Little Mike & The
Tornadoes"Forgive
Me"
ELROB RecordsBy Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro © October 2013
ELROB RecordsBy Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro © October 2013
Being one who prefers to be impressed by what I hear
versus what I read, I usually don't pay much attention to band bios or resumes.
Especially the part that says "shared the stage with"....the sound guy can say
that. However, every once in a while I will read one that does get me to say
"Whoa!" And Little Mike's did just that.
Going as far back as 35 years ago, at a mere 22 years
old (which by blues standards is ridiculously young) Little Mike & The
Tornadoes were the go to band for touring artists performing in New York. The
guys have backed up the likes of Walter Horton, Otis Rush, Bo Diddley, Lightning
Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton and eventually became the touring band for Pinetop
Perkins, Hubert Sumlin and Jimmy Rogers. That's what I'm talking
about.
Having taken a hiatus in order to properly raise his
family, Little Mike's ready to once again make some noise
and "Forgive Me" is some of his best noise yet.
It features eleven tracks of all original music. On the CD "Little Mike"
Markowitz on vocals and harmonica is joined by: Troy Nahumko and Warren King on
guitar; Cam Robb on drums; Chris Brzezicki on bass; Jim McKaba on piano and
organ; Sonny Rhodes on lap steel guitar; Ace Moreland on background vocals; and
a smokin' unnamed horn section.
I really enjoy it when the opening track of a CD is an
instrumental. Personally, I see it as the perfect way to introduce the band to
the listener, and at just under seven minutes, "Opelousas
Rain" was a heck of an introduction. The spotlight got passed
around quite smoothly and each musician presented themselves with crystal clear
highlights. Nice work.
The pulse responsible for the tight groove
on "Wait A Minute Baby" is led by Jim on the
organ and some spectacular horn blowin'. Some fancy guitar leads by Troy, a
scorching harp lead and smooth vocals by Little Mike all make this one another
of the discs best.
There's nothing I like better than hearing a good
singer performing a slow heartfelt ballad and Little Mike nails it
on "Nothin' I Wouldn't Do". This one's easily his best of
many very good vocal performances. Musically, the band behind him is equally
perfect on the song - soft rhythm, steady background horns with an occasional
slightly higher tone and a slow, very soft and quite bluesy harp and guitar
lead. This one's the disc's replay special.
More of Little Mike's best singing can be heard on a
slow shuffle title "You Don't Love Me". This is traditional
blues vocals at their best. Also at his best is Troy during one hell of a minute
and a half guitar lead. With more great rhythm, interjected with piano and horn
leads, and it all adds up to another great track.
Mike's sounding quite lonely as he sullenly asks "has
anyone here seen 'My Little Therese"'? The pain he's feeling
from missing her is not only evident in his melancholy vocals but it's clearly
heard through his crying harp as well. This one's about as low and slow as it
can go. At five minutes into the track Jim puts on a virtual three minute piano
lesson ranging from the very deep left hand bass tones to the very high piercing
notes of the right hand pinkie, with all kinds of fancy finger work in between.
Backed by a soothing rhythm, Mike and Jim excel on this one. Eleven and a half
minutes of pure listening pleasure.
The CD closes with a track
called "Traveling Blues" and if you happen to
be listening while driving your car, you just might find yourself traveling a
little too fast. This one rocks. Cam and Chris are setting the frantic pace on
rhythm and Little Mike's in hot pursuit on harp. Jim's piano leads are fierce
and Troy's guitar leads are fiercer. Excellent vocals by the Little Mike rounds
out the disc's hottest track.
Over the weekend I had the great pleasure of catching
Little Mike & The Tornadoes put on a downright ass kicking show during which
he mentioned there's a new CD forthcoming. Here I am just finishing work on this
one and I'm already excited about hearing the new one.
For more information on this one, that one and
all his other CDs, check Mike out at www.littlemikeandthetornadoes.com. And although you already know this, please tell him his friend the
Blewzzman sent you.
Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com
2011 Keeping The Blues Alive Award Recipient
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