the marvelous in Lommitting to wax a few times over abandoned his secular musical career, music, the liner notes nicely the years, 'You've Got To Lose'. 'Ike's he continued to sing in church, summarize the Crown PI'inee's story Boogie Woogie' features the man recording a gospel album on the Envy and are generously illustrated with himself on piano, and again has rifTing label entitled 'The Reverend Waterford photographs, posters and newspaper horns. Then it'" down and dirty time Sings'. In recent years \Vaterford's clippings from Waterford's personal ngain, back to Clarksdale roots for blues legacy has been well represented collection. Unreservedly 'Catfish Blues' where fke's guitar i" on the reissue market \",ith releases on recommended. just wonderfully 'real'. A bit of a leap both the Westside (shared with one of 'AllOver But The Shoutin" may be in culture takes us into 'Mercy Mercy his mentors Walter Brown) and the ordered from either Roots and Rhythm Mercy', a festival favourite and Classics labels. However, efTorts to at www.J'ootsandrhythm.com OJ' undeninbly gToDving attractive interview Waterford have been mostly through the Springing The Blues number which gives various band met wit.h a reluctance t:o.-d1scuss his Fest.ival website at members a chance to take tbe lead. days as a blues singer. So how did this www.springingtheblues.com A storming version of Ike's old surprising reem.ergence com.e about? Brian Bau.mgartner St Louis buddy Chuck Berry's '.Johnny Now retired lI'om the church and B. Goode' is followed by a four-song with spare time on his haods section by Audrey Madison, doing the Waterford became aware of the annual 'Tina bit' - well, that was a big part Springing The Blues festival in his of Ike's musical past. She does a home of Jacksonville, Florida. stunning version of 'Only ''''omen Realizing that he hadn't lost his love Bleed', followed by 'Nutbush City of performing he contacted the Limit', 'I've Been Loving You Too Long' festival's producer, Sam Veal, about and finishing the show with 'Proud tbe possibility of securing a spot, and Mary' - long a fave of mine with Ike's more impol·tantly helping him to find arrangement being so brooding in its &NEWCD an appropriate backing band. lead up to point of 'explosion', Fortuitously an excellent local jump Someone mentioned to me that blues group c.alled The After Hours 'Rocket 88' wasn't included. Do you RELEASE Band was available, and after meeting know, I hadn't even noticed. lI.;s just with piani"t Jim Mc.Kaba, Waterford so good to hear lke with a full band in CHECKLIST began rehearsing with thm. Then, in support. All musicians excel, but April of 2002 Waterford, with The special mention must be made not After Hours Band in support, played only of Ernest Lane, but also Mack the festival to an enthusiastic John"on 011 trumpet. All deseJ've a respon"e, and the following month IKE TURNER namecheck, but with two they went into the studio together to and The Kings 0' Rhythm "axophonists, a third keyboard player, record the material found on this The Resurrectio guitarist, bass player and drummeJ'j wonderful CD. ive at the Montreux we could "un out of space. Above all, 'AllOver But The Shoutin" is the this CD is a tribute to t.he incredible type of recording that comes around Jazz Festival musicianship of Ike Turner, his long only once in a very long while. Never Isabel (French) IS 640202 pedig-.·ee, and ability as a bandleader, sounding dated, the music is still very The King Of Rhythm. Cilla Huggins much crafted in the best of the jump Ike Turner has been recording for over blues tradition. In spite of his late 80s 50 years, and has collected a vast age, Waterford's voice ~ounds both repertoire of music along the way. To amazingly vital and resilient. In fad everyone's joy, a couple of years ago he EUGENE 'HIDEAWAY' there is now an appealing richness to re-formed the }(jngs Of Rhythm, with BRIDGES his timbre that was absent from his some original members, and has been prev;ous recordings. The playlist touring with them as a knockout act Jump 'DIe ,Joint strikes a nice balance between ever since. Happily, one of his Armadillo (UK) ARMD 00015 Waterford's own vintage compositions performances was captured in July and blues standards. Although 2002 at l\'1ont,'eux for thi" release, and Since moving to this country a few difficult to pick out highlights, I it's not just a terrific example of hi" years ago Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges particulady enjoyed the salacious live show, but a veritable treasury of has built a reputation as a talented 'Merry Go Round Blue"' and the far what. ha" passed under his personal young bJuesman with a voice that'" too short 'Time To Blow' absolutely musical bridge. more than a little influenced by Sam

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