Blues Reviews: Shakin’ Hard Times Loose

Review, From the Magazine, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Dennis Spencer Group, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Various Artists, Corky Siegel, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra

By Frank-John Hadley I Apr. 1, 2025

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
(Photo: Dragan Tasic)

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers: Closer To The Bone (Alligator; ★★★★ 50:25)

A bandleader for 30-plus years, Tommy Castro has collected accolades for performing a personal type of blues heavily seasoned with soul and rock. On his 17th and most straight-blues-oriented album, he rollicks through a surprising, well-picked cluster of tunes that he’s rescued from the deep shadows. Several connect to legends like Magic Sam, Johnny “Guitar” Watson and Eddie Taylor; others date back to the 1980s when he was on the Bay Area blues scene with songwriting guitarists such as Johnny Nitro and Ron Thompson. Castro’s fretwork — at times in the spirit if not letter of Albert Collins, Elmore James and Stevie Ray Vaughn — counterpoints his confident, characterful soul man voice. Along with his tight, non-narcotic Painkillers, the youthful 69-year-old gets assistance from 13 guests including saxophonist Deanna Bogart and Chicago harmonica maestro Billy Branch.

Ordering info: alligator.com

Dennis Spencer Group: Bluesman From Jupiter (Independent Release; ★★★½ 32:58)

Not related to Sun Ra despite the album title, Dennis Spencer has been a fixture on the South L.A. blues scene for about a decade now. His consistently fine guitar playing, in a measuredly intense style derived from Chuck Berry’s and B.B. and Freddie King’s, sounds like the product of a lifetime spent careening between extreme highs and lows. Spencer’s vocals, on a set of self-written tunes whose lyrics put a good-humored spin on his roller coaster past, are acceptable. Far more than that, almost sensational, is the lead singing of Tracy Hart, who’s trained in gospel, classical and opera but fluent in the blues.

Ordering info: dennis7285@gmail.com

John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers: The Power Of The Blues, Pt. II (MIG-Music; ★★★½ 55:39)

The value of any Bluesbreakers album depends on the caliber of musicians recruited by supreme talent scout John Mayall. This 1987 concert, recorded in Germany, features one of the best editions of his band. Principal honors go to guitarist Coco Montoya. He raises the venue’s rafters whenever he unleashes lead volleys and holds concertgoers in thrall every time he quiets down to wring nuanced emotion out of notes. He means business in the vocals department too. The clincher is Montoya’s startlingly good transformation of Albert Collins’ “Cold, Cold Feeling.”

Ordering info: mvdshop.com

Various Artists: Down Home Blues–Chicago–The Beautiful Stuff (Wienerworld; ★★★½ 44:00)

For their collection of 1950s Chicago blues tracks, Britain-based blues historians Mike Rowe and Chris Bentley went with 15 of their favorites. Among the beatified practitioners heard taking their timeless music with masterly ease to the core of human experience are Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walton and Memphis Minnie. Also appearing are little-remembered guitarist Blue Smitty and lady boogie pianist Mata Roy. Specially recommended to Chicago blues beginners.

Ordering info: mvdshop.com

Corky Siegel: Corky Siegel’s Symphonic Blues No. 6 (Dawnserly; ★★★★ 58:23)

For those unfamiliar with him, Corky Siegel is a longtime Chicago harmonica player of virtuosic technique who possesses a creative vision that interlaces blues and classical. With his first symphonic album since the 1970s, the onetime co-leader of the Siegel-Schwall Band presents a self-composed three-movement concerto that he and the Lancaster (PA) Symphony Orchestra performed in concert in 2007. Now, he adds solos by members of the Chicago Symphony, other symphonies,and his own Chamber Blues strings-and-tabla group. Siegel’s earthy, wailing harmonica engages the status quo friendlily; a tone of optimism informs No. 6 and two more tracks: “CODA For Tabla and Harmonica” and “Wrecking Ball Sonata,” which has Siegel’s singing creakily but charmingly with Chamber Blues. The album concludes with Siegel giving a 19-minute audiobook-type reading of the liner notes.

Ordering info: corkymusic.com

Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra: What Are You Waiting For? (Blue Dot; ★★★★ 45:19)

Guitarist Anthony Paule and songwriter Christine Vitale have a knack for finding exceptional singers for their 12-piece horn band in San Francisco. These days ex-Elvin Bishop sidekick Willy Jordan is enlisted. Notwithstanding periodic lapses of overemoting, Jordan has a signature style that lends itself to dramatic performances with the ring of genuineness. High marks to the soul-blues band for strong musicianship and grooves, perfect arrangements, ample enthusiasm and built-to-last originals carrying adult and knowing lyrics. DB

Ordering info: anthonypaule.com