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I got the blues and it's oh so good
by DALE ROBIN LOCKMAN

If I believed in economy of words, this column would simply read "go buy this record." But they don't pay me to just order you folks around, so I'll have to tell you a little more, I suppose.

Part 1: A few years ago, at the monthly Folk Club in Kennebunkport (last Friday of the month, 7:30 p.m. at Community House on Temple Street, by the way) I heard the amazing Mike Rogers, a resident of South Berwick, play blues harmonica like I've rarely heard it played. He has performed for many years in a folk group called the Salt River Trio with his wife Bev and guitarist Leona Hosack. Well, that night at Folk Club, it became immediately clear that we were being treated to a rare treat; truly virtuoso harmonica playing.

Our paths have crossed many times, and I have admired the work of the Trio, as well as Mike's work with Portsmouth songwriter John Perrault.

Part 2: A few years ago, at the monthly Folk Club in Kennebunkport (last Friday of the month, 7:30 p.m. at Community House on Temple Street, by the way) I heard the amazing Buddy Shute, a songwriter from Arkansas who showed up there just as mysteriously as he disappeared from there. He blew the room away with his original songs, and ended the night with a most thrilling version of "Zippadee Doo Dah." The mysterious Mr. Shute had the room rockin' that night.

Part 3: Imagine my surprise a few weeks ago. when Mike Rogers and his wife Bev arrived at a weekly Saturday morning mini-jam session with Kennebunk musician Don Wessels. Two harmonica virtuosi in one spot!

Mike gave me a copy of his new CD with his recent band, Roundhouse, It is marvelous. In addition to Mike, the line-up in Roundhouse includes Buddy Shute, and he is as good as I remember him.

When you say "blues," there are a lot of musical styles from which to choose... you may think of the electric, Chicago-style, driving, rock 'n roll tinged sound that fills many music clubs on weekend nights with decibels a-plenty. It's part blues, part rock, part country and it's infectious and people love it.

Some folks think of the exquisitely simple-sounding but deceivingly complex pre-war country blues, a la Mississippi John Hurt or Robert Johnson -achingly sweet guitar licks played on acoustic guitar, with rhythmic lyrics that are often mournful with a healthy laugh at life's troubles.

This CD that Mike handed me that Saturday morning is almost like a bridge between the R & B and acoustic blues, with plenty of connections to the other musical genres that influenced and were influenced by the blues.

With bits of rock n roll, classic swing jazz, country blues, folk, jump blues and R&B masterfully blended. Roundhouse put together a collection of original tunes that twist these disparate elements together with grace. The result is a great listening disc.

Roundhouse is: Mike Rogers on vocals and harmonica; Buddy Shute on guitar, piano and vocals; D.W. Graf on guitar and vocals; Joe Harding on bass (although a new bassist has joined the group in live performance); and Joe Rogers (Mike's son) on drums and back-up vocals.

The band first came together "as a father-son project," explained Mike Rogers. "Buddy Shute and I had been playing together - some acoustic, folkie type stuff. My son Joe used to play in bands a long time ago, but he sold his drums after he went to college and got his engineering degree. Joe had done some recording work for me - he has such a good ear. But he and I had never really worked together - although we've played in the same band at different times."

As it turned out, not long ago, Joe "got the itch" again and bought himself a drum kit and Mike and Joe began playing. They wanted to do something with the combination they had, and Mike thought that Buddy would add a lot to the sound. Then it all just fell together. "Everybody brought their own music to the thing," said Mike, "and it took off."

The elements of this recording that grabbed me first are the writing and composition, and the tightness of the playing. Rogers' tasteful and exquisite harmonica is the sparkle that makes this work stand out from other great new blues recordings.

All the songs but one are written by Shute or Rogers. Both are writers who capture the balance of musical faithfulness and lyrical innovation required to write a new song in an old genre.

The opening song on the disc is Shute's "Close That Window". In addition to some particularly sweet guitar and harmonica riffs (with Rogers' incredible train references), here's what you get:

Late last night through the open window
I heard the whistle of a southbound train
So far away and so lonely
And I swear it called my name

I can pack my bags and be gone in an hour
I know for sure 'cos I've done it before
But I get up and I close that window
I don't hear that whistle, Lord, no more

In Rogers' swing blues, "High Class Man." the harmonica and the guest horns vie for the lead and the listener has to pause to remember that this is a harmonica playing against the sax and trumpet. Brilliant!

Roundhouse will work on another CD this fall. They do much of the work themselves, so it does take some lime. Mike Rogers noted, I have heard at least one of Mike's new songs, and I can tell you it will be worth the wait.

Roundhouse has a Web site, www.roundhouseblues.com with CD info and performance schedule. They'll be playing at a gospel brunch on July 10 with Jim MacDougall and The Funky Divas of Gospel (for info, call (603) 692-2529). For a more informal setting, they'll be playing on Friday night June 10 at Spectators on Route 4 in Sanford. The self-titled CD is available at their shows, and at CD Baby.

Date Robin Lockman is a musician, booking agent, journalist, concert producer and mom. She can be reached a dalerobin@dalerobin.com.
 

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