1.25.07
Sarah Borges - Silver City
"Gorgeous Borges", a Taunton, Massachusetts 3rd generation Portuguese (hence the hard "g" in her name) is one of Boston's latest sensations. On her 6th visit to Helsinki, her ass kicking alt-country flavored roots rock has put her and her band (The Broken Singles) on Helsinki's and my all time favorites list. Serious rockin' goin' on, look for her in the upcoming year.
Michael Powers - Prodigal Son (and his first CD, Onyx Root)
Born Michael Murcheson, Mike Powers is amazing. Simply amazing. Think Muddy Waters channeling Jimi Hendrix in the form of a one and half legged 25 year a-coming "overnight sensation". He is my new favorite electric guitarist. His Helsinki appearance (and his own physical morphing from porkpie hat to 60's shaggy) have been a joy to behold. The Prodigal Promo CD contains a cover of Hendrix's Voodoo Chile that won't make it to the airways, and a standout version of Dylan's Every Grain of Sand. The opening cut Goin' Down is tremendous. On his debut CD, Onyx, his take on a dusty AM radio "psychedelic" standard Psychotic Reaction (Count Five) is beyond description. He hijacks this and takes off for the edge of the universe. Graffiti is another standout track.
Chip Taylor - Unglorious Hallelujah/Red, Red, Rose & Other Songs of Love, Pain, and Destruction.
Hoo, boy! This ol' boy sure writes some good stuff. The 68 yr older brother of actor John Voigt (Midnight Cowboy etc) Taylor has had his career revitalized after a long "sabbatical" by recording and touring with hot young fiddle player and singe Carrie Rodriguez. This double CD collection of his single work has been a long time coming, and it is simple simply tremendous. Taylor (nee James Wesley Voigt) made a shitload of dough a million years ago as the songwriter of that ubiquitous rock shouter "Wild Thing", and the beautiful and frequently covered country classic, "Angel in the Morning". Leaving the music biz in the early 70's, he made a living (a "large" living) as a gambler (horses...his own room at the OTB parlor, and banned as a card counter in all the Vegas casinos). His talent unsullied by booze, he is one of the cooler cats I have had the pleasure of draining a few with at Helsinki's bar!
Kendel Carson - Rearview Mirror Tears
We were disappointed when Taylor announced he was not bringing Carrie Rodriguez with him to his last 'Sinki gig. We shouldn't have been. Showcasing his latest protege, 21 year old Vancouver, BC Celtic fiddler, Kendel Carson, he was amply supplemented by her on his own material, and she just enchanted me with the collection of songs Taylor wrote, produced, and recorded with her. This "authorized" bootleg" was hot off the presses (and may not even be released yet), Chip having just flown in the "suits" to NYC the night before his Helsinki appearance to showcase her wonderful work. You cannot listen to "I Love Trucks" or "I Certainly Know Why" without smiling, and the young woman can deliver a tearjerker just as well. Too bad I can't get a copy of her and Chip's version of "Angel in the Morning"...move over Juice Newton.
Eilen Jewell - Boundary County
Pronounced "eee lehn", this little girl is on to something "perdurable". Exploring the roots of Americana, she never stoops to recreation, but forges ahead in new, haunting directions. The superb, scary good, Boston fiddle sideman Daniel Kellar and fellow former Tarbox Rambler Johnny Sciasica on bass lend wonderful depth to an already great assemblage of musicians with Eilen. She has made it to the Americana charts with this new album, and has been signed by Signature Sounds, as close to a "major" folk label as the genre gets these days. Loved her and her music from the git go...she too is on a career roll.
Sky Smeed - Mill River
Young Sky is a friend and a web client, but that doesn't keep me from singing his praises to all who care to listen. Give his 3rd album a spin, the Kansas born Housatonic, MA resident won't be waiting on tables to make a living much longer if a few of the other music business folks I know are right. He is getting great reviews for this latest, and his most mature and seasoned work.
C.J.Chenier - The Desperate Kingdom of Love
Driving straight through to the Berkshires from Lafayette, Louisiana most of the time he plays at the club, the son of Clifton "King of Zydeco" Chenier, C.J. is a deeply cool doood. I know of no person who can resist good rockin' Zydeco. This CD is rich, and genre expanding.
Chris Smither - Train Home
Only man I know who just might be able to outpick Jorma. A regular at JK's FurPeace guitar ranch summer workshops, Chris is a remarkable songwriter, performer, and man. I am proud to consider Chris a friend. The 61 year old guy is just wonderful, and his fingerpicking is the state of the art.
Duwayne Burnside and the Mississippi Mafia
Whew. This is deep delta. The son of a legendary blues guitarist, this is a room recording of him and his "crew" at Helsinki last autumn. They were a bit hammered for the second set, and the rough around the edges performance is one of a kind.
You aught to have a side gig as an A&R man for a hip label...you sure picked Eileen from the jump. Not only has she got Signature, but I notice she also has Brad Madison as her agent. Interesting aside: Brad calls me onenday and says "...will you please ask Schafler to return my calls..I've got a great new act I want to tell him about...", "Oh, who'se that" say I and he tells me aboit "discovering" Sarah Borges by "accident" at the AMA conference in Memphis the past Setember. He even sent me the album!
4/14/2007
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