Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band - Bang That Bell

Size: 112,6 MB
Time: 48:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Electric blues, funky blues
Art: Full

1. Bang That Bell (3:43)
2. Love Is A Gamble (3:24)
3. Another Bad Day (5:25)
4. It's Later Than You Think (4:35)
5. My Life (4:21)
6. Trick Bag (5:39)
7. If You're Goin' To The City (4:16)
8. Don't Cloud Up On Me (5:00)
9. A Quitter Never Wins (6:18)
10. Even Trolls Love Rock & Roll (5:57)

Taylor continues to change with each new album, and Bang That Bell continues the forward look of 1997's Dirty Pool. Taylor is undoubtedly blues-oriented, but his music is also fueled by bursts of jazz, R&B, funk, and distorted wah-wah-inflected rock. While this will be off-putting to most blues diehards, Taylor forges his own path, and the result is an album with strong blues ties that doesn't fall into one comfortable roots bag or another. A strong effort, albeit one not suited to every blues fan's taste. /Cub Koda, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Little Joe Blue - Dirty Work Goin' On

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:34
Size: 122.6 MB
Styles: Blues, Funk, Soul
Year: 1987/2005
Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Dirty Work Goin' On
[3:35] 2. Me And My Guitar
[5:34] 3. If You Let Me Love You
[4:48] 4. You're Breaking My Heart
[2:41] 5. Give Me One hour In Your Garden
[2:50] 6. Big Leg Woman
[4:03] 7. You Can Help Me If You Want To
[5:45] 8. She Did It Again
[2:42] 9. I Want To Make Love To You
[5:07] 10. The Thrill Is Gone
[6:02] 11. Devil In The Sky
[5:30] 12. How Could You Do It To Me

LITTLE JOE BLUE, guitar, vocal; BILLY BRANCH, harmonica; MELVIN TAYLOR, guitar; NICK CHARLES, bass; JULIAN VAUGHN, drums. Recorded in Heelsum, Holland, November 24 & 25, 1986.

Born Joseph Valery, Jr. in Vicksburg, Mississippi, his musical style is often compared to B. B. King. Living in Detroit, Michigan, he formed the band the Midnighters in the late 1950s. He moved to Los Angeles, California, where he cut some records for Kent and Checker Records in the 1960s. His 1966 song "Dirty Work Going On"(R&B #40) was covered by Magic Sam & Shakey Jake, and Willie Kent & His Gents. He recorded for various labels throughout the 1980s. He played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1974, travelled to Europe in 1982, and appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1986.

He died in Reno, Nevada in 1990 at the age of 55 from stomach cancer. He had two children: one son, Joseph Devon Valery (born February 26, 1959), and one daughter, Angela Maria Valery (born July 5, 1960).

Dirty Work Goin' On

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Eddie Burns - 2 albums: 2nd Degree Burns / Lonesome Feeling

Album: 2nd Degree Burns
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:17
Size: 99.1 MB
Styles: Detroit blues
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. I'll Always Be Around
[4:45] 2. The Thing To Do
[4:04] 3. Mean & Evil
[4:45] 4. Hen Pecked
[3:02] 5. Paradise Valley
[3:28] 6. Candy Baby
[5:24] 7. Fun Time
[3:12] 8. Sugar Girl
[2:21] 9. The Only Woman
[3:45] 10. Jingling Baby
[3:59] 11. Christmas Song

Eddie "Guitar" Burns has been a fixture of the Detroit blues scene since his arrival in the late 1940s when he recorded with John Lee Hooker. He became Hooker's guitar player for a long stretch, but also achieved notoriety as a songwriter, the most successful was "Orange Driver" which was covered by the J. Geils Band. Burns also recorded for Chess and Motown. On this album he does some songs from his stint with Motown (their only blues artist) and many newly penned tunes. Backing musicians include his brother Jimmy Burns on guitar and Funk Brothers piano player Joe Hunter.

