CD Review
    The Cash Box Kings
    LIVE! At The King Club
    (Blue Midnight (2002) 80912)
    14 tracks - 72 minutes
    by Craig Ruskey
    Review date: March 2003
    "Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
    Achievement for Blues on the Internet
    Presented by The Blues Foundation
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    CD Image Madison might not be the blues capital of the Midwest, but with The Cash Box Kings holding court in the area, crowds clamoring for a traditional approach will find plenty to enjoy with this five-piece outfit. While still a relatively young band, their setlists read like a step back in time to the heavy days of Chicago and Memphis with covers of Robert Nighthawk, Eddie Taylor, Sunnyland Slim, Dr. Ross, and countless other fallen heroes, and the band's first CD holds true to that format.

    Far too many classic blues outfits stick to what can be considered a list of Top 40 Blues Hits, but these guys dig into the catalogs of John Brim, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Johnny Young, Tommy Johnson and others, delivering a sound steeped in seasoning. "Low Rollin' Joe" Nosek blows some meaty harp and offers solid singing through his own Cash Box Boogie, Drop Down, Holler And Stomp, and Louise, but it's guitarist Travis "White Lightning" Koopman who gets the nod as the standount vocalist with a completely natural sense of phrasing. Whether it's Tough Times, Chicago Bound, Mean Red Spider, Blues And Trouble, or originals laced with a nod to the past like Searchin' For You or Money Man, his potent voice matches his gritty guitar efforts. Kenny "Beady Eyes" Smith (son of Willie "Big Eyes" Smith) handles most of the drumming chores and works out on Muddy's Hoochie Coochie Man while Todd Cambio and Chris Boeger switch off on bass and rhythm guitar as well as handing in more vocals.

    With five voices, a tried-and-true twin guitar setup, and a hard-edged but relaxed backbeat, and plenty of Mississippi saxophone, there's a lot to enjoy here. Recording 'live' in front of an appreciative audience your first time out is a bold move, but it also proves to be a wise one as this rock-solid crew with the right chops and background. If there's one minor quibble it's the absence of a storming Little Walter harp shuffle which would have fit perfectly in this otherwise excellent set of blues. www.cashboxkings.com has gig updates, band bios, and lots more.

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