Train Rhythm Blues

Rhythm and Blues – Hohner

Although not strictly in my collection parameters, I’ve been keen for sometime to source a Hohner Rhythm & Blues Chord harmonica. Not quite sure why, but I reckon it’s cool! The time had arrived. I sought out a Patent from Riff Raffer Pat ‘Guru’ Missin. Thanks mate. A harmonica to make chord accompaniment easier for the inexperienced – genius! Head to Pat’s webpage for more info on said harp – Pat Missin

Blues Portrait Volume 4 – Pauline Bailey

What a surprise to see he began as a harp player – there’s even photographic evidence. I had provided Pauline with a few contacts after reviewing her previous volumes. One of which was Doc Span. His chapter is an engrossing read and it is supported with a panoply of wonderful photos. Other artists I gravitated to on my initial perusal were; Dave Brewer, Dave Faulkner, Mike Rudd and a younger more recent harpist Joe Glover. Volume Four, like its predecessors, is an amazing publication rich with insights and high quality illustrations. The reader is taken on a further musical journey with the individual artist’s references to inspirational bands and tunes. Some were new to me, and with help of the internet, the peregrination continued. Thanks Pauline for documenting Australian Music History. If your interested in obtaining the latest edition, head over to Pauline’s Shop – while you’re visiting check out her superb artwork too!

Albums

1965 – Bill Jackson

Now I don’t know but I’ve been told.

The poet’s fate is in the words they roll.

To carry that weight is a mighty load.

It’s a precious cargo on a lonesome road

Bill Jackson, Precious Cargo

Bill Jackson and Kerryn Tolhurst have crafted an album of the highest quality in ‘1965’, a seminal year for Bill and the music world. The first three tunes all could have landed as the lead off single, but it was Precious Cargo that received the nod. It would have been an apt title for the album as it’s carrying a full cargo of shiny diamonds. The lead single has a great back story and I’ll let the key participants outline its peregrination.

Firstly, over to Kerryn. “The opening song, Precious Cargo, was co-written by Mac Gayden (slide guitar player on J J Cale’s Crazy Mama) and worked with Charlie McCoy as a member of The Escorts in the early 60’s to Area Code 615 and still does. After Elliot Mazer produced The Dingoes album (Five Times The Sun) he moved to NY where I was living and we saw a lot of each other. When I made a trip to Nashville he put me in touch with Mac who he’d worked with in Area Code 615 and numerous other albums. We got together at his place and had bit of a jam and came up with a piece of music that Mac suggested should be called Precious Cargo. I went back to NY and made recording of it which I only recently discovered. I gave it to Bill and he came up with the idea for the lyrics.”

Now to Bill to outline his mission. “In 2022 Kerryn gave me one of his jams with Nashville’s Mac Gayden (he wrote Everlasting Love), which they had called Precious Cargo. My brief was to write a song around the two parts they were playing. I came at it from the writer/creatives point of view – the words and life experiences created are Precious Cargo. All this amongst the backdrop of all of those great early sixties Beat Poets and Folk Singers.”

Well that brief was attained with full honours. All the tunes on 1965 are eloquently written recounting interesting tales with a definite sense of melody and captively arranged elegantly (a proven Dingo method). The album could have been a soundtrack to an old American Western movie. Bill’s vocals ain’t no oil painting, but they have an authentic edge and grit – somewhere between Mark Knopfler and Jimmy Nail? He blows Dylanesque harp on quite a few of the tracks and Kerryn’s wonderful lap guitar permeates throughout the melodies. The other tune that could have been in line for the lead single, and my favourite, was Boots Of American Snakeskin. A real corker! Bill informs HRR, “It’s a song I wrote with my brother way back in 2008 after our first US tour – part fact/part fiction. Love Kerryn’s playing/arrangement/mix on this one…and John Bois on Bass!”

This album should send Bill on a journey of high acclaim if not commercial success (if that’s even possible these days – does anyone buy music?). You won’t find this on the rip off streaming companies as it’s only available on Bandcamp (CD, download and stream). Look out for the bonus download, a fitting tribute to an old buddy, the late David Olny – a cover of a previously unrecorded tune. David used to cover the Bill and Ross penned Something In Blue.

Plug It In – Mitch Grainger

Mitch’s final single release off his double album was the title track Plug It In. Acoustically it ain’t, but there’s another version where it’s powered up. Of course it’s another cracker. Funny, having been more connected to his acoustic versions with his earlier releases, the last couple I’ve really identified with the electrified variety. Not sure why – it might be a mood thing. I love the Hammond on all the tunes, so it ain’t that. Mitch’s good friend, LA heavyweight session man Arlan Schierbaum, strokes the keys of the ‘Happy’ with grace and style – he certainly puts the smooth into groove.

