The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold: Coal Man, I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water, You Give Me Nothing To Go On, 99 Lbs., A Mother’s Prayer, St. James Infirmary, Don’t Set Me Free, What’s On The Menu Mama, Worried Dream, Nadine (Is It You?), Work Song, Dance For Me Baby, Ain’t That Just Like A Woman, Keep On Rubbing
The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold Personnel: Billy Boy Arnold – vocals and harmonica, Duke Robillard – guitars and background vocals, Bruce Bears – piano and Hammond organ, Brad Hallen – acoustic and electric bass, Mark Teixeira – drums, background vocals, Rich Lataille – alto and tenor sax, Mark Earley – tenor and baritone sax, Doug Woolverton – trumpet, Anita Suhanin – background vocals, and Jack Gauthier – background vocals
The Blues Soul of Billy Boy Arnold was produced by Duke Robillard and Executive Producer Billy Boy Arnold and released by Stony Plains Records, the Canadian Roots, Rock, Country, Folk and Blues label.
Producer Duke Robillard writes on the liner notes, "Billy Boy Arnold’s talent as a songwriter, singer, harp master, and blues historian is still in full swing and here, on this album, he demonstrates his flair and love for many different facets of the blues. This recording is surely a remarkable achievement;" I readily agree.
Chicago harmonica master Billy Boy Arnold was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013, and this release is a testament to his outstanding ability to craft the best of the blues beginning with the opening track, Coal Man, written by Mark Rice, then shifts into swing blues with the Eddie Miller song, I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water with Bruce Bears laying down some impressive piano work, and is so catchy that I dare you to try to keep your feet still on this one.
Next in the line-up is the funky blues Ted Taylor song, You Give Me Nothing To Go On with Mark Teixeira setting the pace on drums, followed by the Donald Bryant song, 99 Lbs. with its lyrics , "99 pounds of natural born goodness, 99 pounds of soul…"
Billy Boy Arnold takes the blues deeper and slower on the Joe Tex song, A Mother’s Prayer with the lyrics, "I tell my children something and they talk back…" and then segues into the traditional song, St. James Infirmary, which Billy Boy arranged and adapted to make this own.
Don’t Set Me Free, the A. Jones and F. James song, will have you back on your feet dancing with your baby as the impressive horns blaze away, and Billy Boy shows his songwriting prowess on the sultry and sexy blues song, What’s On The Menu Mama.
Worried Dream, written by Riley (B.B. King) is another slow and sexy number, with Duke Robillard showing his talent on the guitar. Nadine (Is It You?) the Chuck Berry song picks up the pace with Chuck’s signature style.
Billy Boy’s harmonica and Mark Teixeira’s drums open the Oscar Brown, Jr. and Nathanial Adderley song, Work Song, and with Billy Boy’s vocals and its stunning instrumentals, may be one of my favorites on the release, then segues into the lively Billy Boy Arnold song, Dance For Me Baby, followed by the swing blues song written by F. Moore and C. Demitrius, Ain’t That Just Like A Woman. The Billy Arnold song, Keep On Rubbing, closes out the release, one that is pure blues pleasure from the opening track until the final note.
For information on Billy Boy Arnold, please visit the website: www.StonyPlainsRecords.com.
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