Blues Matters!

BM! Wants your feedback

Blues Matters! wants to know which 3 albums you rate from the year-past, and your 2 favourite re-releases (inc. best ofs/compilations/reissues etc).
We will use our first issue of 2009 (issue 47) to countdown the 50 Best Blues albums, reviewed by us during 2008 (issue 42-46), and the 10 most popular reissues. Please note, the chosen releases MUST have been covered by us between issues 42 and 46 � so check those back issues!!
Please let us know why you've made the choices you have, and submit in descending order.
Only one submission per person, and please remember to include your full-name and address. 3 lucky submitters will win copies of the new albums from Roadhouse and The Mustangs.

Email to darren@bluesmatters.com or send to the usual PO Box address by 5th January 2008.

Doris Carr Dies at 80

This sad news just in from Roger Stolle: Mrs. Doris Carr of Lula, Mississippi, passed away early this morning at age 80, according to long-time Carr Family friend and former Rooster Blues co-owner Patty Johnson of Clarksdale. Known by many as the beloved wife of legendary blues drummer Sam Carr, Miss Doris was also a blues singer in her own right and a caretaker of other Deltans in the past. She is survived by her husband, Sam Carr -- the son of slide guitar master Robert Nighthawk and drummer of the world-famous Jelly Roll Kings. Sam and Doris Carr have been together since she was 13 years old. Mrs. Carr had been in poor health for some time. Mr. Carr still resides in Lula. Funeral arrangements are pending with more information forthcoming.

Blues Caravan Dates!

Sue Foley
Deborah Coleman
Dani Wiled

15/11/2008

Joanne Taylor
Deborah Coleman
Dani Wiled

13/11/2008
14/11/2008

Christmas Idea from a fan to you fans of the Blues

Hey people, I had a great idea when puzzled on what to get my friends for Xmas. We go to gigs together and they read my copy of Blues Matters and it often ends up a bit dog eared. I usually get them CD'S or DVD'S but this year I decided to get them a Blues Matters subscription. At last I can keep my copy safe in my bookcase in neat condition.
They are great to read back over from time to time, something I've never done that with other magazines I read on music or films. So there you are my xmas idea for your mates - a Blues Matters Subscription.

Tony Sanders,
Stoke-on-Trent

Roadhouse - Sea of Souls gets rave reviews!
Roadhouse �Sea of Souls Blues matters BRMCD20082
Roadhouse is something of a unique band. A fiercely independent rock band with 7 solid albums behind them and a prodigious song writer in the shape of founder member, guitarist Gary Boner, this South London based outfit continue to churn out some of the most impressive Southern rock heard this side of the pond.
Working from a sold rock blues foundation, it is Boner�s Americana drenched imagery that gives the band their USP and eases them on the up escalator.
And if �Sea of Souls� does in fact restate many of Boner�s previous themes of hope, love, despair, angst and redemption, they are all delivered via immensely enjoyable trips along the �Devils Highway� which may or may not be inhabited by either a �Voodoo Queen� or her counterpart the �Preacher Man�. Indeed the songs paint a picture of surviving life's never ending rocky road through the triumph of the human spirit over the lyrically elaborated aspects of the devil and despair. And it�s this life force that comes through loud and clear in the songs. Given the fact Gary Boner�s songs are that much better than anything else on offer at the moment; you are indeed carried along by his lyrics as much as the searing solo�s which both he and fellow guitarist Warren Gwilym fire off at the drop of a hat. So while The Eagles may offer the �dark desert highway�, Roadhouse deliver similar imagery laden narratives but with a twist.
�Sea of Souls� is also a well thought out, well produced rock album that when required subtly papers over the cracks of Boner�s passionate latter day Dylan croak. He doesn�t so much rely on the triumvirate of Mandy G, Suzie D and Kelly Marie to reach the necessary vocal peaks as use the resulting harmonies to bring an extra dimension to his lyrics. And as the band�s name suggests Roadhouse are a seriously road tested outfit with Bill Hobley & Roger Hunt providing a rock solid foundation for the twin guitar explorations.
The southern rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the early vocal styling of Jefferson Airplane and the introspective imagery of Neil Young are all to be found on songs like �Lights on the Water�, while the quite outstanding plea �The Answer� is one of Boner�s very best efforts, being a slow building rock ballad with nice guitar touches, a lovely vocal combination and a cute sense of dynamics. The latter is also evident on the introductory post Bo Diddley drum pattern and girlie vocals on the splendid �Voodoo Dance� and there�s even a Steeleye Span style folksy style intro to �Dark River� which is ultimately subsumed by a characteristic Roadhouse riff.
And it is the latter guitar break that offers a key to the whole project. After seventeen years and eight or so albums, Roadhouse do indeed have their own trademark sound. In Gary Boner they have a song writer of rare talent and emotional feel while in Mandy G they have a Marlena Dietrich meets Lulu who can effortlessly shift from a sultry growl to a scream as she belts out her lines as on �House of the Rising Sun� and the riff driven �Tumbling Down�.
By the time of a reprise of one of their career highlights the southern rock influenced �Preacher Man� from the �Dark Ride� CD, you feel like you�ve been through a rocked up arrangement of a Raymond Chandler novel. And let�s face it any album full of songs that can evoke such imagery on the back of some searing guitar work has got to be worth a second listen. Fiery rootsy rock never sounded so good.
**** (4/5) For more Reviews please click Here

