Bentley’s Bandstand: Patsy Cline, John Pizzarelli

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

Patsy Cline, Sweet Dreams: The Complete Decca Masters 1960-1963, Hip-O Select Records

Lock up all the firearms in the house, hide the sleeping pills, cut up the ropes, throw away the knives and razor blades and have 911 on speed dial if you play this staggering two-disc set incessantly. Because you just might not be able to hold up against the crushing heartbreak of Patsy Cline’s sheer sadness. It is that strong. Song after song—from “I Fall to Pieces” to “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone”—pour from this collection as if some genie of despair is hiding within, making sure every emotion of elusive or lost love is mined for all it’s worth. Cline’s voice is a tower of trepidation, making romance seem like a fatal battlefield only a fool would dare enter. The way she wrings our tear ducts dry is like a wonder of nature. This woman was never really a country singer; she just happened to make her recordings in Nashville. Producer extraordinaire Owen Bradley obviously knew this too. He added string sections and backing singers with such deft elegance the session’s sound coated with a fine silk sheen, allowing Patsy Cline’s unlimited soul to soar straight from the studio into our hearts. There are 51 reasons here to worship the ground this woman walked on. Pick any one for a ticket to the crying time. Hell, even the odd happy song on this set will have you reaching for the ripcord, because there is no escape from the pain Cline knows too well. When her plane went down in 1963, she was only 30 years old. By the measure of her music, she had already reached the mountaintop.

John Pizzarelli, Rockin’ In Rhythm, Telarc Records

If you are going to pay tribute to a single musician, you could not choose a more worthy candidate than Duke Ellington. He just may be the greatest American composer of all-time. Ellington had a way of taking the wide-open greatness of his country, the joy of being alive and even the heartache of romance and turning it into a celebration of sound. He wrote songs that still touch us mightily, and probably always will. Jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli wisely chooses a dozen of them and assembles a stellar orchestra to perform them in a way that brings the music to stirring life. “In a Mellow Tone,” “Satin Doll,” “All Too Soon” and all the others reamain stunning, and Pizzarelli uses exquisite taste to make each feel like they were written today. There is such a timeless air to Rockin’ In Rhythm it shows just how the unequaled excellence of Duke Ellington’s creations live on. John Pizzarelli’s guitar and vocals shine a perfect contemporary light on a musician who really should be on Mount Rushmore.

Bentley’s Bandstand: John Hiatt, Texas Tornados, Lightspeed Champion

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

John Hiatt, The Open Road, New West Records

In the golden realm of modern songwriters, John Hiatt surely sits in the inner sanctum. His work defies the odds, with every album containing gems that can bring us to our knees. Even his misses are worth hearing. That’s how good Hiatt is. The Open Road is a bit sneaky, in that there are no immediate boulders to knock us down, but at the same time each song has a definite weight to it with a boomerang strength, which hits even harder on the return home. And that’s because this man has been to the bottom of the lake and brought to the surface what’s worth saving. It’s a unique mix of hardened optimism and joyous realism that fuels his emotions, and nothing escapes Hiatt’s unflinching eye. We discover truths inside ourselves that we all avoid, but also discover salvation can be just a breath away. There is a gritty goodness to be had for those open to it, and it is in this music. Like John Hiatt once sang, have a little faith in him, and he will show us the open road home.

Texas Tornados, Esta Bueno!, Bismeaux Records

The sound of the Texas Tornados is one built on the rushing blood of Texas musicians who have made a lifetime of supplying Lone Star thrills to the entire world. Sir Douglas Sahm brought the group to life twenty years ago, not by an act of marketing genius but more a dedicated desire to find a new groove and ride it like a bucking bronco. He did just that, gathering longtime sidekick Augie Meyers, accordion king Flaco Jimenez and Tejano singing legend Freddy Fender on a stage in San Francisco in 1989 and, realizing what he had, putting a match to the gas. From the start, the quartet took no prisoners. Their live shows are still legendary, something akin to musical telethons with Sahm as master of ceremonies. Audiences screamed, drank, danced, fought, smoked and generally carried on like the world was ending later that evening and there was no need to hold anything back. This was it. When Sahm died in 1999, it looked like the Texas Tornados went with him. Not so fast. Eldest son Shawn Sahm has brought the band back to life with new recordings, and even got Fender into the fold before his unfortunate death in 2006. And guess what? It’s almost like the band never ended. Jimenez’s blistering accordion still holds the key to the Texas Tornados’ magic, with searing leads blending into backing chords, giving every song an otherworldly beauty, like a vision into another land. The musician really is the guru of the barrio, and there will never be another even close to his gravity-defying power. But Freddy Fender’s voice comes close. There is something overwhelmingly romantic about Latin singers, and Fender helped write the modern book on that sound. Several of his songs on Esta Bueno! are close to being classics, and it is a stroke of real luck he got into the studio so close to his last days. Don’t forget Augie Myers and Shawn Sahm’s own contributions, where each man digs down deep to make sure the Tornados legend keeps shining brightly. At the very end, Doug Sahm–as usual–gets the last word. A demo from the mid-’90s, “Girl Going Nowhere,” was found in the vaults and the band stepped forward in style, finishing the track so the man who brought this whole thing into existence is able to reappear for an emotional curtain call. Tears are allowed, and surely the ultimate Texas musician is proudly smiling somewhere, knowing his Texas brothers will never let him down. May the circle be unbroken.

