Blues & rockin’ R&B roots

Shawn Pittman, Full Circle, self-release.

Will the never-ending parade of Stevie Ray Vaughan sound-alikes EVER end?

The Austin, Texas-based blues/rock guitar god died over 10 years ago and in that time, far too many young, (and not so young) white (and some black) guitarists have grabbed for the brass ring in hopes of duplicating Vaughan’s mainstream success. None save Kenny Wayne Shepperd and Jonny Lang have really managed to do so, but a few have produced decent records in the wake of the hero worship. Such is the case with Texan Shawn Pittman, a youthful, Stratocaster-slingin’ fast gun who uses Vaughan’s basic approach to push the music in slightly different directions that mix in roots rock ‘n roll and R&B. Shawn’s guitar playing is similar to Vaughan’s, but his vocals are too close for comfort here, as he copies Vaughan’s slurred phrasing and vocal mannerisms. Using Vaughan’s Double Trouble rhythm section, bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton doesn’t do much to thwart the comparisons either. Full Circle isn’t a bad record material-wise and the playing is quite good; It’s just derivative as hell. Go back and listen to Stevie Ray’s In Step instead.

Jimmy Thackery & Tab Benoit, Whiskey Store, Telarc Records.

This summit meeting of two blues guitar greats, the abovementioned double trouble rhythm section (Layton and Shannon, plus keyboard whiz Reese Wynans) and the meaty harp of Charlie Musselwhite, could have been a futile lesson in supergroup pretense. Instead, Benoit and Thackery, neither of whom ever works with another guitarist live, have left their egos at the studio door. This is loose, jam-inspired, yet well-organized blues/rock that really hits the mark on all counts. Both guitarists push each other to spectacular heights and never lose sight of good taste and style, while Layton, Shannon and Wynans prove themselves once again the perfect sidemen within this musical genre. Covers like The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time,” Bob Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat” and Neil Young’s “Unknown Legend,” mix nicely with originals like Benoit’s “Bone Pickin’” and Thackery’s “Freddy’s Combo,” a tribute to the late Freddy King. All in all, Whiskey Store is a must-hear new blues release.

Albert King, Born Under A Bad Sign, Stax/Fantasy Records.

When it was first released in 1967, blues guitarist Albert King’s Born Under A Bad Sign proved itself a watershed that hit the streets right at the time when FM radio embraced rock and blues music, exposing millions of white kids worldwide to authentic electric blues. This historically important album influenced an entire generation of English and American guitarists including some of the biggest names in the business and the influence continues today. Classics like “Born Under A Bad Sign,” “Crosscut Saw,” “Oh Pretty Woman” and “As The Years Go Passing By,” recorded with the sympathetic backing of Booker T. & the MG’s with help from Isaac Hayes and The Memphis Horns, still crackle with excitement. In other words, if you’re a blues fan and you don’t own this disc or need to replace your worn vinyl copy, get it now with cleaned-up sound.

William Bell, The Soul Of A Bell, Stax/Fantasy Records.

William Bell’s name may not be as well-remembered as that of Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett, but his early 60’s ballad hits like “Everybody Loves A Winner,” and “You Don’t Miss Your Water’ mixed gospel soul and country influences into an extremely satisfying whole. Soul chestnuts like “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” (which rivals Otis Redding’s definitive version), “Nothing Takes The Place Of You,” and John Loudermilk’s “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye” are all rendered with maximum soul and feeling. William Bell went on to score a few more hits, but this is his best work.