I
have decided to republish some of my reviews and publish new reviews. The corporate websites
which
published them originally cannot be relied upon to maintain them on
the increasingly over populated web. The first republished review,
Malian diva Oumou Sangare's Seya can be found at
Check
it out. Do yourself a favour!! The Professor's website which some
might describe as zany – who uses 'zany' these days? – ok
idiosyncratic and some might say weird – promotes mainly American, British and French roots music ie rockabilly, rock n roll, soul, jazz, r'n b, blues etc
etc. It is a rabbit warren, some might say treasure trove, of information, musical opinion, and links to the professor's playlists of rare and obscure tracks.
My
recent April 2019 post on Facebook:
A great night during
the week at the Harmonie German Club, 'Home of the Famous Pork
Knuckle', to see Hat Fitz and his partner Cara Robinson. I remember
Hat from his early days at the Byron Bay Bluesfest playing in the
packed, sweaty Juke Joint, bellowing like some old 20's
bluesman searching for his soul, Son House, Charlie Patton, some Blind Willie raging against
his fate. He and C.W. Stoneking were the real deal. Check out the early risque Yo Yo Blues with Itchy on percussion
recorded at The Pot Belly in Canberra.
Now, with Irish partner Cara Robinson, the sounds are more sophisticated, some soul, gospel, Celtic and still some blues, with power. Check out the version below from their first album of Blind Willie McTell's Deliah. Quite fabulous. Much better than Bob Dylan's version.
They now write their own material and here is their current single, the soulful Hold On.
C.W. Stoneking performed at the ANU here in Canberra a few weeks back, unfortunately when we were in China (although the China trip was great). Here is my review of the first
album King Hokum from C.W. Stoneking which can also be seen at the Professor Beeb Hopo link above. C.W. has had two releases since King Hokum, Gon' Boogaloo and Jungle Blues, both well received.
Here
in Australia we are blessed with some fine blues musicians, some
surprisingly in the raw, primitive, rootsy style. Three artists stand
out for me, Hat Fitz, the group Collard, Greens and Gravy and the
inimitable C.W.Stoneking. How does Oz produce living anachronisms
like Fitz and Stoneking when the genre emerged almost a century back
in the U.S.A. born out of the black experience? Well there may be
similarities in the culture apart from Australia’s natural
propensity to produce quirky offspring.
C.W.
Stoneking spent his early years way out of the Alice on an aboriginal
settlement, so the bio says. His West Virginian father was a teacher
there. The parents split up, his mother returned to the U.S. Who
knows, the bio may be Stoneking’s story to flavour his art, much as
Bob Zimmerman concocted his bio in the early years.
In
fact there are many similarities between early Dylan and C.W.
Stoneking. Both excellent songwriters, interpreters, singers,
musicians, appreciators and appropriators of roots music,
entertainers. Dylan with his Chaplinesque comedy on stage and C.W
muttering away between songs in a rustic black American/aboriginal
patois which requires subtitles and some tangential imagination to
follow. Both artists steeped in the form, in its many guises. Both
artists with a touch of sly wit, put on, hokum.
King
Hokum is an extraordinary album. C.W. Stoneking is a deceptively fine
guitarist and banjo player, not flash but subtle, spare and gutsy.
The years of solo performing bear fruit. The addition of the
Primitive Horn Orchestra on several tracks provides superb backdrop
which finds you immersed in a New Orleans saloon in the late 1920s.
The production by J. Walker is marvellously empathic; a warm
atmosphere where less is more – a lesser producer with a modern
brush could easily have ruined the album. Various ambient noises, the
caw of a crow, toll of a bell, bustle of a bar add to the atmosphere.
Musical
highlights are many. Mike Andrews’ piano, particularly on the
boogie piece ‘Goin The Country’, Chris Tanner’s clarinet on
‘Rich Man’s Blues’, Kirsty Fraser’s sassy vocals on the
vaudeville blues pieces, the rich, loose punctuation of the Primitive
Horn Orchestra, but above all C.W.’s vocals and playing. His voice
is tough and ragged, loud and languid. You hear echoes of Son House,
Charlie Patton, Blind Willie Johnson and Blind Willie McTell and in
‘Bad Luck Everywhere You Go’ the screech of the Memphis recorded
Howlin’ Wolf – used also by Tom Waits, if memory serves me. In
the guitar work you can hear Robert Johnson, Lonnie Johnson and
Memphis Minnie.
His
dialogue intros depict a rare understanding of the form and are witty
and droll. There is a danger of pastiche but C.W. is too clever or
honest for that. In the 20's style the double entendre and sexual
metaphor is present, however it will fly over the heads of any
teenagers listening. Unless you laugh. In which case you may have to
explain why Willie’s long necked lizard went limp or why she wanted
a cockatoo!!
Each track
is a gem, delivering more with further listening. Such conviction and
artistry would lead lesser bluesmen to the crossroads. C.W. Stoneking
is in his early thirties. We can look forward to further expression
of his art. In the meantime, give praise.
This is Stoneking's unique recording of Seven Nation Army, recorded for the Triple J 'Like A Version' series.
