Steve Howell - Out Of The Past

Album: Out Of The Past
Size: 123,2 MB
Time: 53:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Country blues, roots
Art: Front

1. I'm Going Away (2:38)
2. Meet Me Where They Play The Blues (3:00)
3. St. James Infirmary (3:32)
4. I Never Cried (3:24)
5. Crazy Blues (3:51)
6. When It's Sleepy Time Down South (3:17)
7. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) (2:48)
8. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away) (2:33)
9. Church Bell Blues (2:46)
10. Moon Going Down (4:53)
11. Bye Bye Blackbird (3:16)
12. I've Found A New Baby (3:09)
13. Bob McKinney (4:18)
14. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (3:39)
15. Stack O' Lee (2:53)
16. Blue Skies (2:56)

Howell and his sidemen display an obvious comfort with the material and guitar fans will enjoy the warm tones he coaxes from his Benedetto archtop. Howell's vocals easily glide over the music, but with enough character to make these interpretations his own. Engineered and mixed at Shreveport's Sandbox Recording Studio, the cd's crisp production lets all instruments shine, sure to please even the most discriminating high-end audio enthusiasts. This easy-going and enjoyable release will certainly gain Howell wider recognition. Simply put, this is how the pros do it. /Living Blues Magazine

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Steve Howell - My Mind Gets To Ramblin'

Album: My Mind Gets To Ramblin'
Size: 113,6 MB
Time: 48:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Blues, country blues
Art: Full

1. I Can't Be Satisfied (4:15)
2. Louise (4:31)
3. All My Friends Are Gone (3:58)
4. Mississippi Blues (4:28)
5. Policy Blues (4:15)
6. Steady Rollin' Man (3:18)
7. Ain't Nothin' In Ramblin' (3:17)
8. Prodigal Son (3:37)
9. Dirty Deal Blues (3:50)
10. Windy & Warm (2:42)
11. Ain't You Sorry (2:30)
12. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho (2:57)
13. Rowdy Blues (5:13)

Even though Steve Howell was due to celebrate his 56th birthday three days after the release of My Mind Gets to Ramblin', it was only his second solo album. Howell is an accomplished fingerpicking guitarist and a musical scholar, and the disc is his treatment of country blues, including songs by and associated with Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Bo Carter, Robert Johnson, Memphis Minnie, and Mance Lipscomb. Doubtless Howell himself would not claim that he and his talented band, including ace session bassist Joe Osborn, who co-produced the album, improved upon the performances of the originators of these songs.

Their interpretations are spirited and exact, but never biting, starting with a version of Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied" that somewhat belies the title. The emphasis is on getting the details right, and they do, even if the emotions underlying the music are more distilled than expressed. Still, their affection for the form, starting with the leader who sings in an agreeable wheeze, is obvious. If Howell hasn't recorded much, it's probably because he is better appreciated in a live setting than on an album that necessarily comes off as more tribute than competition to earlier performers of the material. /William Ruhlmann, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Steve Howell & The Mighty Men - Been Here And Gone

Size: 118.7 MB
Time: 50:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues, Americana
Art: Full

01. The "In" Crowd (3:41)
02. Bad Boy (4:11)
03. Candyman (4:37)
04. I Believe To My Soul (5:26)
05. Such A Night (3:03)
06. La La Means I Love You (4:03)
07. Ferry Across The Mersey (3:50)
08. Jimmy Bell (5:13)
09. Black Is Black (3:02)
10. Wild Bill Jones (6:01)
11. Willie Mae (4:45)
12. Walk Don't Run (2:51)

Steve Howell And The Mighty Men’s new album, Been Here And Gone, closes with a cover of the timeless guitar anthem “Walk Don’t Run,” and, fittingly, that title may best sum up Howell’s refreshing style and approach. Howell doesn’t howl. Howell doesn’t shred. In a musical landscape overpopulated by acrobatic singers and too busy guitarists, Howell figuratively walks and doesn’t run through this album’s dozen covers. Deftly employing subtlety instead of bombast, this low-key approach results in gimmick-free vocals and captivating guitar work. While other axemen play countless notes, he makes all the notes count.

