‘Maybe Ike Turner came down inside of the record’ An interview with Black Joe Lewis

Nate Burrell

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears play upbeat blues injected with influences that include soul, punk and rock ‘n’ roll. Hailing from Austin (though now living in Montreal), Joe Lewis’ dynamic vocals and heavy guitar licks provide the lead for a turbo-charged ensemble of horns and percussion.

The group’s 2011 release, “Scandalous” (produced by Spoon drummer Jim Eno), is a fast ride down a dusty road with some surprises along the way. The track “Mustang Ranch,” for example, tells a true story of the band’s encounter with a seedy pit stop en route from Salt Lake City to San Francisco. The groove will get you on your feet, and the lyrics will forever change the way you think of a “glazed ham.”

Ahead of the band’s upcoming, KDHX-welcomed concert at Off Broadway on February 15, I chatted with Lewis about the Austin music scene, Ike Turner’s ghost and an upcoming tour with Flogging Molly.

Francisco Fisher: You received a lot of attention from your [2009] performance at South By Southwest. What other opportunities did you encounter as a musician from Austin?

Black Joe Lewis: Just getting to rub shoulders with a lot of good musicians and awesome bands. I’ve got good friends in Austin. It’s my hometown.

Is it convenient to be from a place with such a vibrant music scene?

Oh yeah, it is. But it’s a town where you have to really try and do something to get noticed, because there’s so much other good stuff going on every night. So you have to try to be original.

You’ve rejected the label of “soul revival.” Many musicians share your influences, but what really sets you apart from artists like Sharon Jones?

They play soul better than us. You’ll just have to listen to the records back-to-back and see what you can hear for yourself. It’s just a matter of opinion.

You’ve got an upcoming show in St. Louis. Do you have any influences that came out of St. Louis?

To tell the truth, I don’t know. Who’s all from St. Louis? There’s a lot of cool stuff going on and I like the city in general. It’s got an old vibe and I like all the old buildings.

Chuck Berry’s from here. Ike and Tina Turner met in St. Louis.

Yeah, all those acts. Ike Turner died when we went in to the studio to record our first album. As we were in the studio, we learned that he passed away. We thought it was a sign or something.

A sign of what?

Maybe Ike Turner came down inside of the record or something like that.

How much of the newest album “Scandalous” are you going to incorporate into the show?

We do a different set list every night, so it just depends how we’re feeling that night. We might play some songs off the new record, an old one, some covers and new stuff we’ve been working on. Just to have something different to play, something new. We get tired of playing the same stuff every night, so we like to mix it up. Some bands like to use the same set list for an entire tour. I wouldn’t be able to do that. It would drive me nuts.

After St. Louis, you’re going to tour with Flogging Molly. How did your two groups get together? Is it going to be a cohesive pairing?

It’ll be interesting. We played with them in Chicago two or three years ago; we opened up for them. It should be pretty rowdy when people get down on it. Either way, it won’t be a boring tour.

KDHX welcomes Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears to Off Broadway on February 15.

Posted by | February 13, 2012 | Interviews, Music | Comment 

Concert review: Heartless Bastards and Hacienda bring new songs and sounds to the Firebird, Wednesday, February 8

Heartless Bastards at the Firebird in St. Louis, February 8, 2012

Kate McDaniel

Hacienda, an impressively-bearded four-piece family band from San Antonio, opened for Heartless Bastards last night at the Firebird. While the bands aren’t labelmates, their styles are somewhat similar and make for a well-paired touring team.

Hacienda is comprised of brothers Abraham (piano), Rene (bass) and Jaime Villanueva (drums), with cousin Dante Schwebel (guitar). Officially, all members contribute to vocals, although Rene Villanueva and Schwebel shared much of the spotlight last night. Rene mentioned that the current tour was the second time the band had accompanied Heartless Bastards on the road.

