CD Review
Little Bobby and The Jumpstarts
Tickets In The Glove Box
(Green Bullet Productions © 2001)
by Craig Ruskey
Review date: January 2002
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1999 KBA Award Winner Achievement for Blues on the Internet Presented by the Blues Foundation
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Little Bobby Chorney, a harpist/vocalist who bases operations out of the Greater Toronto area, has come up with a humdinger of a debut CD titled "Tickets In The Glove Box." Released in November of 2001, ably mixing Chicago/Texas/West Coast styles, the Jumpstarts appear to be a rotating string of hardworking instrumentalists with Pete Schmidt handling the gripping guitar throughout. Potent covers like Earl Hooker's "Swear To Yell The Truth," Rice Miller's "Keep It To Yourself" and "You Killing Me," and the miscredited F. Cadrez gem, "Tell Me What's The Reason" (wrongly given to T-Bone Walker), mix well with Chorney's writing skills, featured on five tracks. Little Bobby's abilities on diatonic and chromatic are well to the fore, and his vocals workmanlike. The searing "Don't Get Caught Looking," with Schmidt's drilling guitar, runs on an uptown groove while "The Tells" has a Big Joe Turner flair. The original title track is a rollicking drive with a decidedly Chicago feel with veteran, Mel Brown, guesting on piano (here plus four more and guitar on one) and Julian Fauthe handles keys on a handful. Bob Vespaziani and Matt Walker tackle drum chores admirably, and Gary Kendall holds the electric bass duties. Upright bass by Cheng Lui or Shane Scott adds an honest retro-dimension to an already skillful disc. The after-hours, slow blues instrumental, "Sunny Day Blues," affords plenty of space for Brown's piano, Chorney's meltdown harp, and more of Pete Schmidt's tone-laced guitar. If this CD is any indication of the blues scene in the Greater Toronto area, Little Bobby And The Jumpstarts are a good bet to be leading the pack. Available from Green Bullet Productions, you can call (905) 430-4683 and email littlebobby@rogers.com or littlebobby@home.com for more info.
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This review is copyright © 2002 by Craig Ruskey, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.
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