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---Doug Treadway
Knock, Knock
Who’s there?
Kudzu
Kudzu who?
Kudzu open the door? Somebody’s knockin’….

    Tony Curtis was not a musician, but he played a musician in one of the funniest movies ever made: Billy Wilder’s “Some Like It Hot” and he was one of the handsomest men ever and he was an artist of some repute and was married as many times as I have been and produced a daughter (Jamie Lee Curtis) who is one of the most beautiful women in the world so I would say he done good. He died at 85 of cardiac arrest.
       Raise your hand if you remember Howdy Doody. Ed Kean, the original head writer for that iconic early TV show has passed on at 85. Well, one might expect to get sick and die at that age, but former ELO cellist Mike Edwards was killed at 62 recently by a runaway 1300-pound hay bale. Hey.
    Down here by da bayou, we said farewell to Noah Howard, a New Orleans jazzman who played with Louis Armstrong and went all over the world spreading that wonderful music. He passed in France at the age of 67.
    Another jazz musician to recently pass was Buddy Collette. He not only made great music, but he also made some noise as a fighter for the rights of black musicians to join the strictly white musicians union in California. He was the only dark musician in the Groucho Marx band (“You Bet Your Life”). Colette was 89.
    You may never have heard of Irwin Silber, but he was the founder of a folk music magazine called “Sing Out” and was one of the earliest to tout a young fellow called Bob Dylan. Silber, who also published several books, was 84.
    Carlton “King” Coleman has passed at 78. He did the lead vocal on a song about the mashed potato that started a dance craze ‘way back a long time ago (recorded with the James Brown band, the Famous Flames). He was also a radio DJ.
    I know all y’all have seen “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Well, the lady who did his voice has joined the Heavenly chorus. Canadian actress Billie Mae Williams was 88. And veteran stage, screen, and TV actor Harold Gould has gone on at 86.
    Another cat you probably never heard of was Laszlo Polgar, who died recently at 63. He was a Hungarian opera star who sang bass and went on to stardom in Switzerland and Austria.
    And then there is Eddie Fisher, who might not be well known by younger readers, but is to us older cats, not only for a series of great pop songs, but also for a series of marital mishaps. First he married Debbie Reynolds (fathering author / actor Carrie Fisher), then split with her to marry Liz Taylor, only to lose her to Richard Burton, then married hot actress Connie Stevens, and then they divorced and he moved on to a beauty queen half his age and a wheel chair. Whoa. Fisher was 82.

LOOKIN’ AT LUCKY
Trout Fishing In America
Trout
    They may say they are lucky; I say they are talented, massively talented. Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood have been making music together for some thirty years and it was some twenty-odd years ago that I first saw them, at the White Water as I recall. They lit up the place. Everywhere they go and play they do that. They are accomplished musicians and entertainers, but more than that, they have that little extra something that engages an audience. Grimwood and Idlet wrote all of the songs on this CD but one cover (and it is a good one: George Burton’s “Safe Haven”). They also reprise a song from a previous album (“Who Knows What We might Do”). There is a more-or-less country song here and a sort of blues song here and just a lot of good music. The duo is (are?) joined by Chris Munson on drums, Jenee’ Fleenor on violin, Stan D’Aubin on mandolin, Kim Deschamps on slide guitar, Craig Calvert and Connie Mims on backing vocals, and even Emily Kaitz on spoken word. If you have never seen them, I would definitely recommend that you look in the Sound section and see if they are going to be playing at a venue near you, then go see them. If you have experienced their versatile music and showmanship and quirky sense of humor, then you know what I am talking about. One may also go to www.troutmusic.com or even write them at P. O. Box 914, Prairie Grove AR 72753-0914 to find out more about these wonderful and inordinately offbeat music makers.

