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Blues Underground Network |
Steve Howell "Since I Saw You Last"
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They say treasure if often buried and I certainly agree after I dug through a few overly neglected CD's that I have put off reviewing far to long and came up with a real gem, namely, Steve Howell's "Since I Saw You Last". For over 40 years Steve Howell has weaved his magic thru the American Roots & Blues scene and in doing so he has garnered wide praise for how he has understood and interpreted that music. Steve Howell has chosen to fly under the radar when it comes to the music he plays, playing music that is of more importance to it's history than how commercially successful it might have been and in doing so it offers all of us listeners a more genuine look at truly great American Roots & Blues. "Since I Saw You Last" is Howell's third Album and as the last 2 he continues to not only to thrill us with his extraordinary guitar picking style, which he started to learn at the ripe old age of 13, but also, in his own special way, offers us a history lesson of what really good American Roots & Blues sounds like. "Since I Saw You Last" consists of 12 Tracks, all of which are covers and are perhaps the best mix of Roots & Blues that I have ever heard on an Album. From his opening Track, "Downtown Blues" (Frank Stokes) to "Red Cadillac & A Black Moustache" (L. May and R.B. Thompson) a song which was originally recorded by Warren Smith in 1957, for Sun Records and from "Farmer John" (Don Harris and Dewey Terry) to the gentle and quiet final Track, "Ready For The River" (Gus Kahn and Neil Morat) a song which has meant so much to him that Steve Howell has been playing it for over 30 years, he brings us all into his magically musical world and offers us 12 of the finest songs that we would have no problem at all putting our humdrum world on hold for, to give a listen or 2 or 3. Beyond Steve Howell's magic on "Since I Saw You Last", their is of course a unbelievably good lineup of musicians that accompany him. Some of which he has had the good fortune of them also playing with him on his 2 other previous releases, "My Mind Gets To Ramblin'" and "Out Of The Past", albums that you also must put on your "to listen to list". Musical Credits for this Album are, Steve Howell (Acoustic, Electric, and Bottleneck Guitar) Joe Osborn (Bass and 12 String Guitar), Arnie Cottrell (Acoustic and Bottleneck Guitar, Mandolin and Vocals) Darren Osborn (Drums and Percussions), Chris Michaels (Electric Guitar and Bass), Dave Hoffpauir (Drums and Vocals), Brian Basco (Keyboards). Any doubt's at to whether or not Steve Howell has picked the best Artists he could for "Since I Saw You Last", can be quickly put to rest simply by putting their names in google. When listening to Steve Howell, I get the sense that there is a gentle humbleness that not only guides him thru his music, but also thru his life and in essence he is much more concerned about what he has to offer than with all the accolades that follow. Before Johnny Cash passed, he gave a list to his daughter of 100 Essential Country Songs, and I kind of feel that Steve Howell is doing the same for us by offering us a chance to listen to really great and essential American Roots & Blues. "Since I Saw You Last" as with his previous Albums, was really a marvelous listening experience. It is the type of Album that will warm you inside and let you know that there are those amongst us that truly have our love for good music at heart. I highly recommend "Since I Saw You Last" and all his previous releases. Those are Albums that are really a must have for anyones music library. Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) Other Info & Reviews Album Notes It would seem superfluous to mention at this late date that the great strength and vitality of indigenous American music stems from its remarkable “melting pot” of influences. European, African, Northern, Southern, Anglo, black, white and brown, urban and rural. Equally remarkable is the number of contemporary recording artists who choose to work far outside the current commercial system and draw upon this vast treasure trove of music. Singer/guitarist Steve Howell has been honing his craft for well over forty years as one of the finest interpreters of the American roots music songbook, and his dedication to and deep understanding of the music becomes more evident with each release. Since I Last Saw You is the latest and best testament yet of his exceptional talent. Howell was born on October 24, 1952 in Marshall, Texas, in the culturally historic eastern part of the Lone Star State. As a lad he strummed folk songs, but hearing Mississippi John Hurt at 13 turned him around towards becoming a master blues fingerpicker. A move with his family to Shreveport, Louisiana when he was 17 would expose him to the rhythmic dexterity