Lightspeed Champion, Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You, Domino Records

Question one: What do you do if your name is Devonte Hynes? If you’re a savvy musician, you change it to Lightspeed Champion. Question two: What do you do if your band is named Test Icicles? Bail out and start a solo career. That’s the case here, and on his sophomore album, Mr. Champion has found his inner mojo, and boy has he got it working. It’s a Mixmaster blend of rock, soul, orchestral, folk and several unidentifiable strains that make Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You an indulgent delight. There is no telling how many people this potpourri, might capture, but isn’t that beside the point? Musically, every song—including the minimalist instrumental interludes—holds surprises for even the most hardened ears. Divided into four sides, originals like “There’s Nothing Underwater,” “I Don’t Want to Wake Up Alone” and “Sweetheart” show a master creator is behind this music. One of Lightspeed Champion’s inspirations, Del Shannon, was also someone who packed a secret weapon inside his pop confections. Try listening to “Runaway” and “Hats Off to Larry” now knowing what we know without getting scared. There is such an undercurrent of dark finality in Champion’s songs he feels like an old soul, though the cover image is of a younger man, looking slightly lost at the end of a long road to nowhere. This is a sound that is meant to puzzle us, leaving no doubt the man at the helm and his band Spacecamp are kings of their own destiny. In the ‘70s, this album would have been hailed as a masterpiece and the world would look like Lightspeed Champion’s oyster. Today, it will probably be a minor miracle if it gets heard at all, which would be a real shame, because he’s practically a party of one when it comes to going this far out on a musical limb and still not getting kicked out of the forest. Bless him.

Bentley’s Bandstand: Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Giuseppi Logan Quintet, Kelly Ryan

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

Carolina Chocolate Drops, Genuine Negro Jig, Nonesuch Records

For those who are fans of deep folk music from the 1930s, the Carolina Chocolate Drops might be déjà vu in an almost mind-warping way. These young musicians have totally taken the Piedmont style of black string music and given it a bit of a modern twist — just enough to sound contemporary, really, without hipping it up too much. If anything, the trio stays very close to home of the original sound, one that comes from the rural parts of those Eastern mountains, where people played on front porches and in open fields for the fun of it. When recording equipment first appeared, it was almost like a visit from the far-off future. Fortunately, Justin Robinson, Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons aren’t afraid of the challenge of honoring the past while delving into the present. They are absolutely fearless in resurrecting the classic music of Etta Baker, Papa Charlie Jackson, the Harlem Hamfats, Annie Briggs and others. When the Drops began in 2005, they made weekly pilgrimages to fiddler Joe Thompson’s house in Mebane, North Carolina. Thompson was in his 80s then, and the three were intent on learning not only his musical knowledge but also to find inspiration from someone who had helped invent their sound. Mission accomplished, and after five years of playing fiddles, banjos and guitar, among other instruments, the sophomore album Genuine Negro Jig sounds like the group’s true coming out party. Producer Joe Henry, who has worked with Elvis Costello, Solomon Burke, Allen Toussaint and more, wisely steers them through the land mine of being a retro-based band, which is a dead-end if there ever was one. Blu Cantrell’s 2001 “Hit ‘Em Up Style” and Tom Waits’ “Trampled Rose,” along with Sule Greg Wilson’s percussion additions, opens the door for all kinds of inventive paths to pursue. Recorded in one week, these are songs that may at first shock the ears in their authentic approach to a music at the center of America’s heart, but quickly become familiar friends holding the keys to a new musical world.

The Giuseppi Logan Quintet, The Giuseppi Logan Quintet, Tompkins Square Records

There are likely several in every large city in America: horn players who play in public places. Whether on street corners, in parks, shopping malls, even under freeways–they do it, usually, to make a living. Maybe they’ve come to a place where working nightclubs just isn’t an option. Either through poor choices or personal preferences, the players have ended up outdoors, performing for the sky and whatever public they can draw near, hopefully to send a song out into the world that will strike a nerve and get a donation from passing listeners. It’s a subtle art, and the really good musicians can almost earn a living at it. Giuseppi Logan works the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park in New York City. He is a regular and plays alone, preferring the freedom of allowing his saxophone to take him and the audience he draws on a journey of its choosing. But Logan, who also has a steady schedule of shows around the city, is known mainly for his the two albums he recorded for the ESP label in the mid-’60s featuring fellow jazzmen Eddie Gomez, Don Pullen and Milford Graves. They were fairly avant-garde, which was the sound of the day, and the saxophonist–who is also adept on piano–took the sound to places some say it had never been. Now, after 45 years, Giuseppi Logan is back on disc, and what a joyous return it is. His horn might feel a little rough around the edges, but that only adds character to the notes he puts together and emotions they evoke. The man’s music is a work of beauty, with so much life experience in every phrase it send chills through the body. Most of the selections are originals, joined by gorgeous renditions of “Over the Rainbow,” “Blue Moon” and “Freddie Freeloader.” The quintet is a portrait of the humanity of those who chase jazz at all costs, and also a celebration of their endless efforts at survival. It isn’t easy. Giuseppi Logan’s voice on the album-ending “Love Me Tonight” might seem like a prayer in the dark night of the soul, but is really a heartfelt cry to the eternal strength of love. Just like jazz itself.