This band-produced effort features Howell on vocals, electric and acoustic guitars backed by Mighty Men - Chris Michaels on electric guitar, Dave Hoffpauir on drums, Jason Weinheimer on bass and organ. The straight-forward production and arrangements are as uncluttered as the performances, and the choice of material is intriguing.

Howell jumps right into “The ‘In’ Crowd” and sounds like he belongs there. Having been a vocal hit by Dobie Gray and subsequently an instrumental one by the Ramsey Lewis Trio, both in the ‘60s, this is a slower-paced instrumental rendition. As with all the tracks, Howell’s guitar has an irresistible au naturel tone, sounding like you’re sitting right next to his amp. “Bad Boy” is a laconic jazz blues from the ‘30s written by Lil Armstrong (Louis’ second wife) and Avon Long. The period-correct feel and playing is proof-positive that Howell and company would have had the chops to impress in any era.

A sweet version of “Candyman,” origin unknown but drawn from the Rev. Gary Davis’ catalog, is followed by Ray Charles’ “I Believe To My Soul,” sung with a tone of resignation rather than the anger of other renderings. Mindful but never fearful of tackling tunes that were previously hits and strongly identified with other artists, Howell next resurrects “Such A Night” with its history of popular versions by the Drifters (with Clyde McPhatter) and Elvis Presley. As great as the Delfonics’ original 1968 smash vocal version of “La La Means I Love You” is, Howell’s gorgeous, delicate instrumental treatment spotlights the rich beauty of the melody while the Mighty Men offer a mighty lovely setting for this gem.

Displaying his eclecticism, Howell effortlessly shifts gears from a British Invasion Top-Tenner—a non-vocal take on Gerry and the Pacemakers’ “Ferry Cross The Mersey”--to an obscure swampy blues originally done by William “Cat Iron” Carradine entitled “Jimmy Bell.” Likewise, an instrumental arrangement of the Los Bravos ‘60s pop hit “Black Is Black” is then juxtaposed with a traditional Appalachian tale of murder, “Wild Bill Jones,” with an ominous reverb accentuating the song’s dark atmosphere.

Before he ventures into Ventures territory with the aforementioned album closer, there is one more nod to another great bluesman, Big Bill Broonzy, in Howell’s interpretation of “Willie Mae.” With that and all of Been HereAnd Gone, Steve Howell And The Mighty Men clearly demonstrate that might can also be measured by taste and restraint rather than sheer overkill. ~Jim George

Been Here And Gone MP3
Been Here And Gone FLAC

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Steve Howell, Dan Sumner & Jason Weinheimer - Long Ago

Size: 106,0 MB
Time: 45:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Acoustic Blues
Art: Full

01. Singin' The Blues (3:59)
02. Angel Eyes (4:33)
03. Please Send Me Someone To Love (4:24)
04. Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me (4:09)
05. Song For My Father (4:33)
06. Dindi (2:52)
07. Nothin' But The Blues (4:09)
08. Z's (3:44)
09. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (3:46)
10. I'll Remember April (5:01)
11. I Thought About You (4:04)

On his ninth album, “Long Ago,” Texas guitarist and vocalist, Steve Howell, continues a remarkable creative run that has lasted over a decade exploring the depths of the great American songbook. “I am a lover of American music from the first half of the 20th century. I like it rural, urban, country blues, traditional jazz, Appalachian music, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll. I love it all, “says Howell about his mission to play as much music as he can.

This new release finds Howell collaborating once again with bassist Jason Weinheimer and jazz guitar journeyman Dan Sumner, joining him on arch top and flat top acoustic guitars, to produce a trio recording that is absolutely the definition of easy listening. The eleven tracks include timeless jazz standards and hidden gems from the past, which Howell brings to fresh light by adding vocals and singing lyrics that time may have forgotten. His velvety baritone and soothing delivery bring the listener up close and personal to the experience, allowing us to drink in every emotional detail and pause to ponder the significance of every word, as only a master storyteller can do.