2nd Degree Burns

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Album: Eddie 'Guitar' Burns - Lonesome Feeling
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:47
Size: 120.8 MB
Styles: Detroit blues
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. Just A Little Bit
[4:45] 2. Lonesome Feeling
[5:30] 3. I Dig You Baby
[3:37] 4. In The State Highway
[5:32] 5. You Got To Love Me With A Feeling
[4:35] 6. Woke Up This Morning
[6:15] 7. New Inflation Blues
[3:57] 8. This Old House
[3:37] 9. What Do You Want To Do
[2:55] 10. That's My Woman
[5:13] 11. How Could You Leave Me
[3:25] 12. Wee Baby Blues

Bass – Nick Charles; Drums – Julian Vaughan; Guitar – Melvin Taylor; Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica – Eddie "Guitar" Burns; Harmonica – Billy Branch. Recorded November 25, 1986, at Farm Sound Studio, Heelsum, The Netherlands. Tracks 1, 6 and 9 to 11 are previously unissued.

b. 8 February 1928, Mississippi, USA. Inspired by John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson and self-taught, Burns was a stalwart of the immediate post-war Detroit blues scene, being first recorded in 1948 by Bernie Bessman. The latter was responsible for giving John Lee Hooker his break and used Burns as a session musician for Hooker in 1949. This session produced four tracks, including the fast shuffle ‘Burnin’ Hell’, which was notable for Burns’ powerful harmonica playing. Throughout the 50s and 60s he periodically recorded for Joe Van Battle, who either released the material on his own JVB and Von labels or else sold the masters to concerns such as Gotham and Checker. Rarely straying from his home state of Michigan, Burns briefly visited Europe in 1972 under the billing Eddie ‘Guitar’ Burns, recording an album in London for Action. He returned three years later for a more intensive tour under the ‘American Blues Legends ’75’ banner. Since then Eddie Burns has stayed mostly in Detroit, working day-jobs, playing clubs in the evenings and occasionally appearing at festivals. He guested on Detroit Junior’s Take Out The Time in 1998.

Lonesome Feeling

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Various - The New Bluebloods

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:05
Size: 91.8 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1987/1992
Art: Front

[3:35] 1. Donald Kinsey & The Kinsey Report - Corner Of The Blanket
[3:10] 2. Valerie Wellington - A Fool For You
[4:30] 3. Dion Payton - All Your Affection Is Gone
[3:17] 4. Sons Of The Blues - The Only Thing That Saved Me
[4:32] 5. Professor's Blues Review - Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On
[6:13] 6. John Watkins - Chained To Your Love
[3:46] 7. Michael Coleman - Woman Loves A Woman
[4:25] 8. Maurice John Vaughn - Nothing Left To Believe In
[3:44] 9. Melvin Taylor - Depression Blues
[2:49] 10. Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials - Young Thing

An attempt to document "the next generation of Chicago blues," this is generally a very exciting and successful collection, including The Kinsey Report, Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials, Valerie Wellington, and several more. ~Niles J. Franz

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Eddie Shaw - Movin' & Groovin' Man (Reissue)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 87.2 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1982/1993/2014
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. Highway Bound
[5:55] 2. Blues Dues
[3:20] 3. Blues For Tomako
[2:42] 4. Dunkin' Donut Woman
[4:57] 5. Louisiana Blues
[2:09] 6. Movin' And Groovin' Man
[6:08] 7. Sad And Lonesome
[3:16] 8. Big Leg Woman
[2:43] 9. I've Got To Tell Somebody
[3:43] 10. My Baby And Me

Tenor saxophonist Eddie Shaw is a rarity in blues circles--a first-class instrumentalist who is not a guitarist or pianist. Shaw is a soulful, exuberant player whose lusty licks make a solid counterpoint to his rough-hewn vocals and narratives. While Shaw carries the majority of the load on this 10-cut date from 1982 previously recorded for Isabel (reissued on CD by Evidence) it is guitarist Melvin Taylor who is the revelation as second soloist. Between his work with Lucky Peterson, his own CD, and his brisk, sizzling solos and accompaniment here, Taylor merits high praise as a workmanlike, flexible contributor. The others, with the exception of the great Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, are heady pros capably handling limited support duties. ~Ron Wynn

Feat. Melvin Taylor, Ken Saydak, Harlan Terson, Merle Perkins, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson.