Kelly Ryan, Twist, Manatee Records

Known for her fine music made in the astroPuppees, Kelly Ryan likely knew sometime that day would come when she would fly solo. Very few lead singers in bands don’t hold that thought where the work will all be on them. Think Mick Jagger, who leads the greatest rock band extant, yet still is driven to record albums without the Rolling Stones. Don’t ask. But with Ryan, Twist really lets the singer-songwriter reach down deep and find her truest groove. And what she comes up with is a unique perspective:  a collection of originals (and one cover) told and played from a woman’s perspective. Supporting players Don Dixon, who also co-produced the album, Marti Jones and Jim Brock became an instantly seamless group, and with several guests and arranger Van Dyke Parks on two tracks, they create a sound so suited to the songs each comes to life in vivid colors. There are no wailing guitars or stomping drums, maybe, but each selection rocks in its own emotional way. The way Ryan borrows from the history of female stalwarts like the Bangles to wisely staying close to her own sound shows this an artist who has found her way, and her voice always pulls us in. This is an album that may take a few moments to unfold all its engaging strengths, but once it does the music will bounce around your soul for a very long time.Benley

Bentley’s Bandstand: Soul Jazz Orchestra, Marley’s Ghost, Re-Delux

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

Soul Jazz Orchestra, Rising Sun, Strut Records

When groups work like crazy, playing live shows constantly, rehearsing because they love the joy of creating and camaraderie combined, writing original songs that sometimes seem to come from the air itself, listening to music for the sheer love of sound: all these things merge into a sonic force field which will not be stopped. That field radiates out into the world in a way that ultimately builds to a wave that must be heard. And that is the world of the Soul Jazz Orchestra now. Their new album, Rising Sun, is a stunner of the first order. It begins in full burn and does not let up. The music this young aggregation creates has the gift of life inside it, like they have found a mojo key to unlock the power of the groove. There is simply no way to resist it. The band has been moving skyward for a while. Now, though, it feels like all that inspired effort has kicked into a whole new realm, allowing all the members to float together while their instruments take on a life of their own. For sheer soul-dacity, it is going to be hard to beat this release for righteous inspiration in 2010. When the music of the spheres decides to make an Earthly visit, it doesn’t have to knock. All it has to do is walk on in. The only thing we can say is amen.

Marley’s Ghost, Ghost Town, Sage Arts Records

If you want to go to the source and get down to the real nitty gritty quick, do what Marley’s Ghost does on their mesmerizing new album: hire producer Cowboy Jack Clement to run the show. Best known for his seminal work with Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis at Sun Records, among many, many illustrious credits, Clement has an unerring ability to nail a great song. Not only can he hear one, he is also able to do some knob twiddling and make sure it gets recorded right. Fortunately for us, Marley’s Ghost isn’t lacking in the song department. The ones they don’t write they root out from the classicists: Emmylou Harris, Willis Alan Ramsey, Warren Zevon, John Hartford and others. Best of all, the band blends their instruments as only people who have been playing together 20 years can. It’s almost alchemy how five members can come together as one and make the music go bang, as Clement describes it. On Ghost Town, you will hear such a variety of styles it really is slightly supernatural. So much is being made of how the music business is melting, but an album this good restores faith in the sound so many have chased for close to a century. When Cowboy Jack Clement calls his studio a hotel and recording spa, it’s obvious that once you check in there would be absolutely no reason to ever check out. Bellman!

Re-Delux, Re-Delux, Redelux Music

At a time when it’s getting harder and harder to make rhythm & blues sound fresh and with enough gutter on it to smell real, Re-Delux comes out of nowhere with a sound to make the boys in the alley do the Stroll. Every player on this album has enough credentials to get a degree in Grooveology, and the way they fit together is something that cannot be learned. It just has to be. Producer David Kalish most likely put this crew together, with the core being Jason Yates, Juan Nelson and Herman Matthews. The way they gel has that magical illusion of being loose and tight at the same time. That’s key to everything else that follows. In this case, it’s guests like Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica, saxophonist Steve Berlin, drummer Pete Thomas and guitarist David Hidalgo along with a bus full of others, and what a mighty mess they make. Hidalgo and all the other guitarists play as if they’ve been set free, with no stylistic limitations or tricked-out production ideas. Most likely they were just told to tear the place up. Musselwhite’s harp is as moving as it’s been since he first wrapped his big hands around one, and on vocals he still sounds like someone who learned the blues the hard way, but did not let them take him down. Rather, he built himself up, high enough to grab the sky. That’s just for starters, too. The rest of the musicians and the nine songs will make new believers of those doubting how the modern world could still allow so much soul on one release. Pick any track: “Rumble,” “Father to Father,” “Curse the Day,” “People in the World” or any other. Each will stir something inside you that makes life feel new and all things possible. Just what rhythm & blues was made to do.