The acoustic album version dropped on October 27. I’ve also mistakenly had a sneaky preview of the electrified album before it’s release (November 10) and every track is blues with a feeling – blues riffin’ at its best. I do like the six and half minute Carson (Canned Heat) like Boogie harp of That’s Alright. The stripped back, back (front or side) porch vibe of the acoustical That’s Alright is a very different beast, but I think this is why both albums work so well. As the Oil’s so eloquently sang “We’ve got the best of both world here”. Mitch’s harp work on both albums is crisp and clean with fabulous tone – he definitely puts the hip into hypnotising.

For your aural pleasure, do yourself a service and spin Plug It In – Unplugged and/or Plugged on your radiogram. I’ve had them on high rotation with no tune skipping either.

Sunshine State – Good Will Remedy

Danny’s got a song

That he brings along

Always the same one,

Because that’s Danny’s song.

Will Lebihan, Danny’s Song

My favourite alt country rockers have dropped their sixth album in as many years of the bands existence. We’ve previously reviewed three of the single releases off this superb album entitled Sunshine State (Jay, May Day and A Flower And A Note) and the rest of the album lives up to all expectations. They’ve never recorded a tune I haven’t liked.

I do want to highlight what I reckon could have easily been their lead single, Danny’s Got A Song – it hit me right between the lug holes! Love the melody and arrangement, and even the dead air – a truncated two minute silence for the man that no one knows where he came from or who his mate is. I contacted Will on the story behind the tune.

“Hi Shep. My parents are English – and when I was younger, I was dragged along to (what felt like) loads of parties, towards the end of the night there was always a sing song – everyone had their song – and they would sing it loud and proud as everyone listened in silence – and heaven forbid if anyone sang your song!

What I reflect on now is the surprise of how good (and passionate) the singers were – by day they had day jobs, bricklayers, construction – hard labour – yet when they opened their mouths to sing it was amazing and still to this day gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

I was listening to a songwriter’s podcast and Kevin Bennett (and the Flood) was talking about these types of singing events/parties and how it was part of a cultural history – and it triggered those memories for me and Danny’s song was born – and was derived out of these experiences and my memories of these sing songs – whether at a party or a pub – those that attended would always be encouraged to “give us a song…..” and it was always their song that they sang. You would hear the originals on the radio and say instantly – “this is Danny’s song! – not as good as Danny’s is it….”

And it actually felt like people lived their whole week for that one chance to sing their song……make an effort, dress up a little more cause it’s a Saturday Night and wait for your chance to shine! Cheers Will.”

There’s banjo on the finisher (not that there’s anything wrong with that – I love the banjo) and I’m sure it won’t be long before the ten hole tin can returns on a tune (My Angel from their 2018 album Silver Lined has been the one and only).

Sunshine State – Out now on Bandcamp!

“Y’all come back now, ya hear?”.

Lazy Eye

Radiothon

A wonderful effort from all and sundry as 3MDR reached their Radiothon target. The future’s looking bright (I gotta wear shades) for live outdoor broadcasts.

Police and Thieves

Straight from the desk tape to you. Recorded in 1991 on a Monday night at the Espy where Ross Hannaford’s Dianna Kiss had a long term residency. Russell Smith (clavinet and valve trombone) had asked Steve Williams, a regular Monday night attendee, if he had any harps with him. He just happened to have a ‘D’ harp which fitted nicely for cross harp on this brilliant cover of Junior Murvin’s Police and Thieves. Steve is some talent. I had pondered the etymology of Dianna Kiss for a long time and Steve informs it was a play on the name The Anarchists. Neon Leon an original band member had a knack for naming bands. Others he contrived were The Speed Kings and The Implosion. Hope you enjoy this cover as much as I have.

Hear the tune in its entirety over on my Soundcloud.

Rory Phillips

Congrats and Chookers to Rory on his accomplishment of being selected as a featured artist for NSW Schools Spectacular 2023 (November 24 and 25) and on being commissioned to perform his own song. What a talent!

Ruffled Feathers

A few people have been wondering about the progress of my follow up single to Locomotive Weave. Fart Reed Shuffle better known as Ruffled Feathers has had a little delay, so I might have to release a Christmas Single – only gaggin’. If you have to do a Christmas album make sure all the proceeds go to a worthy charity (not your own), please!

Hey! If you’re interested, while you’re over on Soundcloud, I have Matt Taylor with Healing Force playing Chain’s Judgement – a Shep Dawg harmonica instrumental production.

Surprise Surprise Surprise

If you haven’t caught up with this month’s surprise feature (I didn’t even know what it would be), head over to Diving Into The Bends, where surprise, surprise, surprise Steve has a tip for up and coming harp players. Speaking of Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle) from 1972 to 2014 he sang Back Home Again In Indiana before each Indianapolis 500 race.

Next month’s feature Who Made Who.

Blessed be the paper round – so say the Ol’ Harp Hound Hisself