found in the region and a tour of duty in the Navy beginning in 1973 would take him to South Wales where he played regularly with British guitarist and mandolinist Arnie Cottrell. When he returned home to Shreveport he rambled on the local scene in the late 1970s and 80s in a succession of blues and rock bands, as well as the duo Howell & Caskey that has opened for a variety of national acts including Country Joe and the Fish, Anson Funderburg and Bugs Henderson and shared the stage with Brownie McGee. The 90s and into the new millennium found him gigging in northwest Louisiana, northeast Texas and a bit in Little Rock, Arkansas. Howell struck out on his own in 2006 with the appropriately-titled Out of the Past featuring country blues and traditional prewar jazz, followed by the equally evocative My Mind Gets to Ramblin’ in 2008 containing even more lowdown country blues classics. Both records were hailed for their authenticity, easygoing expressiveness and instrumental excellence. It was during this period that Howell first met in Shreveport Sandbox Recording Studio owner and drummer Darren Osborn and his bassist father Joe. The resulting ongoing relationship involving co-production and backup continues with the new release. Stretching his chops, Howell was executive producer and sang for Buddy Flett on Mississippi Sea in 2007. Since I Saw You Last presents Howell in his most eclectic mood with 12 tracks that include country blues, rockabilly, folk and R&B with a mostly acoustic bent. “Downtown Blues” is old time, good time Memphis blues by the legendary Frank Stokes that spotlights a great ensemble groove. “Acadian Lullaby” is likewise the kind of timeless “Americana” that could have come from the Band, but was actually penned by Howell’s friend Jim Mize. Warren Smith, one of Sun Record’s most talented singers and most under appreciated artists, originally cut “Red Cadillac & a Black Moustache” that Howell turns into a wistful lament containing a tasty, twangy, electric guitar solo by Chris Michaels. “Farmer John,” by the rock and R&B duo Don and Dewey, is one of the highlights of the set. Rocking with attitude, sexy slide guitar from Cottrell and a suitably raunchy lead guitar break from Michaels, it is also one of his best and most insouciant vocals. On a roll, Howell turns Texas songster Mance Lipscomb’s “Charley James” into a magical, mystical, hypnotic meditation on loss and survival. The portent line, “Since I Saw You Last,” appears in the lyric and inspired the CD title. “I Won’t Cry” from the acclaimed singer Johnny Adams catalog has classic chord changes that meet at the intersection of R&B and doo wop, also allows Howell to croon with deep emotion. The traditional country blues of “Wild About My Lovin’” has a melody that sounds like it may have influenced Johnny Cash on “Folsom Prison” as Howell takes it at a chugging pace and embroiders it with delicate fingerstyle and with Cottrell’s slide guitar while maintaining a respectful nod to the jug band version by the Kweskin outfit. “Since I Fell for You” is an early classic of R&B from the pioneers Buddy and Ella Johnson. Howell performs it masterfully on solo guitar complemented by the Osborn rhythm section, letting the gorgeous melody and unabashedly romantic lyric shine through. The blues come in for another good shaking out in the next two selections. “Easy Rider Blues” from the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson, like “Wild About My Lovin’,” is so damned authentic that it sounds like it could have been performed on a street corner in the deep South during the Depression. Deceptively light and jaunty, it provides an excellent counterpoint to the John Lee Hooker classic “Crawlin’ King Snake” that follows with a dark and menacing vibe that Howell sings and plays with obvious relish. “Picking” on a modern master, Howell next does justice to Taj Mahal’s “Little Red Hen,” a playful acknowledgement of the Willie Dixon classic “Little Red Rooster” that contains a brief, understated electric guitar solos by Howell and Michaels. Closing the set is Gus Kahn’s “Ready for the River” from the 1920s that shows equal parts vaudeville and blues influences. Fittingly, it is a delicate acoustic solo that sends the listener off into the night warm and satisfied. Howell has noted that his mother always taught him that, “You shall be known by the company you keep” and his fellow musicians do him proud. The crackerjack combo of Joe Osborn (bass, 12-string guitar), Darren Osborn (drums, percussion and keyboards,), Chris Michaels (electric guitar and bass), Dave Hoffpauir (drums and vocals) and Brian Basco (keyboard strings) are joined by Arnie Cottrell (acoustic and slide guitars, mandolin, vocals) in perfect symbiosis with Howell. And, taking the sentiment a step further, fans shall be known by the artists they favor. Close acquaintance with the music of Steve Howell will only shed enlightenment and joy.
