Blue Stew - 2 albums: Destination: The Blues / Headed South

Album: Destination: The Blues
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:39
Size: 134.3 MB
Styles: Electric Blues
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. To Satisfy You
[5:02] 2. Big Woman Dance
[5:54] 3. Human Race
[4:00] 4. Love Potion No. 9
[4:30] 5. Rio Grande
[4:06] 6. Keep Moving Along
[6:02] 7. She Doesn't Come Around Anymore
[4:29] 8. Don't You Want A Man Like Me
[4:39] 9. If It Don't Kill You, It Will Make You Strong
[4:09] 10. She's Fine
[6:14] 11. My Destination Is The Blues
[5:04] 12. It Cuts To The Bone

California-based Blue Stew serves up 12 tasty tracks on Destination: The Blues (Main St. Records). The band has been playing a mix of blues styles since 1994, and on this, their second CD, they show their versatility by doing mostly original material. Michael Miller-who handles lead guitar, slide and most of the vocal chores-wrote eight of the songs, while fellow guitarist John Boutell penned three. The material ranges from the Elmore James-inspired Chicago blues of "Don't You Want a Man Like Me" to the jazzy "Keep Moving Along," with great Hammond B-3 organ from Jim Calire and tasty tenor sax work by Steve White. In addition, there are cuts with boogie piano, ballads and acoustic guitar, as well as the CD's only cover, a slow, almost ominous version of Leiber and Stoller's "Love Potion Number Nine." These guys have honed their chops at Southern California clubs and as openers for groups including Duke Robillard, Little Feat, The Blasters, Roomful of Blues and others. It sure shows in this fun mixture of blues, roots and jazz. ~Mark Miller

Destination: The Blues mc
Destination: The Blues zippy

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Album: Headed South
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:21
Size: 122.1 MB
Styles: Electric Blues
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:29] 1. Three Days To Louisiana
[3:41] 2. That's What Lovers Will Do
[5:13] 3. Mean Old World
[6:00] 4. The Laundromat
[4:08] 5. La Fayette Cajun Fest And Fais Do Do
[5:42] 6. I'm A Slave To You
[4:31] 7. Trying To Kill The Pain
[6:26] 8. Blues For The Bearcat
[4:45] 9. Wake Up Jesus
[4:20] 10. Where Do I Fit In
[3:59] 11. Found True Love

Joined by Mitch Kashmar (harp), Bill Flores (accordion, fiddle), and Steve White (horns, keys), Ventura, California's "Blue Stew" add other influences to their blues on their latest album, "Headed South" (Silk City 2024). While "That's What Lovers Will Do" and "The Laundromat" are straightforward, swinging shuffles and "I'm A Slave To You" is a slow blues with a hipster attitude, "Three Days To Louisiana" is reminiscent of Little Feat, and "La Fayette Cajun Fest and Fais Do Do" is pure Cajun (even if it is sung in English). Refreshingly, Michael Miller and John Boutell are obviously more concerned with their roles as primary singers and songwriters than with impressing listeners with guitar chops. Case in point: Miller's evocative road trip song "Blues For The Bearcat" is easily among the best recordings of the last year. ~Tom Hyslop

Headed South mc
Headed South zippy

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