Reivew of "More Blues From The South Side"
Kris Handel | NH | 05/21/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
""More Blues From the South Side" is a collaboration by three relatively unknown blues men from California. Smokey Wilson is probably one name the listener should be familiar with since he is a blues veteran and has released solo CD's to critical acclaim. South Side Slim is a young and up and coming blues man with an incredible voice and amazing talent on the guitar which is evident on this CD. Curtis Tillman is a blues veteran who has played bass and been the bandleader for some of the best blues musicians around. The CD starts with 4 songs written and sung by Smokey Wilson, all of these have great energy that Smokey brings to them. "My Wooman is Gone" is a great blues song with a very tasty funk type rhythm backing Smokey's fiery guitar and voice. "Talk to Me" keeps the pace going with a nice slow shuffle pace with once again amazing guitar by Smokey "I Know What You've Been Thinking" adds a some great sax work by Bill Clark who really burns on this song. "One Day You're Going To Know Me" is a slow simmering blues that allows Smokey to play with a lot of feeling and emotion. The next three songs are sung and written by South Side Slim who brings the different aspects you can find on his solo CD's to the table on these songs. "Seven Days" is dedicated to the memory of Gary Graham and has a distorted rockish type of blues that is pushed along with emotional singing from Slim. "BB Is The King" is a tribute to BB King with some guitar work by Smokey imitating BB style perfectly with a little flare of his own. "Country Road" is a great acoustic song with Slim on the Guitar and Tetsuyu Nakamura following the riffs along on harmonica. The combination works very well and makes this song standout on the disc. The next 2 out of 3 songs are sung and written by Curtis Tillman with the traditional "Confucious" standing out. "Confucious" is a song allowing Curtis and the musician to have a good time with a smile on their faces. "Angola Blues" is a slow blues allowing the beauty of Curtis' voice to come out along with the Sax of Bill Clark to shine. " Going Home Tomorrow" is a song with the story of a failed relationship that leaves the narrator leaving his lover. This song has a kind of tempo and guitar playing reminiscent of Guitar Slim, again with some beautiful Sax playing by Bill Clark. This CD highlights three lesser known of the blues men and after hearing this CD it is hard to understand why that is. Each performer on this CD has their own style and they all meld together well. The only person to play on all the songs of the headliners is South Side Slim who plays rhythm guitar on the tracks by Smokey and rhythm and lead on Curtis'. He also plays lead on his own except for "BB Is The King". This CD should not be missed and you won't be dissapointed with it."
More Blues from the South Side by Smokey Wilson, South Side
Richard H. Wright | Flint Michigan | 09/23/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Good CD! I especially like 4 more Smokey Wilson selections in my collection which begin this disc. The disc also has 2 lesser known Blues Artists that are both talented. Recommend this one to compliment the rest of your Smokey Wilson material."