Double Trouble is back!!!!

Just in case you havent heard Double Trouble of SRV Fame is back with a CD called "Been along time" It is awesome!!! They have a whole slew of players and singers on this work to help them out. It's like a who's who of the Austin blues scene. I don't usally pay much attention to anything but the music, but the vocal's on this CD blew me away. Malford Milligan, Susan Tedeschi, and Doyle Bramhall II. If you love the blues you got to have this. I don't want to sound like a promotor or anything it's just that Cd's like this don't usally make on the top shelf and it is one sweet piece of work. Maybe a Grammy or Handy award???? what do you think???

I think Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton make an awesome rythm section. I really would have liked to see them form a band and make an album. What I've heard on the radio sounds more like a compilation to cash in on their name. They probably aren't, but that's how it feels to me. I do have to say what I've heard so far is really good, but it's nothing compared to an entire band that's been playing together for years and years.

You may be right about them cashing in on there name but there are some big artist's on here that did'nt need to do that Johnny Lang, Kenny Wyne shepherd, Dr John, Wille Nelson the list go's on. As for the core of the music Chris, Tommy, Resse, Lou Ann Barton, Denny Freeman,Jimmie Vaughn, Doyle Bramhall II, Gordie Johnson, Charlie Sexton they have been playing together for years most of them are basically family. They have many ties in previous bands together. And spent many a night jamming together and they all have ties to SRV. Who the album is sort of dedicated to on the back. It is a compilation but thats not uncommon in the blues scene I think there are too many big names here for it to be just about the bucks. I hope its more like EC & BB's Riding with the King CD, just something that they wanted to do. Who knows! I do know that I like listening to it. Maybe now that there back in the saddle they will put together something on there own. I'm like you thats what I was hoping for. Thanks for your thoughts, it is something to think about!!

I lost all respect for Kenny Wayne Sheppard the day I heard SRV's Live at Carnagy Hall album and how close that version of Lenny was to "While we Cry." Several of my friends saw him opening for somebody else a few years back to walk into the venue to see him playing a note for note copy of the Live Alive version of Voodoo Chile. It's so sad to see someone who clearly has so much talent wasting it all by copping somebody else's style.

As for the Austin crew, well we have a similar (though smaller) community of musicians around here that interarct and jam all the time. None of use though are as tight as we are with our bands though.

Regardless, I'm a sarcastic, pessimistic, sceptical bastard and anything I say should be taken with that in consideration.

You Know what I think I'll join you on the kenny Wayne Sheperd low down!! I use to think WoW this kids has possibilities, but now I think, WoW this kid can sure play it's just to bad that he doesn't have a single chop of his own!! I use to feel that way about Johnny Lang but as he mature's I'm starting to change my thoughts especially with concern to his vocals. He has a lot of soul! Aaaagh Heck! See I just can't do it I started out pretty negetive but had to end on a high note. LoL.

I guess for alot of musicians, they feel the need to take the safe road, following in the exact footsteps of their favorites, and it has alot to do with fear of failure, and how the rest of the world sees us. While generally we learn from our mistakes, it sometimes happens that we take a small failure (or percieved failure) too seriously, where it kind of throws us off track mentally, (where we are afraid to improvise.) I think its safe to say that we've all been there as musicians, and it takes alot of courage to get past that point, and trust our instincts in bringing our personality to its level of completeness.

However, I think you guys are been a bit too critical with Sheppard and Lang..Seriously, Ive watched Kenny Wayne Sheppard up close, and this kid does have passion, (hes very meticulous when it comes to covering his favorites), and thats good, to a certain extent, but of course when covering a song its important to find a way to add some of your own elements (which always makes it more interesting.)I guess from analyzing his chops, there are some very obvious similarities to some of the greats from the past, (i mean if you really knit pick), but there aren't many young musicians today who really have enough feeling for the blues, and I really commend Kenny Wayne Sheppard for following his heart.

-Joseph

Actually, I've always liked Johnny Lang. The first time I ever really heard him, was when he was opening for Blues Traveler and he did an awesome job (and this was just after his first album came out). I think he probably could have benefited from not getting so big so young, but he had been paying his dues so anyway... yeah..

Regardless, I have a friend who used to do a lot of SRV covers in his old band. He got as close to Stevie as anybody did, but still managed go inject his own voice into the music. Of course, as is the case with many people, he was a bit overly critical of himself so he felt he was too close and tried to stay away from SRV covers in the later days of his band. It was kinda like listening to the SRV and Albert King CD- two players very close stylisticly, but still managing to stay very unique.

Of course he never had a column in a guitar mag about how to cop SRV's style.

I'm just glad that there are young bluesmen out there to keep it going. Lang does it with a lot of passion and soul. I saw him the other night with Double Trouble on Austin City Limits and you can tell he really feels what he's doing. I like Keb Mo a lot as well, he does a lot to keep the traditional stuff alive. Most of us who love music are influenced by what we hear,by what moves us deep down. I just think that as musicians it is our responsibility to take what was freely givin to us and add our own honest feelings and talents.

B.B. and Buddy Guy aren't getting any younger so we gotta hope that the Blues stays alive and well.
Hell, I'm trying.

I think it's safe to say that the blues will be played in bars and in practice rooms for many many years. In that sense, the blues is secure (and will probably attract new inovators with time).

My only concern is seeing the blues become too "commercial." Kinda like how "hair metal" drove a whole generation of music listeners away from "traditional" metal/hard rock. I think the blues is especially suseptible to this, for if it's too polished, it looses that emotion that makes it the blues in the first place.

Something in my mind sais "it's the inperfections that make it humanity."