Eddie Kold Band - Chicago Alley Blues (2020)

Since 2003, the Eddie Kold Band has been the blues band around the German front man, singer / songwriter and guitarist Eddie Kold (Jörg Fennekold) and drummer Christian Wübben (Erdmöbel). On the new studio album "Chicago Alley Blues", due out this month, Benjamin Garcia is bassist and Lukas Diehl is keyboardist. In 2004 vocalist Larry Doc Watson joined the band. Originally from Virginia, Watson has lived in Germany for twenty years and has already performed on stage with Bernard Allison, the Matchbox Blues Band, the Manfred Häder Band, Gregor Hilden and Tom Knauer, among others. As Kold has been a regular visitor to Chicago for over thirty years (and lived there for several years), this became his second home. He played there with, among others, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Dave & Louis Myers, Junior Wells, Son Seals, Billy Branch, Buddy Scott, Tyrone Davis, Alvin Cash, Barbara Acklin and Vance Kelly and toured with LV Banks and Zora Young.

"Chicago Alley Blues" - it could be the sequel to its predecessor "Chicago Blues Heaven (2018) - was also recorded at Joyride Studios in Chicago, IL. On the album, Kold is the lead guitarist and sings on three songs and Larry Doc Watkins on eight. Guests, all linked to Chicago, are Bernard Allison (guitar), Omar Coleman (harmonica), Tom Holland (guitar) & Charlie Love (vocals, harmonica). Eddie's daughter Millie Meckbach took place behind the piano for a number. Of the 12 tracks they recorded, nine are original, of which Fennekold wrote the music and Watkins wrote the lyrics.

The album opens very explosively with “Telephone Man” for which Kold and the band immediately pull out all the stops. Sharp guitar solos and an infectious groove are the trendsetters here. There is something about Santana about “Smart City Blues” and the slow blues “Blues Man” - with a convincing Bernard Allison as a guest - is, like “Without You” that follows, very soulful. "Before You Accuse Me (Take a Look at Yourself)" is a song written and recorded in 1957 by American musician Ellas McDaniel aka Bo Diddley. It was released as the B-side of Diddley's "Say Bossman" and recorded on his self-titled debut album in 1958. Backing Diddley on vocals and guitar are blues guitarist Jody Williams on guitar, blues man Willie Dixon on bass and Frank Kirkland on drums. Other celebrities like Delbert McClinton (1976), CCR (1968) and Eric Clapton (1989) also covered Eddie Kold's version of this classic (with guests Omar Coleman on harmonica & Tom Holand on guitar) is brimming with groove and great guitar or harmonica interventions and should certainly not be inferior to this. The uptempo “Too Hot” is a song that asks for few words and “Howling for my Darling” (also with Coleman & Holland) may well be the perfect intro for what should follow next, by the duo Howlin 'Wolf / Willie Dixon. cover “Howling for my Darling ”. “Just a Dream” brings some peace and quiet and “Christmas Blues” is the single that was released before. Everyone talks about it and it becomes. Singing about it makes Eddie Kold a bit uncomfortable on “Getting Old”. As a guest Charlie Love -a singer / guitarist and harmonica player (born in 1956) on the South Side of Chicago- sings very soulful and emotional on “Gimme Back My Money”, the song he wrote himself. On the quiet closing track “Suicidal Blues” Daughter Millie took place behind the piano, which she does very well.

It sounds like Eddie Kold was quite pleased when he was in Chicago recording "Chicago Alley Blues." In terms of style, it became an extension of his previous album and, for fans of Chicago blues, an absolute must. We are waiting for a follow-up, because this tastes like even more handsome from Windy City.