CD review
Above Info And Reviews Courtesy Of CDBaby 1. Downtown Blues 3:00 Listen To Samples Here About Steve Howell When Steve Howell first heard Mississippi John Hurt's happy style of finger picking country blues in 1965 at the age of thirteen, he immediately knew that the tame, folky style of strumming the guitar was a thing of the past for him. This revelation opened the door to a new musical universe for him. As his journey progressed, Mississippi John Hurt begat Blind Willie McTell and Leadbelly. They in turn begat Robert Johnson, Son House, Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Blake and a host of other black acoustic guitar players and vocalists. His interest in rural, folk-blues styles and the history of the music led him to learn more about how this music came to town and melded with the horn-oriented bands prevalent in the cities, creating a strong affinity for him with the traditional jazz and New Orleans music of the first half of the twentieth century. This led to a journey through music which, of course, included the pop, country, rock and blues music of the times, as well as the music of Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Lester Young, Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Chet Atkins, Johnny Smith, Wes Montgomery, Bucky Pizzarelli, Joe Pass, George Van Eps, Lenny Breau, and many other great jazz artists. Although very interested in many other music styles (bebop, rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues, and others), the heart of his playing and singing is very much rooted in the rural acoustic blues and traditional jazz genres born in the American South. Born in Marshall, Texas, Steve lived in Kilgore, Texas, until the age of seventeen, when his family moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. Upon Steve's graduation from Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, he lived in Dallas, Arlington, Austin, and spent some time in Pennsylvania during 1972-1973. Late 1973 brought the beginning of a hitch in the U.S. Navy which took him to Key West, Florida, and then to Havorfordwest, South Wales, for 3 1/2 years. During this time, he played folk clubs in South Wales, as well as in the South of England with his partner, fingerstyle and slide guitarist and mandolinist, Arnie Cottrell. They also played several folk music gatherings including the Pembroke Castle Folk Festival in the spring of 1976. Upon his return to the United States in 1977 and his return to Shreveport, Louisiana, he attended Louisiana State University in Shreveport and graduated in 1980 with a degree in Communications. During this time he played on the Shreveport club scene through the late seventies and the eighties, with numerous gigs around East Texas, initially as a duo with guitarist David Dodson in 1977 and then with his partner, Shreveport restauranteur Jim Caskey, beginning in 1978. Steve and Jim have been regular performers at Shreveport's Red River Revel Arts Festival, having played the festival every year, except three, since its inception. Their duo, Howell & Caskey, has opened for Country Joe and the Fish, Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets, Bugs Henderson, Ponty Bone and the Squeezetones, and shared the stage with blues legend Brownie McGee. They have also played together in rock 'n' roll and blues bands over the years, most notably The Deadbeats and The Movers, with musicians from the Shreveport and the Ark-La-Tex area such as Dave Hoffpauir, Mark Roberts, Chris Michaels, Steve Ramey, and Randy Guynes. They also played traditional jazz and blues as a trio with Kathryn Hobgood singing and playing mandolin for about two years. Steve currently lives in Marshall, Texas, with Leigh, his wife of 32 years, and their sons, Sam and Ben. He is an independent oil and gas producer with business interests in fuel sales and in the abstract and title industries. He has served on the Cypress Valley HUD Corporation Board, the Marshall Regional Arts Council, the Central East Texas Fair Board, and other civic boards. He is also past chairman and a current board member of the Red River Radio (NPR) - KDAQ Advisory Board, serves on the Building Committee and chaired the Five-Year Plan Subcommittee for KDAQ in Shreveport, Louisiana.
http://www.myspace.com/stevehowellmusic
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