Bentley’s Bandstand: Tim Buckley, Gil Scott-Heron, Galactic

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

Tim Buckley, Live At The Folklore Center, NYC – March 6, 1967, Tompkins Square Records

When a young Tim Buckley taped these 16 songs on a reel-to-reel tape recorder during the spring of 1967, he had already released his self-titled debut album, and his sophomore effort, Goodbye And Hello, was on its way. He hadn’t really broken through–in some ways he never did during his short lifetime–but he was known around the country as one of the brave new wave of folk singers. Buckley’s voice, high and mighty, was moving toward a jazzy style that would later knock down all kinds of barriers in music. It was an acquired taste, maybe, but the purity and power of his phrasing still has few equals. What is so striking about this album is how fully formed he was with just a guitar in front of the small audience. Songs like “Song for Janie,” “No Man Can Find the War” and “Carnival Song” have entire worlds inside their short structures, and listeners can immediately sense the utter uniqueness of Tim Buckley. Today, he has become a near-legend, party due to his music and the rest because of his young demise. But back in 1967, he was an exciting newcomer to the modern music world, along with Joni Mitchell, who had those in the vanguard all atwitter. It’s important to note, though, that they had by no means made it. In the interview done then, Buckley says he recently made ten dollars playing with Jesse Colin Young at the Cafe Au Go Go, and would soon go back to his home in California hoping for better prospects because he couldn’t find a following in New York. He would go on to work with a variety of accomplished players during his short career, and never stopped seeking to find the path in creating the sound he no doubt heard in his head. Six of these songs are being released here for the very first time, and add a significant new short chapter to the singer’s history. And his version of Fred Neil’s “The Dolphins” is about as gorgeous as a voice and a guitar get, each verse and chorus breaking the heart while reminding us what we lost much, much too soon. Long live Tim Buckley.

Gil Scott-Heron, I’m New Here, XL Recordings

Man ‘o man. If anyone could be called a long shot for another act, it would be Gil Scott-Heron. After practically inventing rap music in the late ’60s with songs like “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” Heron branched out into musical showstoppers like “Winter in America” and dozens of others. There was no one in his league then. The intensity and truth in his work were beyond everyone else. It was that simple. Then it all ended. Drugs, jail, poverty: it felt like all that was missing was his obituary. Somehow Heron lived for another day, and now I’m New Here gives hope that his sharp-eyed take on urban life and human dreams will soar once again. Sure, the burn might not be as hot now, and there isn’t that sense of searing vision like in the previous albums, but make no mistake. This is a man who is not giving an inch to anybody, and still has a mojo turned up to 10. With a weathered voice and years of God knows what else in his past, the words come in truthful waves. Even cover songs like Bill Callahan’s “I’m New Here” and Brook Benton’s “I’ll Take Care of You,” fit Heron’s worldview to perfection. Times are tough and getting tougher, but this artist has no intention of giving in. As Confucius said: “May you live in interesting times.” All Gil Scott-Heron needs to add is, “May you live through them.”

Galactic, Ya-Ka-May, Anti- Records

Galactic has sure ’nuff thrown everything into the gumbo this time around, and that’s a very tasty thing. One of the most inventive modern bands in New Orleans, the quintet has opted for the spicy chicken at Popeye’s, more Tabasco sauce in the Bloody Mary at the Golden Latrine and most definitely the strongest chicory coffee at the French Market, and made an album that captures the Crescent City the way it truly is today. Not as a bummer burg on a permanent victim trip post-Katrina, nor a thriving metropolis where peaches and cream are being served free on Tchoupitoulas Street. Nope, not a chance, because this is a place that’s still a mess, but such a glorious one that thick or thin the citizens are getting over the best they can. The musicians throw caution to the wind–not the first time–and invite a load of fellow artists to jump into the Mississippi River with them and see what floats. And what a crew it is, whether it’s Irma Thomas sounding downright steely on “Heart of Steel,” the Rebirth Brass Band going for broke on “Boe Money,” John Boutte bringing back the vapors on “Dark Water,” Cheeky Blakk doing the nasty on “Do It Again,” Walter “Wolfman” Washington’s Lower Ninth Ward blues on “Speaks His Mind” and, yes, Big Freedia getting all sissy on “Double It,” which is a bounce bodown that promotes hineys in the air and hands on the ground while the music goes wild. Strong imagination can fill in the rest. Believe it or not, these delectable delights are just the start on Ya-Ka-May. Galactic is a band that seizes the moment, realizing that in New Orleans now, all bets are off and anything goes, and they’d be crazy not to find the levee and burn it down. And don’t forget: it’s Mardi Gras season, the Saints have most assurely marched in and it’s time to celebrate the creation of a new musical masterpiece. Yeah you right!