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VA - Rare Chicago Blues

Size: 192,8 MB
Time: 82:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 32013
Styles: Chicago Blues
Label: X5 Music Group
Art: Front

01 Lovie Lee - I Dare You (2:45)
02 Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater - Gotta Move On (4:37)
03 Carey & Lurrie Bell - Got To Leave Chi-Town (3:40)
04 Buddy Guy - Slow Blues (Bonus Track) (6:51)
05 James Cotton - Buried Alive In The Blues (3:31)
06 John Watkins - Chained To Your Love (6:13)
07 Luther 'Guitar Junior' Johnson - Just Like Mama Said (3:01)
08 Queen Sylvia Embry - Please Let Me Stay (4:29)
09 Left Hand Frank - Linda Lu (4:10)
10 Andrew Brown - I Got News For You (4:58)
11 Big Leon Brooks - Blues For A Real Man (3:33)
12 Junior Wells - Vietcong Blues (4:56)
13 Lacy Gibson - Wish Me Well (2:53)
14 Dion Payton - All Your Affection Is Gone (4:32)
15 Johnny Jones - The Dirty Dozens (3:57)
16 Billy Boy Arnold - Mama's Bitter Seed (3:11)
17 Johnny Young's South Side Blues Band - Kid Man Blues (3:04)
18 Melvin Taylor - Depression Blues (3:43)
19 The Otis Rush Blues Band - Rock (3:32)
20 Maurice John Vaughn - Can't Nobody (4:37)

Rare Chicago Blues

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Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band - Rendezvous With The Blues

Size: 129,9 MB
Time: 55:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Modern Eectric Blues
Art: Full

01. Comin' Home Baby (4:42)
02. Help The Poor (4:35)
03. Rendezvous With The Blues (4:54)
04. I'm The Man Down There (4:57)
05. A Tribute To John Hooker: Chill Out/The Healer (6:43)
06. Help Me (5:38)
07. Five Women (6:06)
08. Blue Jean Blues (6:26)
09. Eclipse (5:52)
10. Black Queen (5:40)

Rendezvous With the Blues marks another step in the normalization of Melvin Taylor. With Lucky Peterson on keyboards, Taylor is much more the featured lead guitarist in a straight-band context that too often finds him fighting for room to move in the full arrangements. He takes a jazzy lead on the opening "Coming Home Baby," but that runs counter to the measured, mid-tempo groove that dominates the first three tracks and seems like a move to court the contemporary rock-blues audience. So does some of the material -- no originals, with ZZ Top, Stephen Stills, and Carlos Santana's tribute to John Lee Hooker in the songwriter credits on one side and Charles Singleton and Prince for contemporary black funk/rock relevance on the other. Horns kick in to punctuate the slinky, clavinet-anchored funk on "I'm the Man Down There," but Taylor's solo gets cluttered up by a duel with Peterson (on guitar here). Taylor is better-served when he escapes the rock beat straitjacket on "Tribute to John Lee Hooker" -- the Latin-tinged rhythms give his guitar more freedom to float and sting. ZZ Top's slow "Blue Jean Blues" definitely picks things up with blitz distortion solos and nice dynamics, but "Help Me" leaves behind Sonny Boy Williamson's haunted train groove for a plodding mid-tempo blues that winds up anonymous. Eric Gales' instrumental "Eclipse" goes so far down the Wes Montgomery mellow jazz blues instrumental route it could almost be a quiet storm/fuzak format candidate. And Prince's "Five Women" sounds like disjointed parts with a group that never really coheres, while Stills' "Black Queen" is transformed into a rhythmic stomp that goes nowhere. Almost all the songs have moments, but Rendezvous With the Blues is spotty, mostly because Taylor seems to be struggling to force his way through busy arrangements and a less-than-inspired choice of songs. The disc wants to have it both ways -- to distinguish Melvin Taylor as a more versatile and contemporary bluesman, but then saddles him with a regulation-issue sound that reins in the freewheeling guitar solos that are his greatest asset. ~Review by Don Snowden