The sweet swinging tune from the 1920’s, ‘Singing The Blues,’ opens the album and sets the tone for things to come with Howell and Weinheimer melding together as the rhythm section, while Sumner adds tasteful leads that support the vocal melody. Howell takes cues from Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra on his spacious reading of ‘Angel Eyes.’ He then pays tribute to fellow red dirt poet Percy Mayfield on ‘Please Send Me Someone To Love,’ written for Ray Charles by the Louisiana native in 1950. The lover’s plea, ‘Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear From Me,’ is modeled after the 1959 Mose Allison version and features a spry solo from Sumner. With Howell’s take on the well-known Horace Silver jazz standard, ‘Song For My Father,’ he creates his own loving homage to his dad. The fellas show off their skills on those beautiful arch topped guitars on the bossa nova standard ‘Dindi’ and get back to basics on a soulful reading of ‘Nothing But The Blues.’

Howell lightens the mood with a snappy number, ‘Z’s,’ and takes the swing era hit ‘Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen,’ back to its Yiddish roots with an oom-pah beat underpinning. The lovely melodic instrumental track, ‘I’ll Remember April,’ has a lilting Spanish guitar feel, and the Johnny Mercer ballad, ‘I Thought About You,’ is another great composition that Howell saves from obscurity. The lyrics were originally written as a breakup song, but here he is singing more about his love for all the songs of yesteryear that seem to have been left by the wayside. This collection of songs; “Long Ago,” are lovingly brought back to life to remind us that they were once popular songs of the day, heard on the radio, in film and in dance halls; music that was and still is sophisticated and timeless. Howell, Sumner and Weinheimer have capitalized on that magic once again. ~Rick J Bowen

Long Ago MP3
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Steve Howell & The Mighty Men - Good As I Been To You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:00
Size: 103.0 MB
Styles: Roots, Blues
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[3:36] 1. Bacon Fat
[6:54] 2. When I Was A Cowboy (Out On The Western Plains)
[3:38] 3. New Dirty Dozens
[2:58] 4. It Hurts To Be In Love
[4:52] 5. Come Back Baby
[4:50] 6. Blues In The Bottle
[6:21] 7. Easy Rider
[5:01] 8. Bad Luck Blues
[2:34] 9. Lining Track
[4:13] 10. You're Gonna Quit Me Baby

Steve Howell and The Mighty Men return with their unique take on American blues and roots music on ''Good As I Been To You.'' The addition of New Orleans singer Katy Hobgood Ray adds a wonderful lilt to this musical journey from prewar blues, postwar R&B, and early 1960's pop music through the Memphis blues of Memphis Minnie and the ArkLaTex blues of Leadbelly. On this new release, Steve and the Mighty Men maintain the high level of musicianship and production values that have been consistently recognized by critics and radio across the United States and Europe. Raising the bar once again, Good As I Been To You delivers solid, authentic roots music for the modern day.

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Steve Howell & Mighty Men - Friend Like Me

Size: 102,3 MB
Time: 43:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Blues Folk
Art: Front

01. Another Friend Like Me (3:05)
02. Aberdeen, Mississippi Blues (3:51)
03. Elder Green Is Gone (4:01)
04. Oh, Lord, Search My Heart (4:57)
05. Little Sadie (2:36)
06. Roustabout (5:20)
07. This Old Hammer (5:48)
08. Viola Lee Blues (4:22)
09. Me & My Uncle (6:49)
10. Pretty Flamingo (2:48)

Steve Howell & The Mighty Men are back again with their new release, Friend Like Me. As eclectic as usual, they offer up interpretations of time worn tunes from the ArkLaTex region and the Mississippi Delta to the hills of Kentucky and the Old West, with a couple of delightful side trips thrown in. Steve’s finger style guitar mastery, the unique electric guitar approach of Chris Michaels, the consummate roots drumming of Dave Hoffpauir and the lyrical and rock solid bass playing of Jason Weinheimer, serve up these tunes in a way that is guaranteed to reach lovers of the deepest root of American music. They play the old blues and folk tunes with an authenticity and new approach that is rare today.

Friend Like Me

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