Most of Hacienda’s set featured tracks from their new album, an as-yet-untitled project recorded in Nashville (a single from the album, “Savage” is already on iTunes). The newer songs sounded polished and produced with a pop sensibility, but a few standouts like “Natural Life” and the “Honaloochie Boogie”-like “Let Me Go” retained the grittier, funkier feel of Hacienda’s previous albums, 2010′s “Big Red & Barbacoa” and 2008′s “Loud Is the Night.” I preferred these selections, the thrown-together feel of the compositions enhanced by dirty keyboards and echoey vocals. It’s a throwback sound popularized by the Black Keys, a band for whom Hacienda opened after Dan Auerbach heard their demos. According to Hacienda’s MySpace page, Auerbach also recorded them at his home studio in Ohio.

Veteran pros from Austin, Heartless Bastards opened their headlining set with “Marathon,” a subdued track from their upcoming album “Arrow,” to be released February 14. It’s a hushed sort of strummer pulled from folkishness by ethereal cymbals and Erika Wennerstrom’s gorgeously raw voice. I hereby nominate “Marathon” to be the next Best Road Ballad, as it far surpasses “Home Sweet Home” in both creativity and not-having-anything-to-do-with-Vince Neil.

Wennerstrom is a soul singer with the veneer of Grace Slick, a tiny powerhouse who can take an audience down a rabbit hole of bluesy psych pop. Wennerstrom looks like Kim Gordon but that’s where the similarity ends; like peers the Duke Spirit and the Black Angels, the Heartless Bastards’ style is rooted in the bedrock of ’70s-era rock ‘n’ roll made surreal by dizzying instrumentals and, last night at the Firebird, a Chinese language-subtitled Bluray disc of “Roadhouse” playing behind the bar.

While Wennerstrom is the band’s founder, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist and therefore commands most of the attention, she never steals focus from her bandmates. Heartless Bastards is a tightly knit group of performers whose skill at playing together is glossed by a sense of comfort and familiarity. And they stick to playing together. There was some subdued stage banter, but chatting wasn’t the point.

The point was Dave Colvin’s marching band drums of “Witchy Poo,” Mark Nathan’s high lonesome guitar on the American gothic ballad “The Arrow and the Beast” and a subtle heartbeat rhythm from bassist Jesse Ebaugh, who was recently tapped to play on Craig Finn’s solo album, “Clear Eyes Full Heart.” And, yes, the tender, smoky, from-the-belt vocals of Wennerstrom on nearly every song, even “Blue Day,” which was drenched in Zeppelin-like feedback without overwhelming the crowd or any individual musician.

The promotion of “Arrow” was the order of the evening, with many of the new tracks enthusiastically cheered by the audience although many of them haven’t been released yet. Seldom is a new album performed with such confidence, but with Wennerstrom in the lead — can you tell I’m a little bit in love with her? — even the more experimental songs featuring maracas, trilling tambourine and one fuzzy tune described as “doom metal” came out straight and true. I sincerely hope the Heartless Bastards’ knack for direction leads them back to St. Louis soon.

Posted by | February 9, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst expands its Black History Month celebration

The Beatles and Little Richard, 1962. Photo by Les Chadwick for Mersey Beat.

Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst covers many genres and sub-genres — British Invasion, Mersey beat, folk rock, garage rock, power pop, jangle pop, pub jock — but without the influence of African Americans it’s doubtful that many of those genres would exist, and if they did they would most likely not merit our attention.

It is because of this that I will be recognizing and celebrating those contributions by setting aside the four February shows (February 2, 9, 16 and 23) on P!TBBB.

This year I’ll be expanding said celebration. During the show’s first three years, the month featured three weeks of the bands that appear regularly on P!TBBB covering blues, soul R&B and other material either written by or performed by African Americans. The last show of the month has featured selections from the first three shows performed by the songs’ originators.

This year valis from Trip Inside This House will be joining me and providing the music for the February 2 show. Trip Inside This House is valis’ weekly exploration of the last 40 plus years of psychedelia; he will be bringing that expertise to P!TBBB. The show will feature two hours of music by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Muddy Waters and the Temptations, which will showcase the  contributions African Americans have made to psychedelia.

The remaining three shows will revert to the format from the last three years of Februaries. Those shows have not been finalized yet, but will no doubt mine selections from the following: Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Cliff Bennett & the Rebel Rousers, the Kinks, the Searchers, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Tony Jackson, Manfred Mann and many more. You can expect to hear original versions by bands and performers like: Brenda Holloway, the Supremes, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Otis Redding to name several.

