Big Harp George: “Cut My Spirit Loose” (2023) CD Review

Big Harp George is a singer, songwriter and harmonica player known for delivering his special fun brand of the blues. His new album, Cut My Spirit Loose, features mostly original material. This is his fifth full-length album, following 2020’s Living In The City. The band backing him on this release includes Chris Burns on keyboards (Burns also produced the album); Kid Andersen on guitar, banjo, guiro, and vibraphone; Joe Kyle Jr. on bass; Derrick D’Mar Martin on drums and percussion; June Core on drums; Michael Peloquin on tenor saxophone and baritone saxophone; Doug Rowan on baritone saxophone; and Mike Rinta on trombone and tuba. There are also several guests throughout the album.

The album gets off to a fun and lively start with “It’s Tuesday,” and the way it begins, you’d think it was a Friday or Saturday night, and that is exactly the point. As George Bisharat soon sings, “Move over, Friday, you’re just another day.” Indeed, we should enjoy every day, particularly when we’re able to get rid of stuff that we no longer need. “It’s Tuesday, and I’m taking out the trash/It’s Tuesday, gonna have a big bash.” Tuesday is the trash day in our neighborhood too, and this song makes the whole thing into a party. This song comes out of the pandemic, directly referring to the time near the beginning of the whole thing: “Haven’t seen no friends, neither far or near/No gigs, no parties, not an ounce of fun/Going stir crazy, I’m not the only one.” When everything was shut down, Tuesdays and Fridays were interchangeable. It was all the same thing. And many people took advantage of the time to make improvements at home, or at least to go through stuff and get rid of things. And trash pick-up was one way of marking the passing of another week. This track features totally enjoyable work from the horn players, and some great stuff on keys. And of course there is strong work on harmonica. At the end, there is some vocal play, and someone asks, “Is that Big Harp George?” Someone else says, “Watch out for that raccoon.” Yup, it’s a playful track. Lisa Leuschner Andersen and Sons of the Soul Revivers provide backing vocals on this track. At the very end, we hear a shout of “Stay back, stay back, social distance, man!” I do hope someone does a comprehensive study of the music to emerge from, and in reaction to, the pandemic. It would be a fascinating read.

“Pile Driving Sam” has a classic rhythm that is just so delicious, and is another fun tune. Oh yes, the party is continuing, and that guitar lead comes to us from a time many decades ago and sounds so damn good. Ed Morrison plays trumpet on this track. Sons of the Soul Revivers again provide some excellent backing vocal work. That’s followed by “Give Me The Dark,” in which George sings, “Stay on the sunny side, that’s what they say,” a little nod to that song the Carter Family made popular, “Keep On The Sunny Side.” But, as the title suggests, here he says he prefers the dark. This is a slower, very cool number, featuring an excellent vocal performance. “It just feels so right,” he sings. Indeed! Everything about this song feels just right. Kid Andersen plays banjo on this one. And the horns sound sexy. Ed Morrison is again on trumpet. And halfway through we are treated to a wonderful lead on harmonica. This is one of my personal favorite tracks.

Big Harp George takes us down to Louisiana with “Bustin’ Out,” an instrumental track featuring some delicious work by Mike Rinta on tuba. Jeff Lewis joins the band on trumpet, calling folks out of their homes to join in the dance. And the song’s main line is delivered on harmonica. Again, this music feels like the greatest, loosest, largest party, one that takes over entire neighborhoods and then cities, a party which no jerks attend. I think the world could use a few good parties like that. That’s followed by the album’s sole cover, The Beatles’ “She’s A Woman.” Big Harp George puts his own spin on it. While keeping the vocal line close to the original, the music is given a different approach, with some delightful work from the horn section and a cool section with the harmonica and organ working together. Loralee Christensen provides backing vocals on this one.

“My dog is better than you/My dog is better than you/My dog is better than you/And that’s true of every other dog too,” George Bisharat sings on “My Dog Is Better Than You.” Yeah, it’s one of those great songs in which the singer tells someone off. I bet there are at least a few people you’d like to play this song for (Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Jim Jordan, Marjorie Peach Tree Dish Greene, Lauren Boebert, Gregg Abbott, etc.). This swinging, lively number is a lot of fun. I particularly love that saxophone. The band jams on this one. That’s followed by “Jump Abu Lula!” which is nearly an instrumental, with the exception of the song’s title being shouted occasionally. I dig the bass line and that work on drums. Then “Prince Of Downward Mobility” is a playful number about the joys of not doing as well as you once did, a song that puts things into perspective. Hey, as long as I can dance, I suppose things are okay. This track features another wonderful lead on harmonica. We hear of being grateful for what we have, but here we learn to be grateful for what we don’t have. And I love how at the end, the backing vocalists turn on him: “No, you’re not/You ain’t no prince.” That doesn’t happen all that often.

“Ranty Town” is a delightful tune, another that addresses someone that is no longer welcome or wanted. “Be right at home with all the other clowns/You’re gonna have yourself a ball down there/Much more important, you’ll be out of my hair.” But my favorite part is the end, when he’s suggesting different ways for her to go there, and he makes fun of those damned electric scooters (Paris voted to ban them, and I wish Los Angeles would do the same), and her use of that phone (“you love so much”). That’s followed by “Behind The Eight Ball,” a delicious, slow blues number about a history of trouble, with an appropriately raw energy and attitude. “Swore I’d never go back no more/But here I am/Baby, here I am/Never thought it might turn out this way.” I especially dig that work on keys. And that lead on harmonica is powerful and passionate. Then “Take A Knee” has a cool, acoustic blues sound, with backing vocals that have a wonderful gospel bent. That’s followed by “Sunrise Stroll,” an instrumental track with sweeter vibe, and a classic sound. A stroll, as the title suggests, with that harmonica blowing beautifully from the start. And I love that section where the horns and harmonica interact. The album concludes with “Captain Jack,” which begins with more wonderful backing vocal work by Sons of the Soul Revivers. This is a slower, serious gem, featuring Ben Torres on flute. The party might be over, but this is a really good song all the same.

CD Track List

1. It’s Tuesday
2. Pile Driving Sam
3. Give Me The Dark
4. Bustin’ Out
5. She’s A Woman
6. My Dog Is Better Than You
7. Jump Abu Lula!
8. Prince Of Downward Mobility
9. Ranty Town
10. Behind The Eight Ball
11. Take A Knee
12. Sunrise Stroll
13. Captain Jack

Cut My Spirit Loose was released on March 24, 2023 on Blue Mountain Records.