Kenny Neal: “Straight From The Heart” (2022) CD Review

Kenny Neal is one hell of a good blues musician. Even his Christmas album, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, is excellent. His latest album, Straight From The Heart, contains a lot of original material, along with some well-chosen covers. Born in Louisiana, the vibe of that state runs through much of Kenny Neal’s music. And on a few tracks, he dips into zydeco, getting some help from Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. And The Zydeco Twisters. Also joining him on this release are Darnell Neal on bass, Michael Harris on drums, Bryan Morris on drums, Brandon Adams on keyboards and organ, Jason Parfait on saxophone, and Ian Smith on trumpet, along with a few special guests on certain tracks. Sometimes it takes the blues to help alleviate the blues, and Kenny Neal knows this well. Here is an album to help us all shake our own personal blues.

The album opens with “Blues Keep Chasing Me,” a song about having a lifelong relationship with the blues, not being able to escape. Yet it’s about not succumbing, even when you know the blues will maintain their grip on you. “I get back up and dust my feet/Can’t let these blues get the best of me/I’ve been trying, y’ all, doing the best that I can.” This track features a cool lead on piano, some great touches from the horns, and a nice jam at the end. Arnet Hayes is on piano on this track. In the disc’s liner notes, Kenny Neal dedicates this track to the memory of Lucky Peterson. He follows that with a tune written in tribute to BB King, “Mount Up On The Wings Of The King,” expressing the idea that as you dip into the blues, BB King will be watching over you, and that you need to take some instruction from him. Good advice, eh? “So don’t touch a string/Until you listen to some BB King.” As you might expect, this track contains some wonderful guitar work, in the style of BB King. This song was written by Eric O. Harper, Raye Edwards, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Kenny Neal. Christone Ingram joins Kenny Neal on guitar and vocals, and Sharisse Norman and Shontelle Norman-Beatty provide backing vocals. From one King to another, Kenny Neal then delivers a cover of “I’ll Play The Blues For You,” a song written by Jerry Beach and recorded by Albert King. This is a good rendition, featuring some wonderful stuff on both guitar and keys. I love the mood of the guitar work, and the passion behind that lead on keys. This rendition was arranged by Kenny Neal, with horn arrangement by Brandon Adams and Kenny Neal. “I ain’t got no big name/And, whoa, I ain’t no big star/I’ll play the blues for you/On my guitar.”

Special guest Tito Jackson joins Kenny Neal on vocals for “Two Timing,” a song about a cheating woman. Kenny’s daughter Syreeta Neal also sings on this track. “She gives me everything that a man can wish for/But when I leave, she don’t even close the door.” This song was written by Michael Kurt Jackson, who also did the arrangement with Kenny Neal. While most of us would think we’d end the relationship, there is some doubt about the outcome in this song: “I don’t know, I just don’t know how it’s going to work out.” There is a very cool lead on guitar in the second half. That’s followed by “Louise Ana,” its title a play on the state’s name. “Louise Ana, please come home.” This original number has a delicious zydeco sound, and features Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. on washboard, Big Nate Williams on accordion, Lee Allen on bass, and Kevin Menard on drums. And yet this is still blues, no question. I love Kenny Neal’s work on harmonica. This track is one of my personal favorites.

These are the opening lines of “It Don’t Cost Nothing”: “A whole lot of trouble in this world today/Got to come together and make it a better place/We’re all the same/Blood running through our veins/And if you let the evil get the best of you/You are the one to blame.” Yeah, this song provides a good reminder. “Spread a little love/It don’t cost a thing.” Sometimes it is difficult to keep from hating certain folks, and by now, those people should know who they are. Can we rise above their hatred, their fascist tendencies, their idiocy? We ought to try, and the horns give us the feeling we can do it. “Life is too short to waste your time with hate.” This track features some absolutely wonderful work on harmonica. Then Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. And Zydeco Twisters join Kenny Neal for another delicious New Orleans-flavored number, “Bon Temps Bouler,” written by Kenny Neal. This one features Anthony Dopsie, Dwayne Dopsie and Big Nate Williams all on accordion. “Everybody up on the dance floor/It makes no difference if you’re young or old/It ain’t jazz, ain’t rock and roll/Zydeco music is good for your soul/We’re going to party like never before/Come on, y’ all, and let the good times roll.” Indeed! My experiences at the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival taught me that the Cajun and zydeco groups know how to deliver the fun. By the way, I saw Dwayne Dopsie there a few times, and he is fantastic in concert. This is a cheerful number designed to get you on your feet.

