CD Review
Various
Primitive Piano
The Sirens (2003) 5005
15 tracks, 53 minutes.
by Craig Ruskey
Review date: July 2003
|
|
"Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by The Blues Foundation
| |
If the thought is that recordings like this don't happen anywhere near enough, it's simply
because the real, honest-to-goodness piano blues seems to be either a lost or vanishing art.
While Mitch Woods, Gene Taylor, Honey Piazza, Marcia Ball and others are highly respected
for their contributions to the genre, it's not often you'll hear any of them beating on an old
upright piano, unaccompanied, calling on the spirits of the true boogie woogie greats. A
scant few come to mind including Barrelhouse Chuck and Erwin Helfer who can be
counted on to carry the torch of authentic piano blues. Of those included on this brilliant
CD, Speckled Red is perhaps the more recognized, although hardly a household
name, but his three cuts, Dad's Piece, Early In The Morning, and Oh Red
sparkle with rough and tumble piano. Doug Suggs is featured on Doug's
Jump and the rolling Sweet Patootie as well as two recently discovered tracks,
Smoke Like Lightning and the aptly titled Slow And Low, a wonderful step
back in time. James "Bat the Hummingbird" Robinson may be the least talked
about blues pianist ever heard, but his Bat's Blues and the seven-minute Four O'
Clock are solid and grinding nonetheless. Also newly discovered are a handful by
Billie Pierce, a rumbling Keep A Knockin' with fine two-fisted pounding, the
slow See See Rider and Florida Blues, plus two takes of Bye And Bye with
Dede Pierce joining in for vocal assistance. An added bonus is the five-and-a-half
minute interview between Erwin Helfer and Doug Suggs. Regardless of the 1950s recording
dates on these Primitive Piano sides, the sound is wonderful from beginning
to end and proves just how much we're losing touch with the past. Steven Dolins and his
Sirens Records label deserve to be highly commended for a continuing effort to rekindle a
flame that has all but flickered out in recent memory. Simply remarkable material.
www.thesirensrecords.com for more info on this as well as other discs of stunning piano
blues and boogie.
Your purchase through this Amazon.com link helps to support this website.
Simply click on the cover at left or the Amazon buy button (if there is one) to order this CD NOW!
"This review is copyright © 2003 by Craig Ruskey, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without permission."
Copyright reuse notice: If you would like to reprint or use this review please include the above copyright notice, contained within the quotation marks, PLUS this statement: "Used with permission." Then send an email to Ray at: mnblues@aol.com indicating how you are using the review or the website page address it will be appearing on. Thanks!
You can help support this blues website by making a contribution (click on the banner below for details).
Or mail a donation to: Ray Stiles % Blues On Stage, PO Box 582983, Mpls, MN 55458. Thanks!
Web Design SPECIAL, get your own website for just $50.
Web Hosting & Design:
Web Hosting & Design.
Most affordable web hosting and design services available.
Find out how you can host your current site at Blues On Stage, or how I can help you design your own website!
If you would like your CD reviewed, please send TWO (2) copies, along with promotional material to:
Blues On Stage
PO Box 582983
Minneapolis, MN 55458-2983
E-mail Ray Stiles @ mnblues@aol.com with any questions.
|
|
 Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com
Copyright © 2003 Ray M. Stiles
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author. Blues On Stage is a ® Trademark of Ray Stiles.
|
|
We build websites