John fell in love with the blues as a child when his father and an older cousin played guitar and sang at night after a hard day in the fields. His mother moved to Chicago to secure a job and support her family. She promised to bring John and his sister to the big city when they reached age 18, leaving them with family. Depressed and lonely, young Primer frequently went into the neighboring woods, where he cried his troubles away and began singing the blues in solitude. He eventually built himself a diddley bow on the side of his grandmother's house out of broom wire, two nails and a brick and began accompanying himself as he sang, eventually playing for dimes and quarters in his schoolyard. After listening to Jimmy Reed , Little Milton, B.B. King , Albert King and Muddy Waters on his grandmother's record player, his biggest dream was to play alongside Muddy Waters one day. 🎵 LISTEN & SUPPORT THE ALBUM ▶ Listen to Album Samples (Clic...
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I just received the newest release, Coulda Woulda Shouda from Andra Faye & Scott Ballantine and it' clever and mature. Opening with Walkin' Home To You a 40's style country influenced blues track, Andra Faye, a multi instrumentalist leads on vocal, and fiddle backed by Ballantine who is actually quite fluid on guitar. Crackheaded Man has traditional blues styling and Faye finds the perfect venue for her vocals. Faye pairs up on mandolin with Ballantine on guitar for a very nice instrumental duet. Boogie track, It's A New Day has a more modern feel, Faye joined on vocal by Ballantine. Her mando work on this track is quite clean and Ballantine lays down dome fine guitar work. Liz Pennock penned, Take It Slow, sets up nicely for a bluesy ballad featuring Faye on vocal. Ballantine has a really nice opportunity to show his acoustic blues chops and he does a really fine job. Blues For A Crappy Day is a bit more uptempo with vocal duets and and a driving guitar rhythm. Faye's fiddle work coupled with Ballantine on guitar makes for a real nice toe tapper. Jazz influenced, Too Much Butt (For One Pair Of Jeans), has a sassy style reminiscent of early Maria Muldaur. Ballantine shows his acoustic chops again, taking a nice stylized guitar solo on this one. Piedmont style, One Dream At A Time, is driven by the tight guitar work of Ballantine. Faye adds a nice mandolin solo but it's the guitar rhythm that makes this track tick. Title track, Coulda Woulda Shoulda, is a quick little boogie with a swing flare. A woven play of mandolin and guitar and call and answer by Ballantine and Faye vocally sum up this track. Ballantine takes the vocal lead on traditional, Standing In The Need Of Prayer. Nice blending by Faye and expressive guitar work by Ballantine makes this one of the nicest tracks on the release. Working Mama Is Gone has a deliberate feel and bluesy tensions. Faye does some of her best vocal work on this track, complimented by mandolin and again Ballantine takes a real nice solo on guitar. John Hyatt's Feels Like Rain gets a really tender interpretation and Ballantine plays particularly expressive guitar riffs. Very nice! Mike Dowling's When You Gonna Stop Your Drinkin'? has a lot of spank making it one of the best tracks on the release. Faye really sells it vocally and Ballantine drives the train on guitar. A clever mandolin solo from Faye adds some additional spark getting ready for the conclusion. Bluesy, Clyde, is my favorite original track on the release with just the right tempo and style. Faye's vocals are solid and clear and Ballantine provides a tight bottom for another mandolin solo. Nice wrapper for a solid release.
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