“It’s Been So Long” is a seriously cool song written by Kenny Neal’s father, Raful Neal, who was known for his harmonica playing. Kenny Neal delivers some stellar and passionate work on harmonica here. Plus, this track features some nice stuff from the horn section. Another highlight, to be sure, and on an album that is full of great songs. It’s followed by a beautiful rendition of Junior Parker’s “Someone Somewhere,” featuring wonderful work by Darrell Jefferson on piano. And that saxophone lead is a delight. There is so much warmth, so much love in the playing and in the vocal performance. Check out that guitar lead halfway through. Terrell Griffin plays bass on this one. “Good things come to those who wait/And I’ve been waiting a long, long time.” Then “I Got To Tell Somebody” is one of those fun blues songs about a mean woman, this one written by Joe Caruso. Its great groove is one on which the band could jam all day. Kenny Neal takes us down to New Orleans one last time with the disc’s closing number, “New Orleans,” an original song that mentions the second line and leaving all troubles behind. “The place to go to cleanse your soul.” This track contains nods to “Down By The Riverside.” Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. is again on washboard, and Arnet Hayes is on piano. This track becomes a fun jam, leaving us in a great mood.

CD Track List

1. Blues Keep Chasing Me
2. Mount Up On The Wings Of The King
3. I’ll Play The Blues For You
4. Two Timing
5. Louise Ana
6. It Don’t Cost Nothing
7. Bon Temps Rouler
8. It’s Been So Long
9. Someone Somewhere
10. I Got To Tell Somebody
11. New Orleans

Straight From The Heart was released on May 20, 2022 on Ruf Records.

The Hooten Hallers: “Back In Business Again” (2022) CD Review

The Hooten Hallers have been in business for fifteen years, releasing fantastic music with strong blues roots. Based in Columbia, Missouri, the band is made up of John Randall on guitar, lap steel and vocals; Andy Rehm on drums, percussion and vocals; and Kellie Everett saxophone, clarinet and vocals. They put out their first, self-released album in 2007, and have followed that with several studio and live releases. Their new album, Back In Business Again, features all original material, with each of the three members contributing. The music is a wonderfully raw combination of blues and rock, with a punk edge and a strong sense of fun. Some guests join the band on these tracks, including Dominic John Davis on bass, Ryan Koenig on harmonica, John Wesley Myers on keys, and Hank Miller on trumpet.

Back In Business Again opens with its title track, which comes on strong and contains a healthful dose of optimism. That is reflected in the album’s cover as well, which makes us think of that old proverb about what to do when life hands you lemons, a positive saying if ever there was one. On the other hand, a kid doesn’t make much money at a lemonade stand, and the profits here are to be divided three ways, so… perhaps this optimism is tempered with a bit of reality? Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Been saving all of my dough/Can’t wait to get on the dance floor/Might need some music that grooves/So I can show you my dance moves/My baby’s looking so fine/And I got two bottles of wine.” And that shout of “Saxophone!” leads to a good sax lead that takes us back to those great early rock ‘n’ roll tunes. This is a song to help pull us all through, to urge us to get past our troubles and obstacles. It’s followed by “The Cobbler’s Children.” There is a delicious raw power to this music, as well as a joy, even as they sing, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes/And the loser’s kid’s got nothing left to lose.” An optimistic vein still does run through this one, heard in lines like “I can’t say much for my luck/But it doesn’t mean that things won’t turn my way/Got my ear to the ground/And you know I’ll hear the sound/When the good times are coming back to stay.”

“Show Me” has a slower groove, with a certain classic sound that is familiar and appealing. “Talk is cheap/And, honey, lies are too/But they keep me holding onto you/As baseless as they are.” Then “Now That I Know” begins with a slow groove, “a little bit lonely, a little bit blue,” then kicks in for the chorus to become a totally fun rock and roll gem, featuring some joyful work on saxophone. It then returns to the slower pace for the next verse. This is a seriously good song. That’s followed by “Cat Scrap,” which has a great, mean groove. The vocals contain a sense of looming trouble at the beginning, then the chorus is delivered with the energy of a scream. It’s a cool, wild track, much too good to be about cats. I dig that saxophone.

