Home  Reviews
|
| Reviews |
|
Mark in Sons of the Delta "Raw, righteous,..the real Delta deal." "'Made In Mississippi' is a belter of an album. Mark Cole and Rick Edwards, do not just "play" the Blues, they "feel" it too. This gives them the edge over many of their contemporaries... they could easily find themselves being lauded as Britain's Jelly Roll Kings." "You guys are the real deal!" "I really liked those Elmore James numbers - you got 'that tone' just right" "You guys have really got a good little unit there... I thought that was pretty darn good - you don't have to take a back seat to anybody" "They are exceptional" "Sons of the Delta are a duo consisting of Mark Cole who sings, and plays harmonica and guitar and guitarist Rick Edwards. They play an effervescent mix of Blues and Country music, and on this occasion had a dazzling array of no fewer than eight guitars to choose from. They have a good reputation on the circuit, and their performance at the Oval confirmed this. They started with that good old country number "Man of Constant Sorrow" with Mark on harmonica and vocal and Rick on guitar. Then on "I Want You to Stay", a number with a riff akin to "Help Me", there was a strong harp intro accompanied by Tele style guitar and a fine and spirited harp solo. "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger" featured two guitars, one of which played bottleneck style, then followed the John Lee Hooker classic "Boogie Chillun" with evocative work from the two guitars and the stomp box. Next came a stirring rendition, on guitar and mandolin, of Steve Earle's "I Ain't Ever Satisfied", followed by the equally rumbustious "Mystery Train" with an excellent train impression on harmonica and guitar. Raw rootsy blues followed on Slim Harpo's "King Bee", with strident harp and rhythmic guitar. After Leroy Carr's "I Asked Her For Water" the set finished with "13 Question Method" by Chuck Berry. The second set had even more variety, starting with Fat Possum artists T Model Ford's "Take a Ride With Me", a hypnotic, trance like number that this duo excel at. They followed up with the 'Hookeresque' "Nobody Wants to Talk to Poor Me" and then Fred McDowell's "Write Me a Few of Your Lines", a fine rendition on harmonica and guitar. More fine work followed including the energetic "The Ladies", the vibrant "It Hurts Me Too", the insistent "Hard Core Troubadour" and the thumping "Dust My Broom". The evening finished with a high-octane version of the Gospell number "People Get Ready". This was a highly entertaining a relaxed session of music from two raconteurs of the genre who are past masters of their craft. Their reputation for their brand of acoustic blues is well merited, and on this performance they will win friends wherever they play. They are well worth a look at if they are in your area" "With the assistance of Delta legends Pinetop Perkins and Sam Carr, U.K. musicians Mark Cole and Rick Edwards turned their Mississippi pilgrimage into a documented soundtrack. Using vintage recording techniques, instruments, and amps this CD was recorded in Clarksdale and a raw and basic '50s sound was captured. Cole plays impressive guitar and harp, while Edwards' guitar and earthy vocals add considerable grit. The instrumentals Pickin' With Phil and Train Roll are outstanding. Although not all of their melodies, riffs, and lyrics are fresh, these Delta sons provide an enjoyable and solid effort." "For plenty of British Blues musicians, the chance to travel to the American South and record with a great bunch of original US Bluesmen would be nothing short of a dream come true. Last year, that dream became a reality for Gloucester musicians Mark Cole and Rick Edwards, aka Sons of the Delta. This splendid CD is the result of that musical pilgrimage... recorded live, the old-fashioned way, in studios and live venues in the legendary Mississippi town of Clarksdale, it features some great players - the wonderful and seemingly immortal Pinetop Perkins appears on a brace of tracks, and drummer Sam Carr on three more. Cole and Edwards clearly had the time of their lives on the trip and it's easy to share the duo's excitement, and indeed awe, at the surroundings and company in which they found themselves. It's an album with nary a duff track, making it hard to single-out individual cuts for praise. Personally, I especially liked the front-porch acoustic instrumentals 'Pickin' With Phil', 'Clarksdale Strut' and 'Train Roll' - very much the Sons' stock-in-trade, but no less enjoyable for that. But what a thrill to be able to record something like 'Cryin' Down in Clarksdale' - introduced by Cole's brief instruction over the mic to the famous piano-man: "We'll do this one Muddy Waters-style, Pinetop... Muddy Waters." In mid song, he then throws out a solo to Perkins, with a simple cry of: "...play it, Pinetop!!!" Cole and Edwards' trip to Clarksdale left them with a fine album, but also, one would imagine, something far more precious - a store of memories, stories and experiences that'll remain with them for the rest of their lives. Lucky guys! " "For their second outing, the Sons of the Delta (Mark Cole and Rick Edwards) decamped to their spiritual homeland (Clarksdale, MS). In addition to recording "Made in Mississippi" with a little help from their friends, they also played several dates including Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero club. Somewhat ironically, the album opens with a classic rocking Chicago style blues, "It's Me", which grabs the listener's attention. The first of two very famous friends (Pinetop Perkins) then takes his seat for the epic "Cryin' Down In Clarksdale", delivered Muddy Waters style, later returning to lead the band through his own "One More Time". Elsewhere Sam Carr anchors things in his inimitable style on the Wolf-like "You Can't Have The Hoo Without The Do", the excellent Hill Country stylings of "I Wish Somebody", and "eBay Blues" which gives a 21st Century twist to the "My baby done left me" tale. The album is mostly recorded using a classic core line-up (guitar, harp, bass, drums), but Cole and Edwards are equally at ease in an acoustic setting. This is neatly demonstrated on "Pickin' With Phil" (Phil Wooten, 2nd guitar), "Clarksdale Strut", and "Train Roll" (with Stan Street on harp). It is the full band though , with Terry "Big T" Williams, that heads homewards on "I'm Moving On", calling to mind "The Thrill Is Gone", before closing out in the best Jimmy Reed style with "Standing On The Edge". "Made In Mississippi" is a belter of an album. Mark Cole and Rick Edwards, do not just "play" the Blues, they "feel" it too. This gives them the edge over many of their contemporaries, because they add their own original twist to what some perceive as the tired idiom of the Blues. If they can maintain this standard, they could easily find themselves being lauded as Britain's Jelly Roll Kings." "Mark Cole and Rick Edwards shared vocals and guitar playing, performing a wide range of interesting material. We were informed that last year they had spent an exciting time performing in the Clarksdale, Mississippi area and much of their material reflected their interest in music from that historic bed of the blues. Their material, on both electric and acoustic guitars, included songs from the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, backed by some very inventive, powerful guitar playing and their commitment and enthusiasm for what they performed was obvious." "Excellent musicianship and an unpolished, good time, approach has made ‘Sons of the Delta’, Mark Cole and Rick Edwards, a highly respected duo. Even Kent DuChaine says they’ve got ‘that sound’ just right. ‘One for the Road’ captures all the spontaneity and vigour that is a hallmark of their live shows. Almost all the tracks are original, with a mix of electric and acoustic numbers showcasing their skills through a variety of blues/Americana styles. I was particularly taken with ‘Poor Boy’, a traditional number played on a diddley bow – a home made one string guitar – in this case made by Mark utilising a couple of nails, a length of wire and his garage wall. The result is a very authentic sound indeed. Then there’s the Cajun influenced ‘One Sunny Day’, the driving rhythm and slide of ‘I’m going out’, the vocal gymnastics on ‘I asked her for water’ ….. this is a first rate CD, full of interest and an uncompromising feel good factor from start to finish." "The duo are old hands now - veterans of the annual city blues festival - and their rugged, accomplished double guitar sound deserved more than the 20-odd punters who turned up. Not that the band seemed to mind as they drove their way loudly through classic blues penned by the likes of the legendary Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker - plus a few of their own songs. Anyone who can play three chords can attempt the blues and everyone who has witnessed pub bands is likely to have seen at least one covering blues songs. But for anyone to stand out and truly bring the music to life he needs to have mastered his art. Sons of the Delta have mastered it."
"The Dockery Boys are the most exciting rock/roots band in England" "With over a thousand people waiting expectantly for the Festival's Saturday headline band, anything less than the spiraling, wonderful and wildly danceable set the Dockery Boys played would simply have died a death. They wooed the audience and 'rocked & rootsed' everyone into "Even before the gig, the Dockery Boy's impressed: professional attitude, excellent publicity and easy to deal with. On the night they more than lived up to expectations, delivering a brilliant, energetic and audience-friendly show. I'll certainly be booking them again!" "Their high-octane fusion of roots and rock, with a twist of folk, proved irresistible to all, leaving the crowd begging for more long after their set had ended. Book this band - I guarantee you will not be disappointed!!" "...a creative and vibrant fusing of rock and roots music. Never afraid to add pop immediacy to the mix, lay on the blues, Cajun or Celtic flavourings, everything they do on Moondog Man brims with a quality and professionalism that sets them apart from so many acts...Their assured melodic delivery and ability to constantly impress, marks them down as an act who can really offer the goods that would lift them into major league status. Why they're still on their own label is a mystery, when lesser talents are courted and signed by the majors. Wholeheartedly recommended." "The songs are strong, frontman Mark is in fine voice and the music drives along with rather more rock than roots...This excellently produced first CD should, if there is any justice, elevate them..." |