Travis 'Moonchild' Haddix - Mean Ole Yesterday

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2007
Time:38:14 
Size:88,2 MB 
Label:Earwig Music 
Styles:Blues/Electric Blues/Chicago Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Never Make Your Move Too Soon - 3:47
 2. Big Leg Woman - 2:40
 3. Turn Back the Hands of Time - 3:05
 4. Rock House - 4:27
 5. Mean Ole Yesterday - 5:23
 6. Dick for Dinner - 3:43
 7. Open Book - 5:09
 8. Summer Santa Claus - 2:19
 9. Sugar in My Tank - 3:58
10. O-H-I-O or Oh-Ten - 3:38

Blues guitarist Travis Haddix was born on November 26, 1938. A native of Walnut, MS, Haddix was inspired in his early years by B.B. King's broadcasts on WDIA out of Memphis. In Cleveland, OH, where he has lived since 1959, Haddix developed into a fine modern bluesman and songwriter with an original and soulful touch. While he had been developing his chops in front of rowdy audiences at juke joints and blues festivals throughout the '70s, he didn't begin his recording career in earnest until he signed with the Ichiban label in 1988. His stylish and poppy albums Wrong Side Out (1988), Winners Never Quit (1991), and What I Know Right Now (1992), were, incredibly, released while Haddix continued his job as a postal worker in Ohio. As his popularity continued to grow, he began traveling to Europe several times a year and won numerous blues awards in both Europe and the States. Haddix resumed recording in 1994 with Big Ole Goodun' and also began to develop his interest in other areas of the entertainment business including the formation of his own publishing company and his own record label Wann-Sonn Records. In 2002, Haddix even became an author, releasing Caught in the Middle, a book of his musical memoirs. A quote Travis Haddix uses to close out many of his performances sums up his positive philosophical attitude: "I am the best that I can be, and since no one else can be me, there's none better." ~ Jim O'Neal & Al Campbell.
Either Travis "Moonchild" Haddix is the Rodney Dangerfield ("I get no respect") of the Blues or our hero just doesn't care about the mainstream circuit. The year is 2007 and Haddix has independently released another strong set of Chicago-styled Blues and R & B that's worthy of wide consumption. Unlike his usual all original sets "Mean Ole Yesterday" splits the hoof with 4 covers and six new cuts.
A relatively poor mix lessens the opener, "Never Make A Move Too Soon", with the vocals somewhat buried, but that's the only misstep here. Covers of "Rock House" & "Big Leg Woman" sizzle with grit and Haddix' band hits a mighty Soul groove on "Turn Back The Hands Of Time". David Ruffin on saxophone, Jeff Hager on trumpet, Greg Nicholson on bass, Gil Zachery on keys and drummer Jeremy Sullivan have been with Cleveland's own Haddix for years and seem to get tighter with each release. In the past Wann Sonn Records releases have lacked bottom but the rhythm section is equalized just fine on this album. Of the the additions to Haddix' canon comes the funky "Dick For Dinner" with prankster lyrics like "I'm having Dick for dinner/That's what my woman says to me/"While I'm having Dick for dinner I don't want your company"...I got a message from my baby it sounded awful crazy sounded awful mean/She said "I'm having male company"/I got bent out of sort!/"His real name is Richard/We call him Dick for short"". Phew. What a relief. Both the title cut and "Open Book" are smoky up-from-the-bottom slow Blues burners with Haddix squeezing blood out his Gibson while the funny "Sugar In My Tank" continues his penchant for self-deprecating humor. "I was wearing my bell bottom pants/My wingtip shoes/Guitar in my hand/Playing the Hell out the Blues/A woman walked up to the stage and whispered something to the band/She said: "I don't know about you but something wrong with that man...he's got a peach in his pocket and got some sugar in his tank!". Naw Travis, the Creator threw a match in your tank my brutha!

Mean Ole Yesterday