So, please join me (and valis) and celebrate Black History Month as we pay tribute to and celebrate the unique, dynamic and undeniable contributions made by African Americans to the music of Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst (and beyond).

Pop! The Beat Bubble Burst airs Thursday mornings, 5-7 a.m. Central on 88.1 KDHX.

Posted by | January 30, 2012 | Culture, KDHX, Music | Comment 

Discovery: Charlie Parr drives a mean ‘Gospel Plow’ (MP3 download)

charlieparr.com

Charlie Parr is a Duluth-based country blues musician, a juxtaposition of location and genre which is only surprising if you haven’t heard of Bob Dylan.

At the deepest core of Dylan’s music, in all its peregrinations, is, quite simply, the blues, especially the country blues, a point Dylan punctuated with his two mid-’90s albums “Good as I Been to You” and “World Gone Wrong.”

Charlie Parr’s career, which goes back to the early 2000s, has always stayed close to the howling, hieratic vernacular of Furry Lewis, Son House, the Mississippi Sheiks, Dock Boggs and Dave Van Ronk. Greg Brown, another Midwestern, contemporary country blues-based musician, has sung Parr’s praises.

Just listen to Parr’s take on “Gospel Plow” and you’ll hear why.

Recorded in a baptist church in St. Paul, Parr’s new album is “Keep Your Hands on the Plow,” and features the talents of fellow Minnesotans Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker (of Low), among others. It’s hard-scrabble, joyous and profound — the way country blues should be.

You can catch Charlie Parr, live in St. Louis, at Off Broadway for a 7:30 p.m. seated show on Thursday, February 2.

“Gospel Plow” – Charlie Parr

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Posted by | January 30, 2012 | Downloads, Music | Comment 

Remembering and listening to Etta James

Etta James in concert 1990

commons.wikimedia.org / Roland Godefroy

In the world of American music (and especially rhythm & blues and soul) who, I would ask, could ever presume to test Etta James?

Now she has died, and no doubt the world shall speak well of her, but for all the recognition and notoriety, it never seemed that recognition equaled the talents and creative projection of one of the very greatest female singers in the history of recorded music, a woman who seemed to be capable of literally melting any microphone which carried her commanding and peerless voice.

Etta James had a sound with as identifiable a signature as her fellow Chess label-mate, Howling Wolf: It was immense and unique, and rightly called “a force of nature.” It could phrase the most delicate of lyrics from a ballad or shake the rafters of a concert hall. Compared to James, noted female singers of the ’60s (such as Janis Joplin) seemed derivative and one-dimensional or, in the case of the more polished Diana Ross, thin and diminished gruel.

You either were totally entranced by this vocal persona, or it was simply too overwhelming for your palate.

She was the greatest of talents in her generation when heard on record and stage, and for those who had experienced her voice and passion, there was always the question as to why Etta James was able to achieve considerable recognition and success, but not super-stardom.

The explanations given were often based in her well-known bouts of drug addiction. But if ever there was an example of a performer whose greatest strengths and virtues were also a limitation to greater popularity, there is no greater example than James. Quite simply, Etta was such a strong presence one can imagine producers trying to figure how to take that cauldron of emotion and towering, gritty, larynx-splitting ability and perhaps vainly hope to dilute it for the purposes of pop palatability. That soulful blowtorch of a vocal was larger than the needs of pop music, relegating her to the realm of legend, if not multi-platinum sales.

So, if the top of the pop charts was not her normal place in this world, she nonetheless made of her career an inimitable one that stretched from the mid-1950s (when the also-recently departed Johnny Otis — he died three days before her, at the age of 90 — brought her to Modern Records in Los Angeles, and to his road show R&B revue) into the 21st century.

James may not have had the commercial cachet of a Celine Dion, but then again, it is questionable any American president and wife will be seen taking to the floor to a Ms. Dion recording as we did when the Mr. and Mrs. Obama glided to “At Last” in 2009.

There were always labels and producers eager to work with this moody, gifted diva of blues, and like Nina Simone, Ray Charles, James Brown, Muddy Waters and Solomon Burke, Etta James was so obviously a class of one in her art, it would be foolish to claim otherwise.