Thanks to Marc.
Rendezvous With The Blues

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Melvin TAYLOR - Plays The Blues For You / Blues On The Run

A fleet-fingered guitarist with a technique that encompasses elements of blues, R'n'B and jazz, Melvin Taylor led his own group, the Transistors, at the age of 15. A stint with The Legendary Blues Band brought him to Europe in 1981 and he made his recordings debut in following year. This and another French-recorded album were issued in the US a decade later, forming the basis of a recording cereer notable for its eclecticism and the speed and clarity of his guitar playing.

____________________________________________________________________________

Album: PLAYS THE BLUES FOR YOU
Styles: Modern Electric Chicago Blues
Recorded: 1984
Released: 1987
Bitrate: 320k/s
Size: 128.24 MB
Time: 55:53
Art: Front & Tray (Isabel)

1. Talking To Anna-Mae Pt.1 (4:11)
2. TV Mama (3:14)
3. I'll Play The Blues For You (5:16)
4. Born To Loose (2:59)
5. Tribute To Wess (3:25)
6. Cadillac Assembly Line (5:17)
7. Voodoo Daddy (6:29)
8. Talking To Anna-Mae Pt.2 (4:10)
9. Groovin' In Paris (3:16)
10. Kinda Easy Like (5:28)
11. Don't Answer The Door (7:07)
12. Ridin' (5:01)

Personnel: Melvin TAYLOR - Guitar, Vocals
Lucky Peterson - Organ, Piano, Vocals on tr.11
Titus Williams - Bass
Ray 'Killer' Allison - Drums

Note: Guitarist Melvin Taylor's fluid, smartly constructed solos and understated yet winning vocals are surprises on this 1984 twelve-track set recorded for Isabel and recently reissued by Evidence on CD. Taylor is not a fancy or arresting singer but succeeds through his simple, effective delivery of lyrics, slight inflections, and vocal nuances. His guitar work is impressive, with skittering riffs, shifting runs, and dashing solos. Organist/pianist Lucky Peterson is an excellent second soloist, adding cute background phrases at times, then stepping forward and challenging or buttressing Taylor's playing with his own dazzling lines.

                                                          Plays The Blues For You
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Album: BLUES ON THE RUN
Styles: Modern Electric Chicago Blues,
Recorded: 1982
Released: 1994
Bitrate: 320k/s
Size: 102.47 MB
Time: 43:48
Art: Full

1. Travelin' Man - 6:23
2. Lowdown Dirty Shame - 7:30
3. Escape - 6:55
4. Cold, Cold Feeling - 4:41
5. Just Like A Woman - 8:02
6. Chitlins Con Carne - 10:04

Personnel: Melvin TAYLOR - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Johnny Dollar - Rhythm Guitar;
Big Moose Walker - Piano
Willie Love - Bass
Casey Jones - Drums

Notes: With this album, recorded in Chicago originally for the French label Isabel, Taylor sprang fully formed from hiss shell. His effortless extended improvisations confine a 43-minute programme to just six tracks, the longest a ten-minute exploration of Kenny Burrell's 'Chitlins Con Carne'. Others sources are Albert King, T-Bone Walker and Louis Jordan, with the artist's sole contribution a seven-minute instrumental 'Escape'. Although his musicians are given little to do except keep up, they do so willingly, with an occasional solo from Walker.

Taylor is a weak vocalist here but verses are merely bookends for his guitar solos, in which he displays unflagging invention. But for all their dexterity, these profligate solos lack character and dynamic contrast, numbing the ear to whatever fleeting emotion may be present.

