DELMARK RECORDS KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE WITH NEW RELEASES Junior Wells, J.B.Hutto, Magic Sam and Robert Nighthawk

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Michael Hepworth

DELMARK RECORDS FROM CHICAGO

KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE WITH NEW RELEASES

Chicago (Perfect Music Today)6/2/17/–Delmark Records out of Chicago have long been known as a major player in the blues world, but their releases indicate that there are a whole host of new artists keeping the blues alive. Delmark classic albums include releases from the great Junior Wells, J.B.Hutto, Magic Sam and Robert Nighthawk. Some of those masterpieces have been re-released on vinyl including the must have ‘So Many Roads’ by Otis Rush.

Here are some of the newer artists on Delmark we like. recent

GUY KING-TRUTH

Well this guy certainly has the right name to play the blues even though he looks more like a businessman than a very tasty guitar player with a T-Bone Walker style of playing. His new release on Delmark called ‘Truth’ had been lying around for a couple of weeks but when I played it I was pleasantly surprised. Recorded over three days in September 2015 at Riverside Studio in Chicago, the fifteen track album features four originals from King and covers by such artists as Ray Charles, Don Covay, Percy Mayfield, Johnny Gtr Watson and Homer Banks.

BILLY FLYNN-LONESOME HIGHWAY

This veteran bluesman plays a rollicking blues style of guitar and seems like the kind of act who is probably great live. This was recorded over just two days in September 2016 by Steve Wagner at the Riverside Studios. He has been leading his own band for a long time but is best known as a sideman for artists such as Billy Boy Arnold, Jimmy Dawkins, Willie Kent and many others. Vocalist Deitra Farr helps out on a couple of the tracks and the only cover version is an unusual but highly enjoyable version of ‘The “In” Crowd. The album will please guitar fans with almost every song featuring a different style, and the album is dedicated to Flynn’s mentor, the late and great Jimmy Dawkins. www.billyflynn.com

LURRIE BELL-CAN’T SHAKE THIS FEELING

Lurrie Bell recorded this over three days in February 2016 and his guitar prowess is well documented on ‘I Get So Weary’ by T.Bone Walker. There are plenty of other covers of artists like Willie Dixon, Eddie Boyd, Jimmy Davis, Little Milton and Lowell Fulson. In fact his version of Fulson’s ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ is the best track on the album with sterling work from Roosevelt Purifoy on keyboards and Matthew Skoller on harmonica. www.lurrie.com

MIKE WHEELER BAND-TURN UP

Second recording by this hard working band who recorded this album in two days in December 2015. Only cover is the Little Milton classic ‘That’s what love will make you do’ and Wheeler really stands out in the slow blues blockbuster ‘A Blind Man Can See’ with a searing guitar solo right from the Eric Clapton style playbook. www.mikewheelerband.com

COREY DENNISON BAND

Debut album from this band with all originals recorded over two days in October 2015. Dennison learned his stuff from playing with Carl Weathersby and this album was winner of rhe Hot Club of France Award for best blues album of 2016. Mainly up tempo blues with a slight leaning to the Southern rock sound, the band is tight enough on tracks like ‘City Lights,’ which is the best track on the album. Dennison shows off his Albert King licks on ‘Aw, Snap’ and ‘A Fool’s Goodbye is the obligatory slow blues. These guys are probably great live and the rather high pitched vocals add a sense of authenticity to the overall down home sound of the album. www.coreydennison.net

OMAR COLEMAN BAND-LIVE AT ROSA’S LOUNGE

Recorded over three nights at Chicago’s friendliest blues bar Coleman and his band are rising stars on the Chicago blues scene. and his two main influences are Bobby Rush and Junior Wells. Two junior Wells songs are covered here along with gems from Johnnie Taylor and Rufus Thomas. www.omarcoleman.com www.delmark.com