Hot! Yes that describes today’s weather. But it also describes the blues that I listened to this morning on my way to and from Cookstown! On the way there the hotness was supplied by British blues guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor and on the way back the warmth was provided by the harp of Mitch Kashmar.
The Joanne Shaw Taylor album was her debut album White Sugar and it is great!The album on Ruf Records was recorded at Jim Gaines’ studio. Gaines has worked with bluesmen like Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan both of whom are idols of Taylor. He surrounded Shaw Taylor with session men Steve Potts (drums) and Dave Smith (bass). From her website Taylor says this:
“Working with these guys was totally easy. I knew of them because of Luther Allison and Jonny Lang’s albums. They didn’t know the tracks until five minutes before we recorded them. I made them listen to the songs once and then play them. It was fantastic. They got so much feeling and soul. They are amazing guys to work with.”
Here’s what Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics says about Shaw Taylor’s music:
“Last year I heard something I thought I would never hear… a British White Girl playing blues guitar so deep and passionately it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end!”
I agree I had listened last year to her second album Diamonds in the Dirt and enjoyed it, but I think I like this album more!
The second album was a live album by Mitch Kashmar Live at Labatt’ Kashmar is quickly becoming my favorite harp player. I’ve listened to and enjoyed this album before and today it was just confirmation to me of how good Kashmar is. Here what William Clarke says about Kashmar:
“Mitch Kashmar is my absolute favorite blues harp player of his generation, and one of my favorites period! He’s also a first-class vocalist – his singing really knocks me out.”
So it’s back to work and maybe more blues but it may be hard to top this morning.
Here’s the title track from Joanne Shaw Taylor “White Sugar” a favorite!
