Lew Jetton & 61 South: “Deja Hoodoo” (2022) CD Review

Lew Jetton & 61 South have been creating great blues music for more than twenty-five years, yet only released four albums in that time. Deja Hoodoo is a compilation collecting some of the best tracks from those four discs. If you haven’t yet heard this band, this release is a perfect place to start. All songs on this release were written by Lew Jetton. The band is made up of Lew Jetton on guitar and vocals; Sam Moore on guitar and vocals; Dan Bell on keyboards, guitar, bass and vocals; Erik Eicholtz on drums; and Greg Walker on bass. There are also some guests on certain tracks.

This disc opens “Two Lane Road,” a track from the band’s 2006 release, Tales From A 2 Lane. The music sounds like it’s coming from some small bar located on the two-lane road of its title, a place with no sign out front (none is needed) and where the people are friendly, though they are likely armed with knives, a place where you know you’ll have a good time and the beer won’t be overpriced. It is southern blues rock featuring some excellent work on guitar. Then “Mexico” comes from the band’s most recent release, 2017’s Palestine Blues. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I don’t want to live this way/I don’t know another way/That’s the way, that’s the way it goes/Since my job went to Mexico.” And he sings of a wish for a brand new car, commenting that his current vehicle “won’t get me very far,” while this song feels like it is driving forward, though forward is no destination. It is just the movement, the motion, the steady beat. This track contains a cool instrumental section. I love the way “Waffle House Woman” begins with guitar, with the vocals soon joining the guitar, giving the tune something of a classic blues vibe before the other musicians come in. Of course, there is something playful about this song, but its lines are delivered earnestly. This one contains nods to other blues tunes, including “Sweet Jelly Roll” and “Dust My Broom.” I love the stuff on keys. Bob Lohr plays keyboards on this one. This song was originally included on Tales From A 2 Lane.

J.D. Wilkes, whom you might also know from Legendary Shack Shakers, was a member of 61 South, and he plays harmonica on several of this compilation’s tracks. The first of those is “Homegrown Tomato,” a delightful and fun number with a familiar groove. This comes from the group’s first release, State Line Blues, released in 2000. It features lots of delicious stuff on harmonica. By the way, J.D. Wilkes, in addition to being a talented musician, is an accomplished visual artist, and he did the album’s cover art. “Homegrown Tomato” also features some cool work on keys. That’s Fred Hoover on keyboards. The song becomes a good jam. That’s followed by another song from State Line Blues, “Betcha,” which has a rhythm to get your toes tapping and your whole body smiling. Fred Hoover delivers more wonderful stuff on keys, and J.D. Wilkes again shines on harmonica.

“I Been Cheated” is one of those blues tunes about having been mistreated. And hey, even if things are going well in our lives, these songs manage to speak strongly to us. I guess those experiences don’t fully leave us, eh? Here the guitar is the focus. That’s followed by “Move On, Yvonne,” which is totally delightful, from its opening repetition of its title, followed by the line “Yvonne, you’re crazy.” This track has a good rhythm and some absolutely wonderful work on keys. Plus, J.D. Wilkes delivers more good work on harmonica. In addition, Miranda Louise joins Lew Jetton on vocals, providing the female response. Everything about this track works so well, including its fast cha-cha-cha ending. This song comes from the 2016 album Rain.

Things then slow down with “Nighttime Into Day,” with its great, classic sound, and an excellent vocal performance. Plus, Terry Mike Jeffrey joins the group on saxophone for this track, helping to make it one of the disc’s highlights. It’s a very cool tune, coming from Tales From A 2 Lane. “Let me love you like you ought to be loved.” Ah, who doesn’t want to hear those words at least once? We all need to be reminded of our own worth from time to time. This is a delicious late-night song. It’s followed by “Keeping Me Awake,” a song from Rain. This one has a good energy, a tune that will keep you awake, featuring some nice work on guitar. “You’re keeping me awake/You know it’s too damn late/For this give and take/Don’t see why this can’t wait/You’re keeping me awake.” I’m guessing at some point or other each of us has been able to relate to that. Alonzo Pennington joins the group on guitar for this one.

I’m not into tattoos at all, but I still dig “Tattoo Blues,” in which he admires a woman’s new tattoo. What I like most is that harmonica (that’s J.D. Wilkes again). There is also a good lead on keys. And it turns out the new tattoo is his name, so a bit of ego is involved in his admiration. “She got my name on her arm, but the man before me too.” It would be interesting to have her entire dating history forever in ink on her body. That’s followed by “Sandy Lee,” another cool tune from Rain. That work on keys is what makes this one special. Then we get “Who’s Texting You,” also from Rain. As I mentioned in my review of that album, I hate when people use the word “text” as a verb. This is a song involving jealousy and a lack of trust, and of course that useful but ultimately annoying little gadget, the cell phone. “Fingers move at the speed of light/Give me that phone or we’re going to fight.” What I like about this track is that guitar lead, and of course the playful line “I think it’s about time we disconnect.” Alonzo Pennington plays guitar on this track.

J.D. Wilkes again shines on harmonica on “State Lines Blues,” the title track from the band’s 2000 album. “Fork in the road/Man, which way to go/I’m standing on the state line/In the middle of the road.” That’s followed by “Drinking Again,” a cool song with a late-night vibe, a song for those strange hours when death lurks nearby. It’s a song about the various reasons one might turn to alcohol, and it features an excellent, passionate vocal performance. “One to relax, one to be brave/Just one more, baby/Take you to your grave/Well, I guess it’s a sin/That you’re drinking again.” This is one of my personal favorites. Things then turn lively with “Getting Colder,” which features a nice jam. This disc concludes with “Will I Go To Hell,” the opening track from Palestine Blues, and another of my favorites. I love the way this one begins, with guitar and harmonica creating a cool atmosphere before that steady rhythm comes pounding in. This one then grows in power. It is fantastic from beginning to end. “I hear you, politician/You yourself did stray/Will I go to hell/If I don’t vote your way?” J.D. Wilkes’ harmonica answers all questions.

CD Track List

1. Two Lane Road
2. Mexico
3. Waffle House Woman
4. Homegrown Tomato
5. Betcha
6. I Been Cheated
7. Move On, Yvonne
8. Nighttime Into Day
9. Keeping Me Awake
10. Tattoo Blues
11. Sandy Lee
12. Who’s Texting You
13. State Line Blues
14. Drinking Again
15. Getting Colder
16. Will I Go To Hell

Deja Hoodoo was released on April 29, 2022 on Endless Blues Records.