Twice a year, the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise takes off from ports in California and Florida, the boat packed to the rafters with rabid blues and roots-music fans eager to rub shoulders with some of their favorite musicians.
Blues guitarist Elvin Bishop has been on board for the last few of these cruises, bringing with him a rowdy bunch of talented friends. While the cruise's late-night jam sessions are rapidly becoming the stuff of legend, the regular, early-evening shows are nothing to sneeze at either, as evidenced by the Elvin Bishop's Raisin' Hell Revue's performance captured on Live On The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise.
Elvin Bishop's Raisin' Hell Revue
Live On The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise kicks off with the playful "Callin' All Cows," a spry rocker with a bluesy undercurrent and enough zydeco rhythms to lively up the performance. With gang vocals by Bishop, pianist Steve Willis, and others, and featuring greasy slide guitar from both Bishop and Bob Welsh – as well as a scorching solo by Chris "Kid" Andersen – it's a great way to get the party started. The great blues singer Finis Tasby takes the vocals on "Whole Lotta Lovin'," backed by Bishop and Andersen on guitar. Tasby's old school charms and the band's Chicago blues-styled soundtrack make for a lively performance, with stinging guitar solos displaying the talents of both guitarists.
Singer John Nemeth takes the lead for Bishop's classic "Fooled Around And Fell In Love," imbuing the Southern rock ballad with a measure of Memphis soul as Bishop delivers beautiful, weeping guitarplay. Nemeth's rich, soulful vocals redefine the song while Bishop's imaginative solos and Steve Willis's nuanced keyboards put an exclamation mark on the performance. Bishop takes the mic for "What The Hell Is Going On," his twangy, rough-hewn vocals bolstered by rattletrap guitar from himself and Andersen, the song's rhythmic meter and guitar sound a cross between the rollicking Southern rock of Bishop's youth and Mississippi's Hill Country blues sound.
The Night Time Is The Right Time
On the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, late-night is when various assorted artists get together and jam, and the results can be somewhat exciting and unexpected. The Raisin' Hell Revue's cover of the Nappy Brown R&B classic "The Night Time Is The Right Time" is one such moment, the song a spirited duet between Nemeth and Lisa Leu Andersen accented by Bishop's bluesy stringplay and saxophonist Terry Hanck's soulful blasts. Tasby takes front and center again for "Down In Virginia," his excellent vocals complimented by Nemeth's powerful harp solos and Bishop's immense slide-guitar licks.
The underrated Terry Hanck takes center stage for the 1950s-styled "Cryin' Fool," the song a spirited mix of early rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues that displays a timeless spirit. Hanck's vocals are gruff but effective, Bishop's textured solos evoking the period while providing valuable support alongside Hanck's monster tenor sax work. The rollicking "Tore Up Over You" is the perfect showcase for Nemeth's vocal skills, the singer hitting the notes like Little Richard and providing the song with plenty of color as Hanck's sax swings in the background alongside Willis's energetic honky-tonk piano-pounding. The band winds down with the sleepy "Bye Bye Baby," Nemeth's soulful vox slung low in the mix as Willis's spirited piano tinkles away in the background.
The Reverend's Bottom Line
Fans of Elvin Bishop's last couple of efforts – 2008's The Blues Rolls On and 2010's Red Dog Speaks – will find a lot to like on Live On The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. With a little help from friends like John Nemeth, Finis Tasby, Kid Andersen, Terry Hanck, and others, Elvin Bishop and his Raisin' Hell Revue hosted one heck of a party on the big boat. This album is for those of us who were unable to take the cruise with them. (Delta Groove Music, released May 17, 2011)
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