Bentley’s Bandstand: The Sojourners, Corinne Baily Rae

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

The Sojourners, The Sojourners, Black Hen Music

Gospel music will always shine. A centerpiece of American sounds, it carries the ability to inspire all those within its sweep. Even for listeners beyond the beliefs at gospel’s rousing center, the songs rarely fail to raise the roof everywhere they are performed. In that way, groups like the Sojourners are prophetic. They start with a higher power pushing them forward, and then arrange their voices in ways to bring the light forward. Will Sanders, Ron Small and Marcus Mosley come from different areas, and use three distinct singing styles to stir up everything they touch. The twists and turns never stop, and by album’s end it’s obvious the Sojourners, only together a few years now, are here to stay. With producer Steve Dawson, they gather imaginative material by Los Lobos, Dorothy Love Coates, Rev. Gary Davis and others, along traditional classics arranged by the trio, and make them modern wonders. Gospel music is timeless, and as long as artists like these put their talent where their spirits reside, we will all find our path to higher ground.

Corinne Bailey Rae, The Sea, Capitol Records

When music mixes the light with the darkness it can create a whole new reality. Corinne Bailey Rae, a wildly popular singer whose debut album in 2006 is still a favorite, had to allow tragedy into this new music when her husband, Scottish saxophonist Jason Rae, overdosed on methadone and alcohol. But what came of all that sadness has turned into an ability to turn loss into found, hardship into hope and allows the young woman to grow up without giving in. The Sea doesn’t wallow in death by any means, but there is a definite sense of heartbreak in some of these songs that wasn’t there on the last album. Luckily, she also uses her gorgeous voice on songs like “Paris Nights/New York Mornings” to open up the windows and let a breezy freshness into the sound. Not everything works, like “Keep on Diving” which allows ponderous lyrics like “Worlds will all end / and new worlds will begin / it’s a thought so stark / we’re at once determinant / yet so insignificant / spinning out in the velvet dark.” There’s just not many ways to sing those lines and keep from getting pulled down under the water fairly fast. Moments like that are infrequent, thankfully, and Corinne Bailey Rae never loses an incredibly soulful beauty to share a voice that shines in all the right places. She has never been part of the Amy Winehouse-Duffy-etc. rhythm & blues revival crew that is so popular in the U.K., having way too much subtlety to go that route. What this woman does is take elements of ’70s black music, add a modern sensitivity to it and then filter it through a wide-screen view of the world. There isn’t anyone like Corinne Bailey Rae right now. How could there be? Listening to this album promises us she is just getting started.

Bill Bentley is a writer, musician, publicist, record producer and A&R director. He once played drums with Lightnin’ Hopkins. For more reviews and music news, go to www.sonicboomers.com

Bentley’s Bandstand: South Memphis String Band, Pieta Brown, Stile Antico

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

South Memphis String Band, Home Sweet Home, Memphis International Records

Luther Dickinson, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus are the members of this trio. They play timeless music from the South, and it is a true fact not many people can do this anymore. It will take you to a place where bountiful trees grace the land and heartfelt sounds fill the air. It is not something that should be taken for granted. Father Jim Dickinson, who died last August, wrote the liner notes for this mesmerizing album and his words are worth repeating: “Spring thaw. The voice of the turtle is heard in the land. Nature’s miracle of rebirth fills the breeze with the sweet smell of Easter blossoms. It’s a good time to listen to the blues. As the free world teeters once again on the terrifying brink of depression return with us now to those bygone days of yesteryear and lose your troubles in the timeless songs of the South Memphis String Band. Three young contemporary blues artists, each in his own right a rising star. Three modern Mississippi musicians on a knight’s quest to retrieve, preserve, and carry into the future America’s most unique and meaningful musical statement. String band music from the Mississippi Sheik’s and Cannon’s Jug Stompers to the South Carolina Chocolate Drops represent to scholars the pre bebop of the South. Sophisticated chord progressions syncopate into what appears to be medicine show vaudeville humor yet with a dark core of philosophic irony that gives modern relevance and meaning to an antique form. These three musicians are each different and yet the same. Luther Dickinson’s good natured slide has spread North Mississippi Hill Country Boogie to the world. Jimbo Mathus is the singing voice of  Huckleberry Finn. The mighty Alvin Youngblood Hart is a force of nature and perhaps the best modern purveyor of the early Delta blues alive today. So pull up a chair and pour some gin in your glass. If you don’t dig this there is seriously something wrong with you. World Boogie is coming.” —Jim Dickinson/Independence, Mississippi

