Luxury Experience - Big Joe and the Dynaflows - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down

Big Joe and the Dynaflow - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down

Big Joe Maher and The Dynaflows are back at it again with their latest release Big Joe and the Dynaflows - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down, which combines blues, jazz, Chicago blues, a bit of New Orleans, Texas blues, and more on this animated release that sings about neighbors, cousins, troubles, love, and survival.

Big Joe and the Dynaflows - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down: You Can't Keep a Big Man Down; Bad Case of Love; Evangeline; Property Line; Whatcha Gonna Do?; Someday; Confessin' The Blues; Face The Facts; Supercharger; Nothin' But Trouble; I'm To Blame; What the Hell Were You Thinkin'?

Personnel: Big Joe Maher: Drums, Vocals; Kevin McKendree: Piano, Organ; Bill Campbell: Bass; Rob McNelley: Guitar; Dennis Taylor: Saxophone

Big Joe and the Dynaflows - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down was produced by Big Joe Maher and Kevin McKendree, and released on the Severn Record label. Big Joe may not be a household name, but with the release of Big Joe and the Dynaflows - You Can't Keep a Big Man Down that should be changing, at least for the music lover of blues, jazz, Chicago blues, the New Orleans sound, Kansas City jump, or Texas blues; he does it all, and he does it with style. This marks Big Joe's third release on Severn Records, Inc. and follows his 1998 release I'm Still Swingin', and the 2000 release All Night Long.

The release opens with the title track You Can't Keep a Big Man Down, written by Big Joe, which was influenced from a severe fall that he took in 2001 that almost took this blues treasure permanently away. But, he recovered with a fire that is heard in his drumming and in his powerful and passionate vocals. Drawing on the soul of Chicago blues, the song lets you know that you are in for a rip-roaring release, so let your inhibitions go. The release follows with the cover of B. B. King's Bad Case of Love, and with Big Joe's Texas blues arrangement, you have a rollicking rendition.

Evangeline holds a special place in Joe's portfolio of songs as he wrote the New Orleans influenced track for his cousin's daughter; the song has a scintillating swing beat that will keep your attention. Property Line is another Big Joe track with a definite blues beat as he tells the story of neighborly interaction that goes beyond being friendly, "Cause if you cross that line my friend, that's going to be your behind."

The track Whatcha Gonna Do? (Billy Wright) is jump blues at its best and the band grabs a hold of the song with their vibrant arrangement. Someday (Johnny Green) slows it down, and through Big Joe's deep and reverent vocals, coupled with the blues, he casts the emotions of despair and loneliness; a touching and heartbreaking track. The track Confessin' The Blues (Jay McShann) is a perfect fit for Big Joe's vocal prowess, and along with his drumming, this song has vibrato, a swagger, and a lot of Kansas City jump. Face the Facts is all about Big Joe and the band as they get down and dirty with this blues track that has Joe singing "Face the facts, yeah brother you gotta face the facts, you gotta face the facts brother, you got to get up and go." The track Supercharger gets things rocking with a supercharged track that is led by Big Joe's bigger than life drumming, and the pulsating guitar work of Rob McNelley. Nothin' But Trouble is a track about "... trouble, I see nothing but trouble, trouble and me. I see so much heartache and trouble, how much more can there be," it is the blues at its best with a bit of arrogance tossed in.

The release also includes the cover I'm to Blame (Jimmy McCraklin), a rousing arrangement where Big Joe and the band let it loose, and the track What the Hell Were You Thinkin'? (Delbert McClinton, Kevin McKendree, and Tom Hambridge), a lively hopping beat lead by the keyboard work of Kevin McKendree.