BIG JOE AND THE DYNAFLOWS

ROCKHOUSE PARTY

2019-02-18

After a several year hiatus, Big Joe Maher has assembled a new crew of Dynaflows including Kevin McKendree on keys, Mookie Brill on bass and vocals, Yates McKendree on guitar, Robert Frahm on guitar and Erin Coburn on guitar and back up vocals. The 13 cuts collected here include five originals and covers by the likes of Roosevelt Sykes, Don Robey, Dave Bartholomew, Percy Mayfield and Fenton Robinson. With Maher and Brill sharing vocals the band lays down a solid batch of straight blues and shuffles," Driving Wheel", "So Mean To Me", "I’m a Country Boy" and "Tennessee Woman", soul, "8 Men 4 Women", upbeat New Orleans infused grooves, "Go On Fool", west coast style swing, "Go With the Flow", anguished cries for a return of civility, "World Gone Wrong", and even a bit of doo-wop, "If You Need Some Lovin" and rockabilly, "Vibrate". The instrumentals "Overdrive" and "Sleepy Joe" give guitarists Robert Frahm and 17-year old Yates McKendree a chance to shine with some hot-wired soloing over the swinging rhythm laid down by Maher and Brill on the former and some single string soloing over Kevin McKendree’s saucy keys on the later. The time off has done nothing to diminish Maher’s in-the-pocket drumming or his solid vocals skills which he comfortably applies to the varied material here. With much of the material on the upbeat side I dare you to sit still through this set of well- done blues. Smitty

review by Mark