                                                             Blues On The Run
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Eddie SHAW - Moovin' And Groovin' Man / Have Blues Will Travel

Album: Moovin' And Groovin' Man
Styles: Modern Electric Chicago Blues
Recorded: 1982
Released: 1993
Bitrate: 320k/s
Size: 90.36 MB
Time: 38:41
Art: Full

1. Highway Bound (3:13)
2. Blues Dues (5:59)
3. Blues For Tomako (3:23)
4. Dunkin' Donut Woman (2:45)
5. Louisiana Blues (5:00)
6. Movin' And Groovin' Man (2:12)
7. Sad And Lonesome (6:11)
8. Big Leg Woman (3:19)
9. I've Got To Tell Somebody (2:46)
10. My Baby And Me (3:43)

Personnel: Eddie SHAW - Alto, Tenor Saxophones, Harmonica, Vocals
Melvin Taylor - Guitar
Ken Saydak - Piano
Harlan Terson - Bass
Merle Perkins - Drums
with:
Eddie "Cleanhead' Vinson - Alto Saxophone tr.3

Note: Tenor saxophonist Eddie Shaw is a rarity in blues circles- a first-class instrumentalist who is not a guitarist or pianist. Shaw is a soulful, exuberant player whose lusty licks make a solid counterpoint to his rough-hewn vocals and narratives. While Shaw carries the majority of the load on this 10-cut date from 1982 previously recorded for Isabel (reissued on CD by Evidence) it is guitarist Melvin Taylor who is the revelation as second soloist. Between his work with Lucky Peterson, his own CD, and his brisk, sizzling solos and accompaniment here, Taylor merits high praise as a workmanlike, flexible contributor. The others, with the exception of the great Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, are heady pros capably handling limited support duties.

                                                     Moovin' And Groovin' Man
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Album: Have Blues Will Travel
Styles: Modern Electric Chicago Blues  
Recorded: 1966 & 1977
Released: 1977
Bitrate: 320k/s (Vinyl ripp!)
Size: 67.21 MB
Time: 29:20
Art: Full

1. I've Got To Tell Somebody (2:19)
2. This Little Voice (2:53)
3. Blues Men Of Yesterday (2:52)
4. I Can't Stop Loving You (2:42)
5. Big Leg Woman (3:53)
6. Back Door Wolf (3:58)
7. I Don't Trust Nobody (2:47)
8. Blues For The West Side (2:51)
9. Riding High (2:07)
10. I've Got To Tell Somebody-tk.2 (2:58)

Personnel: Eddie SHAW - Saxophones, Harmonica, Vocals
Hubert Sumlin - Guitar
Detroit Junior - Piano
Lafayette 'Shorty' Gilbert - Bass
Chico Chism - Drums
on tr.8,9 from 1966 SP
Magic Sam - Guitar
Mac Thompson - Bass
Bob Richey - Drums

Notes: This is first release of Shaw, after his Master - Howlin' Wolf died. On tracks 8, 9 to release on this album added his first single (45 rpm) released on Colt with Magic Sam on guitar(!). Album is a little vocals and instrumentals.

                                                            Have Blues Will Travel
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Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band - Dirty Pool

Size: 104,7 MB
Time: 45:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Art: Front & Back

01. Too Sorry (3:54)
02. Dirty Pool (7:01)
03. I Ain't Superstitious (4:25)
04. Kansas City (3:55)
05. Floodin' In California (4:57)
06. Born Under A Bad Sign (5:05)
07. Right Place, Wrong Time (5:10)
08. Telephone Song (3:25)
09. Merry Christmas, Baby (7:26)

Fans of Stevie Ray Vaughan will notice the title of this disc is that of a Vaughan song. Indeed, three selections from his songbook are covered here: "Too Sorry," "Telephone Song," and the title track. The impressive Melvin Taylor is an electric blues guitarist who will appeal to the fans of the legendary Texan for his skilled and precise playing along with his smooth and expressive vocals. Taylor definitely continues the Chicago blues tradition that begot Luther Allison, Buddy Guy, and Otis Rush. Taylor gives his version of Rush's "Right Place, Wrong Time" on this collection of nine covers. His lineup here is a trio -- a reliable bass and drum rhythm section keeps up a steady bottom end, showcasing his ability to handle all vocals and guitar parts. Every track here is rife in the easy genius that marks a true master of the blues craft. ~Review by Tom Schulte

Thanks to Marc.
Dirty Pool

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