Stephen Dale Petit
Stephen Dale Petit returns to Bristol - the leader of the new blues revolution played an outstanding set during the summer.
He now returns to The Polish Club in Clifton, Bristol.
Based on the audience response last time this is sure to be a sell-out event.
Classic Rock had this to say
'The fire of Freddie King, the instinct of Jimmy Page and the soul of Clapton'

Dale Petit's show Thursday 30th October at The 100 Club
Tickets are still available for Stephen Dale Petit's show Thursday 30th October at The 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street London W1. Petit and his band are headlining the legendary London venue for a record 5th time. Hurry though, as the concert was mentioned in last Sunday's News Of The World as the must see gig for this week, and is expected to sell out. Tickets are £10 advance, £12 on the door. Doors open 7:30. Support from The Malchicks, and The David Sinclair Band.

RAY LAMONTAGNE At Number 3 In The Charts
Ray LaMontagne reached new sales highs this week with his much lauded album Gossip In The Grain debuting at #3 on Billboard Charts selling 60,476 albums. LaMontagne's previous best came on the his last album Until The Sun Turns Black with a #28 ranking and 28,000 copies sold this represents an increase of over 115%. The album was the best selling album digitally over the past week landing at #1, selling over 32,081 downloads 54% more than the #2 album by Kenny Chesney. Furthermore the album's first single "You Are The Best Thing" increased sales by almost 1,000% at iTunes.
LaMontagne is one of the most respected artists in music today, especially with fellow artists. John Mayer writing on his website only last week said that he "is as brilliant as any artist that has ever lived," Lucinda Williams recently compared him favorably to Otis Redding.
The press has also latched on to the new album with the Washington Post calling it, "brilliant." The Boston Globe noted that "LaMontagne's songs, have grown exponentially with each release." The New York Daily News in a 4 star review said, the payoff to listening to the album comes in "a sound so concentrated, listening will make you feel like your living right inside the song."
All reviews have remarked on a more upbeat attitude and a new looser even more soulful sound than previous releases. That sound is epitomized on the Stax inspired horn-led first single, "You Are The Best Thing," which is racing up the AAA radio charts and will soon hit that charts Top Ten. The song was also recently showcased on Late Show With Conan O'Brien when Ray appeared with Conan's horn section backing him up.
The Conan appearance occurred on an off day from a North American tour, which goes until mid-November. Spin on its website in rave review of a show at New York's Radio City Music Hall, "laughter, both by LaMontagne and the audience -- that was something new. His fresh style showcased both on his new album and in the performance Saturday, illustrated a near flawless transition from a front porch in Maine to the front of the most prestigious stage in the world."

Rock'n'Roll legend Tommy Brown makes it to UK at last
Weepin' Tommy Brown, from Atlanta, makes his first ever UK tour in October. Tommy had a Billboard no. 1 with Weepin' and Cryin' in 1952 and Dave Bartholomew called him 'One of the world's greatest entertainers.' Tommy went on to join Irwin Feld's Greatest Show of Stars which criss-crossed America in the mid-fifities, and featured artists like Chuck Berry, The Crickets, Fats Domino and Eddie Cochrane
Tommy Brown accompanied by the Catfish Kings and TB's Horns plays:
Stamford Arts Centre 24,
Castor Village Hall (near Peterborough) 25,
London Ace Café 26.

HOWLING BELLS (supporing Mercury Rev)
November:
2nd � Vicar St, Dublin
4th � Mandela Hall, Belfast
5th � Academy, Manchester
6th � Academy, Leeds
7th � Academy, Birmingham
9th � Academy, Newcastle
11th � Brighton Corn Exchange, Brighton
12th � Bristol Academy, Bristol
13th � Shepherd�s Bush Empire, London
14th � Oxford Academy, Oxford