David Bromberg Band – The Blues, the Whole Blues and Nothing but the Blues

DAVID BROMBERG BAND

The Blues, the Whole Blues and Nothing but the Blues

Red House Records

davidbromberg.net

Most of David Bromberg’s albums, dating back to David Bromberg, his first solo LP released in 1971, have been wonderfully eclectic, drawing on a wide variety of styles and traditions, but, almost always with strong strains of the blues. This time around, as testified to in the album title, it’s an all-blues affair, just The Blues, the whole Blues and Nothing but the Blues.

But, even though this album is nothing but the blues, it is still remarkably eclectic thanks to the different approaches David takes on different tracks. Some are full band tracks, some are solo or almost solo. Some are electric, some are acoustic. Some are arranged Chicago style, others have an infectious jump or New Orleans or front porch feels.

The classic Chicago blues band sound developed as an electrified version of the Delta blues and that’s how David sets the tone for the album by opening with a grinding electric band version of Robert Johnson’s “Walking Blues.”

My favorite tracks on the album, though, are the acoustic tunes. Little Hat Jones’ “Kentucky Blues,” with it’s almost jug band style arrangement (there’s no jug) is a lot of fun. So is the New Orleans horn arrangement on Bessie Smith’s “You’ve Been a Good Ole Wagon,” while David’s solo guitar on Ray Charles’ “A Fool for You” is as expressive as a full band. My very favorite track, however, is the compelling version of the traditional “Delia” with David on vocal and acoustic guitar and producer Larry Campbell on acoustic slide guitar. David’s first recording of “Delia” was also my favorite track on his 1971 debut album but this version seems to come from even deeper in the well.

Among my favorite electric tracks are a version of “900 Miles,” the traditional folk song that David styles after Howlin’ Wolf; “Eyesight to the Blind,” an arrangement of a Sonny Boy Williamson song that jumps and swings with some terrific playing by fiddler Nate Grower and Bill Payne on organ; and a jumping, gospel-inspired version of “Yield Not to Temptation” with more great organ playing by Payne, a terrific horn arrangement, and a call-and-response chorus with David and back-up singers Nancy Josephson, Kathleen Weber and Teresa Williams.

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--Mike Regenstreif

Happy Traum – Just for the Love of It

HAPPY TRAUM

Just for the Love of It

Lark’s Nest Music

happytraum.com

Ten years ago, reviewing Happy Traum’s then-new album, I Walk the Road Again, in Sing Out! magazine, I noted, “It’s been much too long, more than two decades, since Happy Traum, a former editor of Sing Out! magazine, released a solo album. Happily, the long wait has resulted in a very sweet gem of a CD.”

Another decade has gone by, but the wait for Just for the Love of It, another very sweet gem of a CD, was worth it. As usual, Happy has impeccable taste in choosing a program of great traditional folk and blues songs or contemporary songs written in the tradition and even better taste in the way he arranges them with both reverence for his sources and the originality of his always creative fingerpicking guitar and warm singing. He also surrounds himself – track to track – with just the right set of supporting musicians for each song and arrangement.

Because I have multiple versions of every one of these songs in my collection (in some cases many versions) there’s an instant familiarity to every track. But, despite, that familiarity, Happy made each and every one of them sound fresh the first time listened to the album – and they still sound fresh no matter how many times I’ve played the CD.

The album kicks off with Happy’s interpretation of Brownie McGhee’s version of the traditional “Careless Love Blues.” I have versions of Brownie playing the song solo and with Sonny Terry on harmonica. With Happy doing a great job on guitar and vocals, John Sebastian does an equally great job on harmonica.

Other favorite tracks include the traditional “Deep Blue Sea,” learned from Pete Seeger and featuring David Amram on pennywhistle and terrific harmonies by Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams; a contemplative, solo version of Pete’s “Sailing Down My Golden River”; an arrangement of the traditional “Things Are Coming My Way” that is, like so many Georgia Sea Island songs, completely infectious; and a defiant-sounding version of Woody Guthrie’s classic “I Ain’t Got No Home,” that also features a great harmonica part by John Sebastian.

There is also a full-on version of Bob Dylan’s “Crash on the Levee (Down in the Flood),” featuring Happy’s son, Adam Traum on slide guitar and harmony vocals. This song was one of several duets Happy recorded with Dylan in 1971 for Dylan’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 album.

There are another eight songs on Just for the Love of It. I could just as easily have cited any of them as a highlight. I hope it’s not another decade before Happy decides to do another album.

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--Mike Regenstreif