Mark Hummel has been working with the Blues Survivors for 25 years, and recording for around 20 years. His latest, however, is his first live recording. It was recorded in Burlington, Ontario (at The Slye Fox) and Toronto (The Silver Dollar Room) over two days in September 2003. The band was supplemented by the legendary Mel Brown on keyboards, rather than the more usual guitar, for several tracks.
Roy Brown's "Rockin' All The Time" sets the party into action, and for the next hour and a quarter you are in the company of one of the most entertaining blues bands currently doing the rounds. Hummel has built his reputation through hard work and constant touring, and it shows. The emphasis throughout appears to be on giving the audience a good time, although it sounds like the band had themselves a lot of fun too.
Hummel's excellent harp work is much in evidence throughout, and he turns in several top notch performances on tracks like Frank Frost's "My Back Scratcher," where Charles Wheal also delivers the goods on guitar. Most of the tracks here are covers, although there are several interesting selections. The Jimmy Reed-like "100 Years," for example, was actually written by Huey Lewis and Roy Rogers. The choice of material allows Hummel a chance to work out on chromatic, as well as diatonic harp, most notably on Eddie Bo's "I'm Wise."
Despite the party feel, there are a couple of slower interludes in the shape of "Everything," the first of four Hummel tunes, and Peter Green's "Before the Beginning." The band really go to town, though, on "Willie and the Hand Jive" where drummer Marty Dodson works overtime. Like most of the rest of the album, it is infectious uptempo stuff that will have you snapping your fingers or tapping your feet. Hummel also ventures into more jazzy territory on Buddy Rich's "Rotten Kid," where he sounds quite a bit like William Clarke in his finest hour.
The band then take things home, eventually rounding off with a rendition of "The Creeper" dedicated to James Cotton. This is the sort of song that you could put on at just about any party to get people going, and shows the band at their best, with the engine room of the aforementioned Dodson and Steve Wolf (bass) doing a great job of providing the solid foundation for Hummel's workout, and Wheal largely taking a back seat, yet still making every note count.
If you are looking for a blues album that will bring a smile to your face, "Blowin' My Horn" definitely fits the bill. A very solid outing from a very tight band that just makes you want to get up and dance. If you do not have the chance to see Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors soon, go get yourself a copy of "Blowin' My Horn" so you can discover what your are missing.
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