Charlie Barath - Issaquena Getaway - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Issaquena Getaway, from Charlie Barath and it's a lot of fun. Opening with cool strut,  I Gets Around, Charlie Barath on vocal and harmonica leads the way with the confident riffs of Andrew Sherer on guitar and Johnny Burgin on with solid lead guitar, Mark Yacovine on piano, Mike Law on bass and Danny Banks on drums. Cool opener. Slinky, Waitin' For The Queen, featuring a cool story by Barath a signature guitar solo by Burgin and soulful harmonica solo by Barath. Cool interlude. Shuffle, I Might Fall In Love, has a real nice lazy lope with an harmonica and guitar trades. A cool radio track with an easy melody, just perfect for kicking back. I really like Brass Monkey with Banks riding the up beat on drums, Yacavone on organ, and a jangly loose guitar solo by Burgin. On low slung, That Wasn't Me, Barath digs in on vocals and Burgin's guitar work is understated but it scratches the itch and a soulful duet between Barath and Burgin works really nicely. Latin flavored, Can I Have This Dance really has a great rhythm by Law and Banks and Barath really works the vocals on this one. Yacovone's piano work dances and Barath's harmonica is peerfect. One of my favorite tracks on the release is funky, I'm Gonna Let You with perfect interweaving of Burgin, Sherer, Yacovone on organ, Law and Banks and the soulful vocals on Barath. Strong. Sugar is a real nice shuffle featuring Barath on chromatic harmonica. With a great melody, Yacavone on electric piano,  jazzy guitar work by Sherer, this is a super change of pace. Wrapping the release is Honey I Got No Money featuring Shari Richards on lead vocal. Burgin torches up some real nice phrasing on guitar, followed by Barath on harmonica. A cool, updated rag style, This is a tight closer. 

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Charlie Barath - Just Me And My Friend (s) - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Just Me and My Friend (s) by Charlie Barath and it's quite good. Opening with a refined field holler, The Forgotten Man, It's just Charlie Sutton on vocal and Barath on harmonica. I really like this track as an opener with it's entry to the blues and it's basic simplicity.  Breaking into a full blues rocker, Travelin' Woman gives Barath the opening to show his Chicago style harmonica skills, backed by Jimmy Adler on guitar, Mike Law on bass, Gordon Grottenthaler on drums and John Burgh on organ. Really nice. Another change in directions on Ohio, with it's back country (almost western) folk style. I really like this track with Barath leading on vocal and harmonica, adding Jeff Scheller on acoustic bass, Pete Freeman on dobro, Ray Bruckman on mandolin and fiddle. Excellent! Open the swinging doors and welcome in full honky tonk country and western, Little Turtle Nightlight. With Sam Stuckey joining on harmony vocal, Scheller on acoustic bass, Joey Pinchotti on drums, Freeman on pedal steel and Bruckman on fiddle, this is my favorite track on the release. Excellent! No Smoking is a contemporary blues romp with a real nice opportunity for Jimmy Alder to stretch a little on guitar and for Barath to show his traditional harmonica skills. Another really nice track. Much Better Now is a really cool country blues track putting me in mind of a Taj Mahal album for the way back using tuba as the primary rhythm instrument. With Roger Day on tuba and Barath on lead vocal and harmonica, very cool. Another unusual track with an early rag style is The Briar Hopper with Chris Sutton on guitar, Barath on harmonica and Day on tuba. It's not just quirky...it's really good. Another of my favorites on the release is High Ball and A Covered Dish. With curious lyrics, cool vocals and harp by Barath, Max Schang on guitar, Gerry Boorish on acoustic bass, Bert Lerini on drums, John Burgh on piano, this track is really solid. Another honky tonk style western track is She Drives Me to Drink. OK. I admit that I love this style music and it's great. Barath on vocal and harmonica, Sam Stuckey on guitar, Pinchotti n drums, Burgh on piano and Pete Freeman on pedal steel, I love it! Wrapping the release is simple acoustic blues, One Way Gal. Bill Weiner on vocal and acoustic guitar and Barath on harmonica wrap this very enjoyable release. Gotta say, very fine job! 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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