TWENTY-FIVE
Mojo Depot
Vicious Goat
    I never met a vicious goat myself, but I have encountered a couple of hilarious goats and more than one old goat. In fact, I reckon there are those who would call me an old goat. Ah, who cares? We’ve been witnessing Mojo Depot for twenty some years, both live and on record, and they never fail to satisfy. What say? You never heard them? By all means get yourself to wherever they are playing at the moment and feast your ears. Or get this fine album. Or both. The group is currently composed of Rob Moore on vocals and guitar, Tyndall Jackson on guitar and vocals, Jason Adams on drums and percussion, John Wright on bass and vocals, Russ Wheeler on keys (B-3 and Wurlitzer), Steven Winter on keys (piano and Wurlitzer), our old friend Randy Bulla on harp, and special guest Barry Poynter on guitar (who also recorded the album at his studio in Maumelle: Poynter’s Palace). It all adds up to an excellent experience, if you like music, and I assume you do or you would not be perusing this periodical. They mix it up quite well, which is to say, they play more than one style of tune, but they never stray too far from their roots and their roots go deep. If you like good old American music, I assure you that you will like Mojo Depot. One may contact them at mojo.depot@gmail.com for more info.

THE DEVIL IS AN ANGEL TOO
Janiva Magness
Alligator
    Okay, she looks great and she sings great, what more do you need to know. She credits the late, great Koko Taylor and Gladys Knight for inspiration and thanks a host of people involved in the making of this album, including Neil Citron at The Doghouse Studio and Dave Darling (who also plays guitar) and Ryan Lipman at The Shithouse. Darling also did the mixing at Studio City Sound, where Tom Weir mastered it. She dedicates the album to foster youth and those who have been through that program. Apparently she went through it too. She came out whole and strong and she puts her voice strongly on the line and does one of the very best love songs I ever heard (“I Want To Do Everything For You”). She reminds me very much of someone who will remain nameless here, but if she reads this, knows who she is. Javina gets accompaniment from Jeff Turmes on guitar, Stephen Hodges on drums, Zach Zunis on guitar, Ted Andreadis on keys, Arlan Schierbaum on farfisa, Gary Davenport on bass, Gonzalo Bergara on guitar, Brie Darling on percussion and backing vocals, Stevie Blacke on strings, plus Ernie Perez and Spanky D on backing vocals. Visit alligator.com for further information.

ARKANSAS GIRL
Bob Devan
Indie
    This is a sweet album of original songs that definitely reflect Arkansas roots. Or is it an original album of sweet songs? Whatever, it sounds good, mostly light and airy, especially the second ctrack, which makes me think Devan had a chorus of kids behind him. Well, nothing new there, but still fun and certainly sweet. The older I get the more I like little kids. I like the music of Bob Devan too; down home simple melodies and words you can actually understand about things we all deal with at one time or another, either on our own or through a friend or brother. Darian Stribling joins in on guitar and harmony vocals; Jordan Trotter adds bass and guitar; Willie Rhoads chips in some piano and harmony vocals; Bob Tanner plays some bass; Mike Benetz contributes guitar and Harry Clark mandolin; Brandon Alanis is the drummer (oh wait, I just saw that Trotter also plays drums on some cuts)    … if I missed anybody, I apologize, my eyes are not as good as they used to be and they never were all that good … oh yeah, have to mention that chorus I referred to earlier: Gracie Bailey, Nicole Nesto, and Haley Nesto, and if I offended any of them by calling them kids, well, I apologize again; you just have to remember that I am old enough that everybody under the age of fifty is a kid to me. Bob Devan writes good songs and sings them in a pleasant, easy-going style, and is joined by some very good musicians. It adds up to an enjoyable album     (I like the one about the flatlands, hell, I like all of them). Contact Bob Devan at bdevan@comcast.net or write him at 118 Valmar in Little Rock 72205. Holy cow, that’s just a few blocks from where I grew up.

TEN SHADERS OF BLUE
Joe Pitts
Kijam
    Joe Pitts plays the blues. He kicks off this collection with one of Fast Eddie’s favorites: “Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home.” Then he proceeds to build on that. He can tear off some tremendous guitar licks, let me tell you. No less a guitar luminary than Mike Dollins speaks highly of him and I can easily see why. Joe is joined by Jimmy Lynn on bass, Robert “Frisbee” Coleman on organ, Gary Getts on harmonica, “Chicken” James Dorris on piano, and on various tracks by drummers Lance Womack, George Mitchell, and Jahleel Eli, plus Terry Bradley on slide guitar for one number. The liner notes indicate that it was recorded analog as the guys played, no computer tricks, no digital overlays, just a bunch of fine musicians displaying their chops (recorded and mixed at Lonesome Oak Studio) and also that it is a thank-you tribute to the great blues men he grew up listening to; different styles, maybe (ten shades of blue), but still all the blues, the music that came out of the Delta and went to Chicago and beyond to flourish.

