Label: Katastic
Blues
I¹ll keep sayin´ it until people get it; Texas is Blues central. Not Chicago, not Memphis or New Orleans. Mind you, I¹m sure there¹s some great down-home authentic Blues being played in a few out-of-the-way underground clubs and joints that never get recorded but of the 100 CDs to come from Texas in the last two years 99 have been killer. That¹s a pretty incredible batting average. And, while California occasionally releases a disc that measures up (James Harman, Catfish & The Crawdaddies, Frank Goldwasser, Craig Horton...) most of the rest of contemporary Blues CDs don¹t measure up to Texas intensity, talent and testosterone. Roadhouse boogie is not for sissies, rich kids or intellectuals. It¹s the soundtrack for dancin¹, fightin¹ and fu...k..n¹, plain and simple. It ain¹t politically correct, thank God and in an era of pretenders and poseurs it¹s performed by artists who get gigs without the help of million-dollar promo departments and media campaigning. This is real music in a time of bullshit and hype. That¹s why I love Texas Blues.
Dave Nevling is one of the two top Texas harp players on the contemporary scene (that we¹ve heard) the other being the down-home styled Walter T Higgs. Dave is more a modern, swinging Little Walter-influenced type player who is totally at ease swinging through a classic jazz instrumental a la Big Walter Horton or laying down a Texas/West Coast shuffle. Leading a scary band of Matt Johnson (the next big Guitar slinger out of Texas) on lead guitar and trumpet (1 track), Jeff Parmenter (bass and backing vocals), Bob Armour (drums -awesome shuffles) and Joel Barr (keyboards). Nevling gives us hardcore, exquisite blues and man, this guy could teach all those windbags out there about melody and restraint. He plays that harp the way Calvin Owens blows trumpet; singing with his instrument. I very seldom hear harp players these days who have both tone and taste. Nevling is heads and shoulders above the current crop of harp players and easily among the Top 5 worldwide. Dig this, not only can the man play so sweetly, he¹s also an awesome singer and I mean this man has got chops! Add to that talent the fact that the man has written every single one of the tremendous tunes on this disc. Who else can do all that? Maybe one or two guys at best. I would have to say that Dave Nevling is the greatest harmonica talent to emerge in the Blues in the last decade.
I dare ya to try and play each song just once. How often does it happen that it takes you three hours to listen to a CD from start to finish? From Above is a rollicking opener with fine rhythm guitar from Johnson and a super cool vocal delivery on top of great drumming from Armour (sounds like Francis Clay in 1961 - just a swingin¹) , heavy harp throughout, too. Great way to start. Feast Or Famine has Shag/Beach Music Hit Record written all over it, so I¹d suggest Mr.Nevling get some CDs down to Myrtle Beach deejays right away. What a harp tone! And every note counts. A funky-assed Southern dance floor ditty if I ever heard one. Nightshade is a 7 minute spooky, jazzy number with plenty of atmosphere guitar from Johnson (God, this guy¹s good!) and solos from Nevling that you¹ll catch yourself replaying (if you love harp at all). Anna¹s Souffle is a fast instrumental that swingers will love.(I must say the tandem of Armour and Parmenter is one of the greatest rhythm sections I¹ve heard in the last 20 years. They¹re very close to Myers and Below at their best). There¹s a guitar matching harp solo that has to be heard to be believed. Fine Lines is another dance floor hit in which I can actually picture people grabbing partners and pullin¹ them to the dance floor. However, the grindin¹, bumpin¹I Don¹t Need Much is the piece de la resistance with a groove that gets ya and extraordinary Big Walter-ish harp on top of dirty guitar. Oh yeah. Don¹t get any better. Be My Baby has nice latino rhythm and I realize with this tune that Nevling sounds very much (vocally) like the old Peter Green which is a compliment. Insatiable is a minor-key masterpiece about a woman who can¹t/won¹t stop spreadin¹ it around. Copasetic was the one missing piece - chromatic harp on top of a Jimmy Smith-style organ workout. Wow! And, Without A Warning is a country-styled blues with nice slide from Matt Johnson.
Well, all I can say folks is that this CD deserves awards (besides our own) and Dave Nevling has delivered a Texas Blues and Harmonica Blues masterpiece that every fan of modern blues has to hear. It¹s easily among the Top 10 Modern Blues albums of the last ten years and if this falls into the Shaggers hands (and it will) down in The Carolinas, Nevling will find himself having to spend a good bit of time playing in Myrtle Beach, NC. 6 bottles for an exceptional disc that sets standards in feeling and pure talent.
By A. Grigg.
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01. From Above (6:49)
02. Feast Or Famine (3:48)
03. Nightshade (6:55)
04. Anna's Souffle (4:04)
06. I Don't Need Much Love (4:55)
07. Be My Baby (4:52)
08. Jury's Out (4:05)
09. Insatiable (7:02)
10. Copasetic (3:18)
11. Without a Warning (7:17
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