Hittin' the Note Records artist: Tommy Talton - Until After Then - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Until After Then, from Tommy Talton and it is a mixed bag of cool tunes. Opening with title track, Until After Then, Talton creates an almost Steely Dan like pop jazz feel with Matt Slocum on organ, Frankie Nattola on bass and David Keith on drums joining Talton on guitar and vocal. Real Sugar has a super Al Green like R&B strut. Kevin Holly adds a cool wah wah guitar, Billy Earheart electric piano, David Hood bass, Bill Stewart drums but it is the cool sax work of Brad Guin and trumpet work by Ken Watters added to Talton's vocals that pushes this one over the top for me. Nice! Mr. Love is an easy rocker which actually reminds me quite a bit of Joe Walsh when he plays it mellow. Another cool track. That Distant Light has a super sweet Paul McCartney like melody. Talton continues to show his versatility as both a songwriter and singer. My, O, My again has a McCartney kind of sound with a quiet beauty. Talton does show a little slide work on this track and it's smooth as silk. I Keep My Mind On You changes directions radically ending up in Margaritaville. With an island feel, Holly on 12 string, Earheart on keyboard and Watters' trumpet accents, this track could easily hit the airwaves hard. She Was There is a fresh sounding pop ballad with Talton leading the way on vocal and acoustic guitar and clean piano lines by Kenny Head. The Man From Down Near Waco has a simple country western ballad feel with a pinch of rock. John Kulinich plays a cool western style guitar riff adding a nice touch. Love U A Little is a simple ditty with some real smooth acoustic dobro slide work. You Got A Friend has a catchy melody, clever rhythm and warm vocal harmonies. Wrapping the release is instrumental, Surfin' The Levee, a funky rock track with Talton on distorted vocals and guitar, Keith Head on organ, Brandon Peeples on bass and David Keith on drums. Talton does stretch out a fairly cool guitar solo on this track. This is a really nice jam to wrap up a primarily mellow release.

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Big Song Music artist: Lisa Biales - Belle of the Blues - New Release review

Opening with and easy going blues number, title track Belle of the Blues, Lisa Biales shows why she is know for her clear voice, well complimented by Pat Bergeson on harp and Paul Hornsby on piano. Tommy Talton plays nice acoustic guitar riffs as a compliment but this song is really ready for airplay. Sad Sad Sunday is a slow blues ballad featuring Biales at her best on lead vocals and Tommy Talton on dobro. Bad Things has a "Summertime" feel with a light acoustic guitar backing. Adding instrumentation as it builds, Randall Bramblett adds organ, Ken Wynn guitar, Bill Stewart drums, Tommy Vickery bass and EG Kight backing vocals. Very nice. Mask, a primary 40's style blues ballad shows Biales in the heart of her style. Hornsby plays a "key" role in the backing on this track and Biales leads with very solid vocals. Graveyard Dead Blues has a cool dobro lead by Talton and EG Kight backs him nicely on acoustic. Biales is consistent with her vocals, strong and clear, and establishing a firm spot for herself in the void created by some of those who came before her. Baby Won't You Please Come Home has a really soft feel with early century authenticity. Paul Hornsby plays with certainty and feel. In My Girlish Days is a duet with EG Kight and features a tasty acoustic guitar solo from Talton. Peach Pickin' Mama, another track featuring Kight on vocals and Bergeson on harp features some of the coolest picking by Talton on the release. Black and White Blues has a moderate pace and a Bessie Smith style. Nice musical balance and clear vocals are the ticket. Trouble With A Capital "T" is a easy rocker with the largest group of players including Talton and Biales on acoustic guitar, Johnny Fountain on bass, Bill Stewart on drums, Ken Wynn on slide, Hornsby on piano, Gary Porter on tambourine and Kight on backing vocals. Wrapping the track is Bad Girl, the rockinest track on the release. Bramblett takes a nice B3 solo on the track and Wynn adds a stinging electric guitar solo as well. Duet vocals on this track are nicely complimented making this a nice closer for the release.

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Singer Lisa Biales Is the "Belle of the Blues" on New CD from Big Song Music Due March 4

Singer Lisa Biales Is the Belle of the Blues on New CD from Big Song Music Due March 4

Latest Album Produced by EG Kight and Paul Hornsby Features Tommy Talton, Randall Bramblett and Bill Stewart with a Special Duet from Lisa and EG

OXFORD, OH – Singer Lisa Biales (pronounced “Bee-Alice”) announces a March 4 release date for her latest album, Belle of the Blues, on the Big Song Music label, with production by multi-Blues Music Award nominee EG Kight and legendary Southern Rock producer Paul Hornsby. The CD was recorded at Hornsby’s Muscadine Studio in Macon, Georgia, and features special guests Tommy Talton on guitar (Cowboy, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts) Randall Bramblett on Hammond B3 organ (Sea Level, Steve Winwood, Widespread Panic) and Bill Stewart on drums (Cowboy, Gregg Allman, Bonnie Bramlett). Talton’s contributions on the new album especially stand out, with his work on acoustic/electric guitar, electric/acoustic slide guitar and dobro.

EG Kight also produced Lisa’s acclaimed Just Like Honey album in 2012 and duets with Biales on one of the many musical highlights of the new disc, a cookin’ take on Memphis Minnie’s “In My Girlish Days.” EG also adds acoustic guitar and harmony vocals on a few other tracks and co-wrote several songs on Belle of the Blues. Co-producer Paul Hornsby provides his signature piano work throughout the new album.

