Heritage Blues Orchestra - And Still I Rise

Published Thursday 30th June 2016
Heritage Blues Orchestra - And Still I Rise
Heritage Blues Orchestra - And Still I Rise

STYLE: Blues
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 146503-23991
LABEL: Raisin' Music
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

So far, NYC blues collective the Heritage Blues Orchestra has only released one album - surprisingly given the fact that its 2012 debut was a Grammy-nominated one that received almost universal acclaim from the blues world. Full of gutsy back porch performances that acknowledge the group's blues forefathers, main members Bill Sims Jr, Junior Mack and Bill's daughter Chaney cook up a feast of perhaps lesser known blues fare that includes covers of Son House's "Clarksdale Moan", Lead Belly's "Go Down Hannah" and the Muddy Waters stalwart "Catfish Blues" whilst a three part version of "Hard Times" with Miles Davis' "A Silent Way" sandwiched in between two contrasting takes on the same song is the piece de resistance. Stellar musicality abounds with some down home slide guitar from both men, an angular-sounding brass section and the combined power of Bill, Chaney and Junior's vocals ensuring that each song gets the treatment it deserves whilst maintaining a spontaneity that keeps proceedings fresh. A smattering of gospel blues numbers are thrown in for good measure with a matchless version of "Get Right Church" and the high octane gospel of "In The Morning" keeping Eric Bibb's "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down" (with the "I might preach some gospel/I believe that it's true" surgically removed) in good company. Like many of the blues masters of yesteryear, spiritual content sits next to carnal blues in the likes of "Big Legged Woman" and Nina Simone's "C-Line Woman" which, despite both camps being expertly represented, may be seen as a move to cover as wide a blues landscape as possible as opposed to anything that seeks to honour God. Nonetheless, a great album that deserves its long overdue follow up.

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