I’ll remember those take-no-prisoner shows of her (I was lucky enough in the early ’90s to have emceed one of them, here in St. Louis): I remember how she wowed the crowd at the Fox Theatre when a filmmaker decided to capture Chuck Berry in concert. And of course the many, many four-star records she recorded for labels such as Chess, Island, Sony and others are such irrefutable proof of what I’ve just written, it’s pointless to say any more but this:

Listen to Etta James, whenever you wish to hear the real deal. She’ll be waiting.

Papa Ray is host of Soul Selector, every Monday 4-7 p.m. Central, on 88.1 KDHX.

Posted by | January 23, 2012 | Music | Comment 

Concert review: JJ Grey & Mofro (with JC Brooks) fill the Pageant with warm southern soul and blues, Friday, January 13

mofrofans.com / You Can Call Me Clay

The temps may have been well below freezing outside, but things were hot inside the Pageant last night as Jacksonville, Fla. native JJ Grey and his band Mofro infused the packed venue with their special brand of swampy, southern blues rock.

The band was recently nominated for Canada’s top blues award — the B.B. King International Artist of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on Monday at the 15th Annual Maple Blues Awards in Toronto. They also recently released their first live CD/DVD set, “Brighter Days,” available on their website.

The party atmosphere kicked into gear as the opener, Chicago soul outfit J.C. Brooks and the Uptown Sound, took to the stage, fresh off the air from an in-studio performance on KDHX show Gold Soundz. The leader of this throwback band, Brooks, strode out looking like a cross between James Brown and Little Richard in a black suit and white shirt with a red kerchief and a piled high Jheri curl. With elements of classic ’60s soul and ’70s disco with a post-punk sensibility, the band manages to bring a fresh, new sound while paying homage to its roots. They performed a number of originals as well as some cool covers, including “Tainted Love” and an up-tempo, funky version of Wilco’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.” Throughout their set, Brooks delighted the crowd with his smooth dance moves, gliding and shaking across the stage.

The floor was filled with fans eager to dance as JJ Grey & Mofro began their set, Grey smiling broadly and growling — in his signature, soul-filled voice — the lyrics to “War,” as organist Anthony Farrell’s fingers tore across the keys like a hurricane. Mofro is one tight band, including the amazing Andrew Trube on electric and lap steel guitar, bassist Todd Smallie (a St. Louis native), drummer Anthony Cole and two-piece horn section featuring trumpeter Dennis Marion and saxophonist Art Edmaiston.

The audience sang along with the chorus to the groovy “Air,” from the band’s first album “Blackwater” (when they were known simply as Mofro). Introducing fan favorite “Brighter Days,” Grey took a moment to reflect, talking about how he wrote the song when things didn’t seem so bright and explaining how songs change their meanings through the years. Now in a happier place, he uses it as a reminder of when they weren’t.

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Posted by | January 14, 2012 | Concerts | Comment 

Concert review: Gregg and Devon Allman keep it all in the family at the Pageant, Tuesday, January 3

Gregg Allman at the Pageant, St. Louis, January 3, 2011

Nate Burrell

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend and original Allman Brothers Band member Gregg Allman returned to St. Louis last night for a sold-out show at the Pageant.

Allman is currently touring in support of his recent album of classic blues covers, “Low Country Blues,” nominated for a Grammy for Best Blues Album of 2011. Keeping things “family style,” as the Allmans are known to do, Gregg’s son Devon Allman and his St. Louis-based band Honeytribe opened the show.

The main floor, typically all general admission, was lined with rows of chairs up to the back railings, which were sold as assigned seats, in addition to the upper balcony seats. This gave the Pageant a bit more of an intimate, theater feeling (and made me wonder why he didn’t opt to play the Peabody instead). With Allman’s fan base aging, as he is, most folks remained seated throughout the show — making for a bit mellower of a scene than the Pageant is typically accustomed to.

The show also included a charitable element with canned food being collected on site for Rock CAN Roll, used instruments being collected for donation to area schools by local grassroots organization Play It Forward and folks from Strings for a Cure — all music-related charities.