“Recording with EG Kight and Paul Hornsby was more enjoyable the second time around,” recalls Biales about the sessions. “We’d been through the arduous task once before and became friends.  However, recording is not all gravy. I got anxious about one song and struggled with it for a while in the studio. Paul and EG suggested a break. When I returned, the lights were turned down, a single candle was lit, and a glass of wine was filled.  No longer feeling apprehensive, I sang ‘. . . and I wonder if I’m under some spell that you bring, when you make me, when you make me do . . . . ‘Bad Things.’”

Biales, who is known for her clear-as-a-bell singing voice, has been dubbed, fittingly, “Belle of the Blues.” The 11 songs on Belle of the Blues showcase a diverse set of material that feels right at home with Lisa’s passionate in-the-pocket vocals, which have a slant of southern sass to them.

“I have a secret wish to be the most desired back-up singer on the planet,” Biales admits. “Even though I know there are a few who already hold that title: Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Judith Hill and Lisa Fisher to name a few.  I loved singing back-up with EG on her songs, ‘Bad Girl,’ ‘Trouble with a Capital T’ and ‘Belle of the Blues.’ Working out the parts and hearing our voices resonate together was thrilling. So, it was an extra treat to have EG Kight join me on the Memphis Minnie duet, ‘In My Girlish Days’ where we trade verses and sing in harmony.”  

Lisa has a special recollection about the recording of “Peach Pickin’ Mama,” too. “EG wanted me to play it for the band so they could get a feeling for the song,” she remembers. “We all sat around with guitars, and the jam that happened in the office with Tommy Talton, EG Kight, Tommy Vickery (bass), and Paul Hornsby playing his childhood guitar was priceless and is forever engrained in my memory as a precious moment in time.”

While Belle of the Blues has many kickin’, up-tempo songs, it has its share of ballads, as well. “I love singing sad songs,” Biales confesses. “The strong array of emotions that bubble up, and the connections I feel to people while singing them makes me realize my worth. I looked into the EG Kight songbook and found two songs that wrap around my soul like a big warm blanket, ‘Mask’ and ‘Sad Sad Sunday.’”

Another influence on Lisa Biales is Bessie Smith, who she calls “one of the greatest classic blues singers of the 1920s and someone I have grown to admire. It’s only fitting to have her presence on this recording with two songs: ‘Black and White Blues’ (a song written by blues historian Dalton Roberts as a tribute to Smith) and ‘Baby Won’t You Please Come Home."  ‘The Empress of the Blues’ meets ‘The Belle of the Blues.’’’

Over the past several years, Lisa Biales has been busy recording and singing the blues. Iconic movie director Francis Ford Coppola enjoyed one of her performances so much that he cast her in his film, “Twixt,” where Biales portrays a waitress named Ruth (and as a bonus, picks up a guitar and sings, too). 

In 2013, Biales backed by Ricky Nye and The Paris Blues Band recorded Singing in My Soul, an up-beat early jazz and blues album. Radio and critics loved Lisa’s music and the album won the Cincinnati Blues Society’s Best Self-Produced CD, also garnering her a spot at the upcoming August 2014 Cincinnati Blues Fest.

To see photos and hear Lisa’s music and learn more visit www.LisaBiales.com.

Hittin' The Note artist: Tommy Talton - Let's Get Outta Here - New Release Review

I have been listening to the new Tommy Talton release, Let's Get Outta Here and it's likely to make a big splash. I first became familiar with Talton when I was tracking down every recording that Duane Allman played on a lot of years ago. Well, the band isn't Cowboy and the tracks don't sound like Please Be With Me. It's a new day. The release opens with the title track and it sounds more like Wet Willie or Steely Dan than Cowboy. This is a light breezy pop oriented track with horns and a catchy melody. You Can't Argue With Love is a rock ballad featuring Talton on vocal and slide guitar. He has a very distinct slide tone reminiscent of a few of the better slide players. Dream Last Night is a more quiet ballad further reinforcing his talent as a songwriter. Make It Through The Rain finds Talton singing harmony with his old pal Scott Boyer. A primarily acoustic rock track, this could easily make heavy airplay. Slacabamornico has a funky new Orleans beat with cool horns and strong piano work from (ex Allman Bros/Sea Level) Chuck Leavell. The horn section made up of Chad Fisher (trombone), Shane Porter (trumpet), Brad Guin (sax)really give it a workout on this party track. I don't want to miss out on mentioning Brandon Peeples on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. Where Is The World really has strong chord changes and a light jazzy sound that makes me think of Steely Dan with Talton on vocal and guitar instead of Fegan and Diaz (or Carlton/Baxter). Recent Rain has the construction sensibilities of Bob Dylan and the basic sound of Joe Walsh. It's an interesting combination. Sunk Down In Mississippi starts off with a gritty slide solo and definitely has it's roots in the blues. This is a fairly straight forward track keeping it simple and very enjoyable. You want to hear Talton play the slide...here it is! I liked this track before I heard it! How could you mot like a track called If Your Attitude Is Funky (Nobody Wants Your Monkey)! This is another breezy jazz rock track but with a really great theme. Like my artist friends say... you only need to come up with one of these... it's great! And Tommy...I couldn't agree with you more! Half of What She Is (Is All I Can Hope To Be) is another well written ballad in this case with David Pinkston added giving it a little country flavor. It really could be an Eagles track (but a good one). The last track on the recording is Tribute To Levon Helm Give A Little Bit. This track gets a lot of it's interest from the underlying bass runs by Peeples and the funky Little Feat like back beat. Tony Giordano adds some nice keys and Talton belts out some of the best open guitar work on the recording. So is this the same Tommy Talton that I heard with Duane Allman as a youth? Must be! He's still putting out fresh sounding tracks, surrounding himself with great musicians and not falling into the clutches of rehash hell. Nice job!
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