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John Heidt
Kenny Burrell – Lucky So and So
Here’s the latest from a true legend. Kenny’s been doing it for so long, and doing it as well as or better than everyone else, that it’s foolish to even think there’d be something bad to say about this release. And there really isn’t. there is something a little different about it, though. Kenny sings…
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John Heidt
Phil Keaggy – Zion
Phil Keaggy doesn’t always get his due. Those of you familiar with his work know what I mean. He’s a marvelous singer and guitarist who’s been around awhile, but because he records mostly Christian music, he is sometimes passed by because he doesn’t have that elusive Top 40 record. Don’t let that fool you. He’s…
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John Heidt
The Morells – The Morells
Now this is what I’m talkin’ about. These guys have been around for awhile in various forms, including as The Morells years ago. Some of you may know them as the Skeletons, who were big in the Minneapolis area 10 or 15 years ago. Whatever you want to call them, they are one of those…
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John Heidt
Luther Allison – Luther’s Blues
Originally released by Motown in 1973, Luther’s Blues was not a big seller. Not that it’s not a great album. It is. But maybe Motown at that time wasn’t the best place to sell a blues record. The young Luther definitely bares some resemblance to the fella who re-emerged in the ’90s and blew away…
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John Heidt
Bill Hullett – Two-Lane Blacktop
Okay, by now you’re all saying, “Does this guy listen to anything besides jazz?” Well, here’s a killer instrumental album featuring a veteran Nashville studio picker. Not only does Hullett put on a nasty country-bend symposium on “Alligator Gar,” but he does it on a 1950 Fender Nocaster. Ditto for a killer cover of the…
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John Heidt
The Meters – Trick Bag
Sundazed has done it again. This particular release is only one in a large series of CDs released by this fine band. And they did a great job with them all. Original liner notes mix with recollections by the band, and who can doubt the music? If you’re not familiar with the major-league funk and…
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John Heidt
Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant – Swingin’ On The Strings, Volume 2
This is a followup to the fine Stratosphere Boogie collection from ’95, and like that one, it defies description. I can’t imagine listeners reactions to this stuff when they first heard it back in the ’50s. They must have thought it was country music from aliens. Bryant’s amazing guitar work, imaginative and plain old fast,…
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John Heidt
Nick Lowe – Dig My Mood
It’s extremely tempting to start this review with something like…”I knew Nick Lowe when he used to rock and roll…,” but I won’t because it might make you think I don’t like this album. I love this album, but there’s not much on it that is rock and roll. What you’ll find here is a…
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John Heidt
Kombo – Cookin’ out
Kombo is Ron Pedley on keyboards, and Jon Pondel on guitars. They’ve got lots of great help too, with guys like Steve Ferrone, Matt Bissonette, and Sharon Hendrix. The music is the same kind you might hear on smooth jazz radio, but a little funkier. Like “Dirty Martini.” It’s some nice mid-tempo funk with a…
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John Heidt
Jim Weider
A Big Step with Big Foot
If you know of Jim Weider, it’s likely from his work with The Band. He took over the post held by Robbie Robertson when Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, and Richard Manuel reformed in the 1980s. He performed well under the considerable pressure, and he recently released an excellent album of tunes showcasing both…
