The Chicago Kingsnakes - Blues Island

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:1998
Time:40:02 
Size:92,9 MB 
Label:MusicKing Records 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Mr. Telecaster - 3:42
 2. Abandoned In Hammond - 5:11
 3. Black T-Bird - 4:00
 4. Ride On - 4:03
 5. Get Out Of Memphis - 3:27
 6. Blues Island - 5:38
 7. All Dressed Up - 2:44
 8. All Pain No Gain - 3:23
 9. Green Means Go - 3:02
10. One Turns Into Two - 4:48

The Chicago Kingsnakes were formed in 1983 by guitarist / vocalist James Anderson. He started playing guitar at the age of 8 on a homemade instrument crafted from a cigar box, rubber bands and thumb tacks. A lifelong resident of Chicago, he received his musical education on the city's infamous south side, where he played with the likes of guitar greats Buddy Guy, Lefty Dizz and Son Seals, harmonica legends James Cotton and Junior Wells and the Queen of The Blues, Koko Taylor. James has toured the nation with Sun, Chess, Bobbin, Stax and Malaco recording artist Little Milton. Anderson also played guitar with Johnny Twist's Rocka-Boogie Blues Band touring the midwest for three years. In 1992 The Kingsnakes befriended Byther Smith. The band has become 'Smitty's' road band and has accompanied him on tours of the United States, Finland, The Netherlands and Canada. In addition they played on Byther's 'I'm A Mad Man' CD on the Bullseye record label. On June 5th 1994 Byther Smith andThe Kingsnakes performed on the Main Stage of the 11th Annual Chicago Bluesfest in Grant Park. This friendship is sustained by occasional tours with Byther. The other musicians in the band have worked with such blues notables as Albert Collins, Freddie King, Lonnie Brooks, Otis Clay, James Cotton, Magic Slim, Cash McCall, and Big Twist & The Mellow Fellows, just to name a few. In 1998 The Kingsnakes released a CD of original material entitled 'Blues Island' . The disk was very well recieved by the press. Blues Revue, a national blues magazine, called Blues Island 'Essential'. Chicagoland's The Beat, said 'Blues Island magnificently captures the live feel and heart of blues in a studio setting'. The Kingsnakes are poised to carry the blues torch into the 21st century by staying true to the music's traditions as well as writing new material to reflect the blues of today and tomorrow.
Fan's of no-nonsense urban blues will want to check out Blues Island (MusicKing 60653), The solo album from Byther Smith's sometime road and recording group The Chicago Kingsnakes.The first strains of guitar on this CD put me right into my favorite blues haunt where my imagination added clinking glasses, cigarette smoke, and the muffled sound of people milling about Blues Island magnficently captures the live feel and heart of blues in a studio setting - a feat I rarely hear. Too much polish can sometimes kill the energy that is the essence of the blues to me. You won't find "predictable" here. Throughout this whole release, The Kingsnakes let their hair down without getting sloppy or self-indugent with the solo stuff.On "Abandoned in Hammond" I'd imagine Tom Waits if he's gone blues. On some cuts, I'd hear a bit of early ZZ Top, but I'm stretching. There's quite a wide range of influences, yet Blues Island is uniquely Kingsnakes throughout.Bonuses are special guest Byther Smith's guitar work, and some wonderful Hammond B-3 sound contributed by guest Jeff "Wally: Walroth. The guitar all over the CD is excellent - not overbearing or showy, but letting James Anderson's down home vocals shine through.A little sax, a little slide, great vocals, lots of soul - how can this miss? The whole CD is top notch.

Blues Island
Blues Island