Pieta Brown, Shimmer, Red House Records

Japanese brush painting can be a deceptive art; at first glance it seems simple enough but on closer inspection there is nothing easy about it. The same with stripped-down music. Absent any high-gloss production or over-energetic instrumentation, a musician really has to have an inner greatness to succeed. And make no mistake: Pieta Brown sounds like someone to the kingdom born. There is clarity of strength in these seven songs that speaks of a vision rarely seen in someone so young. Produced by Don Was, who also plays string bass, and accompanied only by the elusive Bo Ramsey on electric guitar and harmony vocal, Brown adds her own acoustic guitar to give an austere but undeniable edge to everything here. Born in Iowa and raised mostly in Alabama, Pieta Brown lived a life on the move, which no doubt allowed her to hold on to images and emotions as much as tangible things. Father Greg Brown offered the role model for a musician’s path, but the daughter definitely has found her own way. The original songs capture the delicate side of love’s young life, but on “Hey Joey” and “El Guero,” she doesn’t back away from anything. Others, like “Loving You Still” and “Diamonds in the Sky,” are both fragile and fine-tuned. This woman may well one of the best modern songwriters we have. Her previous albums have all been knock-outs, but there is something about Shimmer that says it’s a breakthrough. Back to that Japanese brush painting, and the way it can capture the eye with what looks like a minimum of effort. Of course, its takes endless hours to learn what to leave out and how to emphasis the really important elements in the painting. Pieta Brown has obviously put in the time. Now it’s our turn to discover the beauty.

Stile Antico, John Sheppard: Media Vita Harmonia, Mundi Records

Every few years an album is released that no matter who hears it responds, “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.” The latest from the young 14-voice British choral group Stile Antico surely wins the award this time around. They have toured widely with Sting in Europe, as well as performing at festivals in America. They sing a broad and moving array of styles, including works by the English Tudor composers, music from the early Baroque period and compositions of the Flemish and Spanish schools. The joy Stile Antico have for their performances is overwhelming, and can be felt from the moment they start to sing. Media Vita, however, is something else entirely. Composer John Sheppard remains something of an enigma. Writing in the first half of the 16th Century, he is an underperformed master, possibly because not many of his transcripts survived. The liturgical pieces are highly prized, and soar and transport the listener to the upper reaches of the cosmos. “The Lord’s Prayer” is enough to bring anyone with a heartbeat to their knees, and shows how music really is it’s own language, no translation necessary. Other originals include simple English-texted anthems written in the reign of Edward VI, along with immortal Catholic hymns. To try and describe the time-stopping beauty of this album is to quickly learn the limits of words, but know these sounds capture the essence of human life, and offer hope in the ongoing survival of the human spirit.

Bill Bentley is a writer, musician, publicist, record producer and A&R director. He once played drums with Lightnin’ Hopkins. For more reviews and music news, go to www.sonicboomers.com

Bentley’s Bandstand: Quartet San Francisco, Sam Baker, Soulsavers

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

Quartet San Francisco, QSF Plays Brubeck, QSF Music

There are sometimes albums that exist in their own world. They are so distinctive and carry such an air of accomplishment about them, it’s like they are surrounded by a warm glow. That specialness almost jumps off the disc, and is there every time the music is played. Quartet San Francisco is a classical string ensemble that has that magical touch. Each one of their releases fills the room with a touching joy, and QSF Plays Brubeck carries that spirit even further. The two violins, viola and cello absolutely soar through Dave Brubeck’s songs, not to mention Paul Desmond’s composition “Take Five,” which the Brubeck quartet released 50 years ago and is possibly the most popular jazz recording of all time. The way the strings of Jeremy Cohen, Alisa Rose, Michelle Djokic and Keith Lawrence give flight to all these sounds is a study in defying gravity. Their creations add a dramatic flair to all the selections, and can carry away the willing listener. In concert, QSF veers from jazz to tango, pop to funk, blues to bluegrass and beyond. There is nearly no style of music they can’t master. But somehow, in taking on the Dave Brubeck songbook, it feels like the group has really found their sweet spot for now. So if it’s been awhile since an album has found you and invited you on a journey to a new land, this release could be the one. It’s nominated for two Grammy Awards next week, including one for Best Classical Crossover, and if this music doesn’t help cross you over to the other side, it could be time for flying lessons. It’s time to take off.

Sam Baker, Cotton, Blue Limestone Records

The first time you hear Sam Baker sing, it sounds like there’s something a little off, like he has a slight problem pronouncing some of the words. It doesn’t sound wrong, it is just different. There’s a reason for it, and the more you learn the likelier it is you will fall completely under this musician’s spell. A decade ago Baker was traveling on a train in Peru when a terrorist’s bomb exploded on the luggage rack right above his head. Seven people died, and for most intents so should have this Texan. Much of his body was maimed, and he lost hearing in one ear and a constant ringing in the other. But it was then he began writing songs and singing. It was like he’d found a new calling, one born out of blood and bereavement. In other ways, it was as if he’d received a miracle that day the bomb blew up, because instead of dying like he probably should have, he was instead reborn. Cotton is the third album in a trilogy, and each one explores a complete world of Sam Baker’s making. As a writer, he captures details of everyday life that most of us didn’t so much miss as just didn’t realize existed. His eye for emotional catharsis sounds like it comes from a conjurer’s gift, and songs like “Moon,” “Signs” and “Say the Right Words” glow with holy words. There is a deep well of spirit inside all these songs, and you will know it from the very first listen. Something is going on here, and in many ways it is beyond the realm of normal explanation. Maybe this man crossed over to the other side for a few moments on that train in Peru, and what he has brought back is a world to share we normally do not see. By opening our eyes he is ready to take us there. Lucky us.