At the beginning of “Vankiller,” things seem to be falling apart, dropping into chaos, just like the vehicle of the song’s title. But soon things settle into a steady groove, and the energy never lags. They shout the name of the song like they might howl the name of a monster from an old movie. This one keeps us on the edge. It is a very cool track. Then “Broke The Spell” has a seriously catchy groove, yet still comes from those shadows where the carnival freaks thrive, the saxophone lead sounding like a barker whose command of language has left him due to creatures removing his tongue. They then take us down to New Orleans with “Heal It,” which has a ridiculously wonderful jazzy vibe and a good, positive message, wrapped up in some completely delicious sounds. “You only get one turn in the game of life/So you got to do the best that you can/Don’t waste your time staring at the hour glass/Living with your head in the sand.” This is one of my personal favorites, and it only gets better as it goes. “Well, life can be nasty, brutish and short/And we’re all going through it too.”

They slow things down a bit on “Straight Down The Line,” which has something of a classic sound, but with vocals much grittier than what would have been expected back then. And yet this track has a sweet center. “And I want to let you know/Oh, I’m always here for you/So I use these special words/To remind you love is true/Straight down the line/Straight down the line/Baby, I’m right beside you/Straight down the line.” The album concludes with what might be its coolest track, “Even The Blues Gets The Blues,” a slow, sexy, dark blues number with a haunting, otherworldly vibe. On this one, Kellie Everett gets a chance on lead vocals. “Since the dawn of humankind/There has been such trouble on their minds/Every lover left behind/Every dream that came to die/Since the dawn of humankind/Try as they might/There is no respite/The blues are getting bluer.” Then the guitar takes over for a time, certainly having something to say on the matter.

CD Track List

1. Back In Business Again
2. The Cobbler’s Children
3. Show Me
4. Now That I Know
5. Cat Scrap
6. Vankiller
7. Broke The Spell
8. Heal It
9. Straight Down The Line
10. Even The Blues Gets The Blues

Back In Business Again was released on September 9, 2022 through Garlic Press.

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.

Micky Dolenz: “Demoiselle” (2022) Vinyl Review

In the early 1990s, Micky Dolenz recorded some tracks at his home studio, songs he had composed. A few of those songs were reworked by The Monkees and included on the 1996 album Justus. Then in 1998, several of the home recordings were released as Demoiselle, including the songs that ended up on Justus, along with two older recordings and one live track. Now 7A Records, a label that focuses on Monkees releases, has issued an expanded edition of Demoiselle on vinyl. This new edition has three more tracks, and the songs are presented in a different order from that of the original 1998 release. This new version also sports different album cover art, and has a gatefold, with several photos inside. There are liner notes by both Stuart Goldfarb and Rev. Mark Stephen Kleiner. And the vinyl is an attractive red. These tracks were produced by Jerry Corbetta and Micky Dolenz.

Side One

The record opens with “My Heart Is Failing Me,” one of the tracks not included on the original 1998 release. It was written by Albert Hammond and Holly Knight. And if it sounds familiar, that might be because it was recorded by the group Riff and included on that band’s self-titled debut album (it was also released as a single). Here is a taste of the lyrics: “When you were here, I knew what to do/Now I just waste time thinking of you/I wonder why/I feel like my heart is failing.” And yeah, Micky’s recording of it certainly has an unpolished feel, but that is part of its charm. And Micky’s vocals sound great. That’s followed by “Lonely Weekends,” an original song that has a fun vibe. “My woman, she was wild/Gave it up to have a child/She said, oh, these lonely weekends.”

Then in “Never Enough,” another original composition, he sings, “I’ve often heard you say/You’ve got to seize the day/Then when your life is gone/Oh, how it’s gone so long/There are often times/When life is not so kind.” The music has a late 1980s sound, but a seriously strong vocal performance makes this track stand out. I love the passion of his delivery. “‘Cause it’s not enough/It’s never enough/It’s not enough for you.” This is one of the songs chosen for inclusion on The Monkees’ Justus album. It is followed by another song that made it onto Justus, “Dyin’ Of A Broken Heart.” This version is quite a bit different from that on Justus. Missing is that cool bass line, along with that great guitar work. But what this version has is a delightful, peppy pop sound. Micky seems to have a fun time with this one.