Play It Forward’s co-director Samantha Fischer kicked off the show with an introduction to the organization and what they do to further music education in St. Louis, followed by a glowing introduction of “St. Louis’ own” Devon Allman and Honeytribe.

The three-piece blues rock band led by Allman also features bass player extraordinaire George Potsos and drummer Justin Hanson. However, former drummer Gabriel Strange sat in on this show for Hanson, who recently injured his hand. They got the crowd ready to rock with their own heavy jams, including “Heaven Has No Mercy” and “Mahalo,” as well as an inspired cover of the Allman Brothers Band classic “Midnight Rider,” featuring an incredible and lengthy guitar solo by Devon, his face winced and contorted as he paid respect to his musical heritage. There is no question that this music runs through his blood, and it was a rare treat to see him share a stage with his father, who although Devon didn’t actually meet until his teens, has had a clear musical influence. Potsos gave an outstanding bass solo as well (backed by Strange). For a three-piece band, Honeytribe had no trouble filling the Pageant with a rich, full sound.

After a brief break, Gregg Allman finally took the stage, slowly crossing to take his seat behind the massive Hammond B3 organ that is his signature. He eased into his set with the laid back “I’m No Angel,” a solo hit from the ’80s. He then proceeded to dig in with lively Allman Brothers classic “Statesboro Blues,” which featured a terrific sax solo by Jay Collins. Allman’s own band is quite simply amazing — particularly guitarist Scott Sharrard (sounding at times like a young Dickey Betts), keyboardist Bruce Katz and percussionist/vocalist Floyd Miles (whom Allman declared his oldest friend). Bassist Jerry Jemmott and drummer Steve Potts provide the backbone.

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Posted by | January 4, 2012 | Concerts | 1 Comment 

Concert review: William Elliot Whitmore and Trampled by Turtles embrace and transcend the blues at the Old Rock House, Saturday, December 17

Trampled by Turtles at the Old Rock House, December 17, 2011

Nate Burrell

Progressive bluegrass speedsters Trampled by Turtles ended their most recent tour with an energetic show at the Old Rock House.

Iowa native and one-man band William Elliot Whitmore opened his set with a banjo and foot drum-based dirge that sounded as if he was channeling a spirit of the Delta that had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. His vocals sounded like what I imagine Tom Waits would sound like if he’d had less whiskey and cigars in his younger days.

Whether strumming his banjo or guitar or pounding out the beat with his foot drum, Whitmore’s stripped-down, stark sound accompanied his lyrics of love, loss, prison, hard work and crooked cops and politicians perfectly. Good bluesmen don’t play the blues, they live it. If I’d have closed my eyes, I could have easily been at a dusty road stop in the deep South, listening to a drifter playing to get enough cash to make it to his next stop.

Trampled by Turtles hit the stage next, starting with a slower ballad that highlighted their fantastic vocal harmonies and skill with their instruments. Shortly after, they opened into their trademark sound, what to me sounds like the bluegrass equivalent of speed metal. Their playing was technically flawless, their hands a blur of strumming, picking and fretting away at high speed.

I’m not sure if it was my location in the venue, the overall mix coming out of the speakers or a combination of the two but when the band kicked it into overdrive it became hard to hear what was going on. You could see that very complex pieces were being played, but the finesse was overshadowed by the massive sound coming out of the PA. I also found that the lack of detail coming out through the system made a lot of their faster songs sound like the last 30 seconds of the Who classic “Baba O’Riley.” That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I think a little less volume would have done just to the band’s sonic palette.

Despite my complaints about the sound levels, Trampled by Turtles put on a great show. They changed between fast and slower tunes enough to keep everyone on their toes. The sheer talent of those five guys was abundantly clear. I especially enjoyed Ryan Young’s fiddle playing on the slower tunes. I’ve seen some great fiddle players this past year, but I haven’t seen many who were that expressive with their instrument.

Highlights of the show for me were “Victory,” “Wait So Long” and their encore which consisted of fantastic covers of the folk tune “Sloop John B” and the Pixies classic “Where is My Mind.”

Posted by | December 19, 2011 | Concerts | Comment 

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