Soulsavers, Broken, Columbia Records

First the good news. This is a swirling mess of an album that can stop you in your tracks. There is such an embarrassment of riches on the songs it’s easy to get lost listening, like you’re in a house of mirrors and keep bumping into old friends or new hallucinations. They pop up at all points, in gorgeous psychedelic colors or harsh grinding arrangements, sometimes suitably mixed together. There is absolutely no way to predict what comes next. The cast of characters is entirely enviable: Mark Lanegan, Jason Pierce, Richard Hawley, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Mike Patton, Gibby Haynes and more. What they create will turn your insides around, like a good drug that might not hurt you, but if it does it is worth it. The songs, almost all originals, sound like some are written during high fevers, and reflect that these artists are out to please themselves. And shining there in the fifth slot is “Some Misunderstanding,” written by original Byrds vocalist Gene Clark. It is a stunning thing, and proves how the past is never really past, but always inspiration for today. Broken is anything but, and could easily have been titled Fixed. Oh yes, the bad news? There isn’t any now that you mention any.

Bill Bentley is a writer, musician, publicist, record producer and A&R director. He once played drums with Lightnin’ Hopkins. For more reviews and music news, go to www.sonicboomers.com

Bentley’s Bandstand: “Crazy Heart” Original Soundtrack, B.J. Thomas, Joe Louis Walker

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

B.J. Thomas, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Tomorrow Never Comes, Collectors’ Choices

Blessed with a great soul voice that also had an undeniable strength singing country, B.J. Thomas started his career as a teenager fronting the Triumphs in Houston. But by the time he recorded his debut album, he knew the set list of primarily rhythm & blues needed to be expanded, and at the end of the all-night session he decided to honor his father’s desire he do a country selection, in this case Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Genius. Thomas’ totally expressive voice is given such freedom on the classic that he almost invents a whole new genre in the process. He captures the overwhelming forlornness in Williams’ stab at eternity, and it’s no understatement to say greatness is in the house on this unlikely Top Ten hit from 1965. But there it was, and B.J. Thomas was off to the races. Unfortunately it would take several years for the Texan to crack the upper reaches of the charts again, and a quick listen to all the other songs on this reissue set shows why. The cover songs, like “It’s Not Unusual” and “Midnight Hour,” are serviceable but surely not special, and there is a one-dimensionalness to most of Mark Charron’s original that keeps the music tightly tethered to the earth. Try as Thomas might, it almost sounds like he knows he is skiing uphill, even as the gifted singer never gives it less than his best. A few albums away lurked the song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” and a long ride of popular releases. But still, there is such a purity of expression on Hank Williams’ title song from that very first album, not to mention the cover photo of a young man with his head in his hand complete with a high school ring on it, that in many ways it remains B.J. Thomas’ most moving musical moment, done for his daddy. That’s soul.

Joe Louis Walker, Between A Rock And The Blues, Stony Plain Records

The evolution of the blues keeps twisting and turning, never something that can be predicted with great accuracy but always relied on to stay strong. There are those like Joe Louis Walker who are so far into the music it’s like they live and breathe it. The blues’ ability to supply solace and inspiration is beyond question, and even if these prime movers get off the track for a bit, they somehow come back with deep dedication. Walker has been in the chase a very long time, and despite a tumble or two has never lost the way. His guitar playing is often devastating, capable of both slashing through songs like a sharp knife, and also displaying at other times pure tenderness to caress the sounds. Between A Rock And The Blues is his most personal album yet, one that feels like it comes from the very pages of his life. Originals like “If There’s a Heaven” and “I’ve Been Down,” both recorded with guest guitarist Kevin Eubanks, touch those moments in Walker’s world that feel like they are moments of salvation, and came right at the time when he needed them most. Others, like producer Duke Robillard’s “Tell Me Why” and Ray Charles’ “Blackjack” are perfect fits for someone who has lived the fast life and is finding out what there is to learn from it. Joe Louis Walker’s vocals are practically lethal, and capture what it’s like when the killing floor is about to come home. The blues has always been the foundation of American music, a style that comes from the suffering of those who lived without choice but learned to never given in to defeat. On the day when we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and all those struggles in the hopes and dreams of his people, it’s also a good time to remember how those very struggles are still portrayed in the blues to this very day. And no one is doing that with more soul now than this man.