On the original release, “We Were Not That Bad” was titled “Not That Bad.” This one has a sweeter, softer sound. I love when Micky Dolenz delivers a gentle, intimate vocal performance like the one on this track. My all-time favorite Monkees song is “As We Go Along,” in which he gives a beautiful performance. And “We Were Not That Bad” is my favorite track on this album. “When these desert nights are mine/I often sit and cry a while/Thinking of those years we had/And you were not that bad.” The first side then wraps up with a track recorded in London in 1981, “Piston Power,” a tune that has more of a rocking vibe. It’s a lively number featuring some nice stuff on keys.

Side Two

The second side, like the first side, begins with one of the tracks not included on the original release, Albert Hammond’s “Put A Hold On Your Heart,” which Hammond wrote with Graham Lyle. This track has a 1980s pop sound, and that section with Micky’s vocals and the beat makes me smile. That’s followed by “Regional Girl,” one of the songs that The Monkees recorded for Justus. I love the rhythm of his vocals, and there is a good amount of attitude here. “Did you think that you could come and make it on your own?” There is a slight variation in the lyrics here compared with those on the Justus album, and this version has more of a pop sound. Then we have “Torch For Hire,” the final of the three tracks not featured on the original release. Like the other two, this song was not written by Micky Dolenz. It has an electronic sound supporting his vocals. That’s followed by “It’s The Season,” which has an oddly dreamy vibe as it begins. “Come take me away/Keep every promise you make today/I will love you/I will always love and abide/I was meant to be alone/You were meant for me.” This was the lead track on the original release of this album.

Demoiselle contains one live track, a cover of “Since I Fell For You” recorded at some point in the 1990s. It’s a shame we don’t know the venue or date of the recording. Also, it’s weird that we don’t. That no one was keeping track of such things at that point in his career is nearly unbelievable. But anyway, it’s a really nice performance. Micky digs into it, delivering an earnest, captivating, soulful rendition. And check out that saxophone. So good! This is another of the record’s highlights. “Since I Fell For You” is a song that Micky Dolenz revisited later, including it on Out Of Nowhere, which was released in 2017. As with the record’s first side, this side concludes with a track recorded in 1981, “Beverly Hills.” On the original release, these two songs were placed one after the other, and that live track was the final song. “Beverly Hills” is a catchy number that doesn’t paint the brightest portrait of Beverly Hills or the people living there. “Puts the trash out every Thursday/Puts the children out at night/Builds a fence around your neighbor/In case that fool might want to fight/Living in the slums of Beverly Hills.” Interestingly, the year of this album’s original release saw the release of a movie titled Slums Of Beverly Hills.

Record Track List

Side One

1. My Heart Is Failing Me
2. Lonely Weekends
3. Never Enough
4. Dyin’ Of A Broken Heart
5. We Were Not That Bad
6. Piston Power

Side Two

1. Put A Hold On Your Heart
2. Regional Girl
3. Torch For Hire
4. It’s The Season
5. Since I Fell For You
6. Beverly Hills

This expanded vinyl re-issue of Demoiselle was released on August 12, 2022 through 7A Records.

Steven Moore: “Just A Little Talk With Myself” (2022) CD Review

I find myself turning to music more and more for any lingering signs of humanity, and for peace of mind. My internet and landline were knocked out last week when thieves decided to cut the cable leading to my building for its copper wire. Obviously, they didn’t care about the effect that would have on the people requiring internet access for work and so on. Just one more example of how people are growing more inconsiderate and horrible by the day. As you might understand, I was feeling frustrated and furious. But the moment I put this Steven Moore disc on, my mood lifted. Steven Moore is an accomplished banjo player and songwriter who is known for his work in the bluegrass band Almost Famous. Just A Little Talk With Myself is his debut solo release, containing both original material and covers, and featuring mostly instrumental tracks. Joining him on this release are Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Byron House on bass, Cody Kilby on guitar, and James Seliga on mandolin, as well as several special guests on various tracks.