HOOKED ON YOUR LOVE
Kenny Neal
Blind Pig
    Kenny Neal is sort of an icon down here by da bayou. He comes from a mighty musical family and has carved his own path through the musical jungle, if you’ll permit me that stupid metaphor. There are several Neals on this recording (Tyree, Darnell, Fredrick, and Kenny Junior) in addition to a lot of other folks, such as Vasti Jackson on guitar, Lucky Peterson on clavinet and other keys, Carl Vickers and Melvin Jackson on saxophones, Joe Campbell, Kenny Anderson, Cory Distefano, and Stanley Abernathy on trumpet, Chris Dunn and James Montgomery on trombone, Bryan Morris and Tony Coleman on drums, plus Alfreda McCrary Lee, Ann McCrary, Regina McCrary, Theresa Davis, Dianne Madison adding some sweet harmony (not all at once of course). If I left anybody out, please forgive me. Kenny Neal throws some blues at us, but also some good old soul music and even a bit of swamp rock. Add it all up and you have one hell of a good album, recorded at Beech House Recording in Nashville, Tennessee and mixed in Chicago, Illinois. Kenny plays a customized Telecaster and he plays it well and I do mean good and well.

BLUES LION BLUES
Mark Cloutier
Blues Lion
    Lo and behold, here comes another really good guitarist. I need to start practicing more, because these guys are making me feel like, well, you know what happens. Mark plays a Strat, I think, and gets about every note out of it that can be found and then some, plus additional effects. Most of what is on this album is instrumental, but you will not mind, believe me. Mostly in the blues or blues / rock mode, there is no note on where the music was recorded, nor whether there were any sidemen, but Cloutier can fill up all the space on a groove all by himself, no sweat.

SONGS FROM THE WITNESS TREE
David Starr
Indie
    We have here some more good guitar work on your basic Colorado laid-back folk rock. Funny how much it sounds like your basic laid-back Florida folk rock. Ah, America. Wonder if he knows Jed Clampit? Bet he does.

ROCKET TO RAPTURE
The Children Of The Plague
Liberated Recording Movement
    You can download their music for free at www.thechildrenoftheplague.com. I really did not think I was going to like this when I heard the first strains, but it sort of grew on me. It’s like a blend of punk and euro-beat with electronic gimmicks thrown in just for the hell of it. I find it intriguing.

2 TON
Ben Miller Band
Mud Stomp
    Exuberant is the first word that came to mind as I spun this disc. Ben Miller wrote the songs, sang lead vocals, played guitar, banjo, harmonica, autoharp, and something called “foot percussion” and organized the band, with Doug Dicharry, who does vocals and plays washboard, trombone, trumpet, mandolin, and percussion (as opposed to foot percussion?) and Scott Leeper, who also does vocals and plays percussion, plus washtub bass and keyboard. The music is good and lively. While not exactly truly traditional, it is definitely in a traditional vein. I might go so far as to call it hillbilly modern (contempobilly?). One big plus is that it passes the fun test, i.e. you can tell they had fun making this music, which leads to your having fun listening to it. I believe in fun.

I’M GETTING GONE
Shane Morgan
Indie
    Pure-D country, which is fine by me, Shane Morgan has a good voice with some timbre to it and he has a good band behind him (Nick Moura on drums, Dan Bentley on steel and mandolin, Otis Greene on bass, Mark Sloan on keyboards, Brett Rosenberg on electric guitar, and Jimmy Wiedemeier on acoustic guitar – Greene and Wiedemeier also provide backing vocals) on this album recorded at Guido’s Studio South in Old Hickory, Tennessee. Contact Mary Little, Shane Morgan Music, LLC at P. O. Box 84 Menlo IA 50164 or call 515-783-6772 for booking or other information.

HOUSE OF JOY
Roger Anthony Yolanda Mapes
Indie
    Ready for a gender bender? Well, here we go. Mapes wrote all the tunes but one (a cover of “Ode To Billy Joe”) and they are filled with very thoughtful insights and display a quirky sense of humor. The music is good, quite good, and most interesting. Robert Urban produced this New York City product and also played about a dozen instruments, including flute, drums, slide, bass, and keys. Visit HYPERLINK "http://www.talentplace.net/rogermapes"www.talentplace.net/rogermapes for song lyrics.

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