Various Artists, Crazy Heart Original Soundtrack, New West Records

There are tons of highways out there in the United States, and it’s a good bet there are always hundreds of country musicians criss-crossing them at any given time, either leaving or heading for a barroom or honky tonk to play another show on that endless road. It’s a time-honored tradition, and for many of those musicians, it’s the only job they’ll ever know. The chances of catching the rising star in Nashville–and even more importantly holding on to it–are slim and getting slimmer these days, but the real vets don’t complain. They do the show, get the dough and drive on to the next stop on the schedule. Jeff Bridges plays just such a trooper in Crazy Heart, and the movie is a hearty dose of realism chased by a shot of romance and a side order of optimism. But, really, it’s a rough ride and Bridges knows it. So does T Bone Burnett, who produced this whopper of a soundtrack, one that veers from early heroes like the Delmore Brothers, Kitty Wells (!), Louvin Brothers and blues guru Lightnin’ Hopkins, through second generation kingpins George Jones, Buck Owens and Waylon Jennings right into more recent dazzlers Lucinda Williams, Sam Phillips, the late Stephen Bruton and newcomer Ryan Bingham. Then there’s Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.” No one rambled and raised hell on the road like this man, or opened his soul to what happened out there all the way like he did. This song says it all. All this music pulls at the heart like a gritty romance novel, testifying to the days of cheap wine and wilting roses without the false sentiment that once threatened to drown the sound coming out of Music City. Leave it to Burnett to zero in on the resignation in the life of Bridges’ character, and tell the musical story with equal parts grace and grimace. He even lets Jeff Bridges take a turn at the microphone a couple of times to moving effect, along with Colin Farrell.  Throw in Lydia Mendoza’s chilling “Mal Hombre” and actor Robert Duval’s prayerful performance of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever,” and this spirit-saving soundtrack might do for heartbreak what Burnett’s O Brother Where Art Thou did for bluegrass. Or at least let’s hope so.

Bill Bentley is a writer, musician, publicist, record producer and A&R director. He once played drums with Lightnin’ Hopkins. For more reviews and music news, go to www.sonicboomers.com

Bentley’s Bandstand: Waylon Jennings, Jason Yates, Arthur Adams

BY BILL BENTLEY

www.sonicboomers.com

Waylon Jennings, Folk Country-Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan, Collectors’ Choice Music
Waylon Jennings wasn’t an outlaw, he was an original. He looked at life from the outside and didn’t bother to try and figure out why. He knew he was different and would eventually find the freedom to make music his own way. Folk Country is a tentative step in that direction. Released in 1966, it gave the slightest of nods in the direction of the coming youth movement, but stayed fairly squarely in the Nashville bag. Except, of course, no way could Jennings play it completely square and his always haunting vocals pierce through everything he sings. And on one song, “Stop the World,” he flat out gives a peek at the sound he really heard in his head, with burning guitar strings and an eerie edge in his voice. Notice had been served that things would be different someday. Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan came out a year later, but not much was different. The master Harlan Howard had a strong hand in writing all these songs but Nashville had not really let Jennings cut free just yet. His voice had all the character it was always known for, but the lines were still drawn about how things should sound. It’s almost like we’re listening to a glimpse at the way one of country’s true originals wanted to sound but hadn’t quite found the key to unlock the kingdom. That was still a half-dozen years off and a whole movement away. No worry. There is still enough greatness to go around here for us all, and Ol’ Hoss knew exactly where he was headed.

Jason Yates, Jason Yates, Vapor Records
If there were awards for overlooked albums, Jason Yates’ recent sophomore set would surely be in the winner’s circle. He has played keyboards with a wide range of great artists, including Ben Harper for several years, and has a range of styles that flows out of him with total ease. For his second release, Yates plays to his strongest suit, which is an irresistible blend of sweet Memphis soul, crunchy California rock and a deep love of classic Steve Wonder. The way he takes each element and stirs them together so seamlessly reflects his many years of playing and searching for what works in that dedicated pursuit of finding a way to push his sound forward. New songs like “My Way Out,” “To Reason” and “Sing for You” let Yates demonstrate how quickly this group of musicians gel from note one. Recorded live in a studio in East L.A., the idea was to make sure the recording process never took over from the musical passion. The players click from the git and are in the glow of those who know they’re in on a very good thing. Yates’ voice is warm and real, which is more than enough to make the album feel like a buried treasure. Before 2009 fades too far into the history books, find this disc. It will make the new year feel friendlier right away, and spread some real joy in January.

Arthur Adams, Stomp The Floor, Delta Groove Records
Sometimes only the vets can get the job done. In rhythm & blues, that would be someone like Arthur Adams, who has been playing that funkiest of music longer than the life of most electric guitars. Adams stands next to life with his heart wide open, taking in the wide range of human emotions like an explorer out to cover the waterfront. On Stomp The Floor, the man with a voice that resides just this side of heaven wades into the topsy-turvy modern world, and the songs he has created tap into a soul deep understanding of our sharpest feelings and fears. It’s almost unsettling the way Adams can zero in on all these conflicts without turning preachy. Rather, he gets us to understand just how tough the times are today and the kind of spirit it will take to get through them. There are very few recent releases that turn such an illuminating light on where we are headed, or give such hope there is a high road to get us to the other side.

Bill Bentley is a writer, musician, publicist, record producer and A&R director. He once played drums with Lightnin’ Hopkins. For more reviews and music news, go to www.sonicboomers.com

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