The album opens with “A New Leaf,” a pretty instrumental track that seems to say that things are going to be all right. This is a warm ray of light to pierce the darkest of moods. Like I mentioned, I was in a foul temper before putting this disc on, and this track dispelled that mood immediately. There is some wonderful playing here, not just on banjo, but also fiddle, guitar, mandolin and bass. This is just the thing to remind us that most troubles are fleeting. It is an original composition. “A New Leaf” is followed by a sweet rendition of “All Of Me.” This tune was written by pianist Jon Schmidt of The Piano Guys. I just saw The Piano Guys a few weeks ago, when my niece was chosen to play violin with them at a gig in Medford, Massachusetts. And Jon played this beautiful piece at that show. Steven Moore’s rendition is excellent, keeping the banjo in the center of the action. This track has an uplifting quality and effect.

“Just A Little Talk With Myself,” the album’s title track, is an original song, written by Steven Moore and David R. Mayfield. Mayfield also sings lead on this track, with Rosa Vestal and Scott Vestal providing backing vocals. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Learning how to unlearn all the damage that’s been done/Because it’s time to change my mind/And love the life I’m living like I’m only given one.” I appreciate the idea of speaking kindly to one’s self. How often do we do that? Don’t we more often chastise and criticize ourselves? The instrumental section features more great playing by each of the musicians, and the fiddle in particular seems able to raise us to great heights. Then “The Ride” is a cheerful and lively instrumental number. Again, each of the musicians gets plenty of moments to shine. I especially love the guitar here. Gaven Largent plays dobro on this track, delivering some excellent work. There is a strong sense of movement forward here. This is a tune to give us the confidence that we can overcome obstacles and get wherever it is we want to go.

Steven Moore goes in a different direction with “Goodbye, Love,” which features gorgeous string work and arrangement by Chris Sexton, while the banjo remains the central voice. This original tune is both sad and hopeful. That is followed by “O’Connell Street,” which has a strong Irish vibe, something I naturally love. In addition to banjo, Steven Moore plays pennywhistle on this track. There is such a friendly feel to this piece, and the track features a cool lead on bass in the second half. Then “One Small Step” also seems to take us to a foreign land. I love music that transports us, in one sense or another, and this original instrumental track certainly accomplishes that. There is a lot of great banjo playing, and Gaven Largent returns on dobro. At times, listening to this track I get the sense of a gathering of people, family, with much animated, but pleasant conversation.

Steven Moore delivers a gentle, pretty rendition of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” with Elliott Park on vocals. His voice has an intimate and somewhat somber feel, which draws us in close. And I love that beautiful instrumental section in the middle. This is an excellent cover. It is followed by an instrumental rendition of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” It begins as you might expect, though perhaps a bit slowly, easing in. Then, after a minute or so, it picks up the pace, and has a delicious traditional bluegrass sound. There is some exciting playing here, particularly on guitar and banjo. Scott Vestal joins Steven Moore on banjo on this track. By the way, Scott Vestal also produced this release. And check out that bass lead toward the end of the track. Interestingly, Steven Moore then slows things down with his version of “Shady Grove.” This unusual rendition features some beautiful work on fiddle, and has an air of melancholy. Steven Moore maintains a slower pace for “Song For Dani,” an original composition. This beautiful piece features Chris Sexton again on strings. I love the way this track builds in its second half, particularly the energy of the strings.

“Bent To Fly” has a different sound from the beginning, in part because of the presence of drums. That’s Chris Brown on drums. This is a cover of a song by Slash. I never cared for Guns N’ Roses (and, hey, guys, you need an apostrophe before the N too), and never listened to Slash’s solo material. John Cowan is on vocals for this one, and Gaven Largent is again on dobro. This track just doesn’t work for me. It doesn’t fit with the rest of the album, and is a bit jarring. It pulls me out of the mood that the rest of the tracks worked so well to establish. But don’t worry, things immediately get better again with a cover of Bill Monroe’s “Wheel Hoss.” There is a snippet from an old Bill Monroe interview at the beginning of the track. This lively rendition features some excellent playing. The album concludes with an interesting medley, “Angeline The Baker” paired with “Welcome To Beijing.” This pretty track leaves us feeling good.

CD Track List

1. A New Leaf
2. All Of Me
3. Just A Little Talk With Myself
4. The Ride
5. Goodbye, Love
6. O’Connell Street
7. One Small Step
8. Take Me Home, Country Roads
9. When Johnny Comes Marching Home
10. Shady Grove
11. Song For Dani
12. Bent To Fly
13. Wheel Hoss
14. Angeline The Baker/Welcome To Beijing

Just A Little Talk With Myself was released on September 16, 2022.