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Tim's Top Picks


2009

Joe Louis Walker
-
Between A Rock and The Blues
Stony Plain
Charles Wilson
-
Troubled Child >Severn
Darrell Nulisch
-
Just for You
Severn
Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women
-
Havin’ The Last Word
Alligator
The Gary Kendall Band
- Feels Real Strong
47 Records
Various Artists - It Ain't Over!
-
Delmark Celebrates 55 Years of Blues at Buddy Guy's Legends
Delmark
Tinsley Ellis
-
Speak No Evil
Alligator
John Primer
-
All Original
Blues House
Arthur Adams
-
Stomp The Floor
Delta Groove

2008

Eddy Clearwater
-
West Side Strut
Alligator ALCD 4921
Buddy Guy
-
Skin Deep
Silvertone 88697-31629-2
Kenny Neal

-Let Life Flow
Blind Pig BPCD 5122
Michael Burks
-
Iron Man
Alligator ALCD 4923
Mississippi Heat
-
Hattiesburg Blues
Delmark DE 795
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
-
Born In Arkansas
Big Eye BER394
Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
-
Full Tilt
Alligator ALCD 4926
Kenny "Blue Boss" Wayne
-
Can’t Stop Now
Electro-Fi E-fi 3407
Taj Mahal
-
Maestro
Heads Up HUCD3164
Curtis Saldago
-
Clean Getaway
Shanachie 9038

2007

Koko Taylor
-
Old School (Alligator)
Jimmy Burns
-
Live at B.L.U.E.S. (Delmark)
Big James Montgomery

- Thank God I Got The Blues (Jamot)
John Nemeth
-
Magic Touch (Blind Pig)
The Mannish Boys
-
Big Plans (Delta Groove)
Magic Slim
-
The Essential Magic Slim (Blind Pig)
Lurrie Bell
-
Let’s Talk About Love (Aria)
Dave Riley and Bob Corritore
-
Travelin’ The Dirt Road (Blue Witch)
Jack de Keyzer
-
Blues Thing (Blue Star)
Fruteland Jackson
-
Tell Me What You Say (Electro-Fi)

2006

Bobby Rush with Shawn Kellerman - Raw To The Bone (Indepedent)
Cephas & Wiggins -
Shoulder To Shoulder (Alligator)
Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials - Rattleshake
(Alligator)
Mannish Boys -
Live & In Demand (Delta Groove)
Lil' Dave Thompson -
Got To Get Over You (Electro-Fi)
Junior Wells -
Live At Theresa's 1975 (Delmark)
Otis Rush -
Live ...And In Concert From San Francisco (Blues Express)
Magic Slim / Joe Carter -
That Ain't Right (Delmark)
Harmonica Shah -
Listen At Me Good (Electro-Fi)
Glamourpuss -
Bluesman's Prayer (NorthernBlues)

2005

DUWAYNE BURNSIDE AND THE MISSISSIPPI MAFIA
Under Pressure (B.C. Records) SHEMEKIA COPELAND
The Soul Truth (Alligator)
LITTLE MILTON
Think of Me (Telarc)
MEM SHANNON  
I’m From Phunkville (NorthernBlues)
TAB BENOIT 
Fever For The Bayou (Telarc) 
JULIAN FAUTH
Songs Of Vice and Sorrow (Electro-Fi) 
ERIC CLAPTON 
Sessions For Robert J (Warner Reprise) 
EUGENE ‘HIDEAWAY’ BRIDGES
Coming Home (Armadillo) 
BRIAN BLAIN
Overqualified For The Blues (NorthernBlues)

2004
Michael Powers - Onyx Root (Baryon)
Holmes Brothers - Simple Truths (Alligator)
Ronnie Earl - Now My Soul (Stony Plain)
Big James Montgomery - Now U Know (Jamot)
Dan Treanor and Frankie Lee - African Wind (NorthernBlues)
Tad Robinson - Did You Ever Wonder? (Severn)
W.C. Clark - Deep In The Heart (Alligator)
Mavis Staples - Have A Little Faith (Alligator)
Nora Jean Bruso - Going Back To Mississippi (Severn)
Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith & The Juke Joint Rockers - Bluesin’ It (Electro-Fi)


2003
Various Artists - Last Of The Mississippi Jukes (Sanctuary Records Group) 
Various Artists - American Blues (Putumayo World Music) 
Tab Benoit - The Sea Saint Sessions (Telarc Records) 
Glamour Puss - Wire & Wood (NorthernBlues Music) 
Ellis Hooks - Up Your Mind (Evidence Music) 
Snooky Pryor - Mojo Ramble (Electro-Fi Records) 
Matt Minglewood - Live At Last (Norton Records) 
Otis Grand - In Grand Style - The Otis Grand Collection (Sanctuary Records Group) 
Robert Randolph & The Family Band - Unclassified (Warner Bros./Dare) 
Ronnie Earl - I Feel Like Goin’ On (Stony Plain Records) 


2002
Jack de Keyzer - 6 String Lover (Blue Star Records)
James Cotton - 35th Anniversary Jam (Telarc)
Syl and Jimmy Johnson - Two Johnsons Are Better Than One (Evidence)
Melvin Taylor - Rendevous With The Blues (Evidence)
Joe Louis Walker - In The Morning (Telarc)
Anthony Gomes - Unity (33rd Street Records)
NorthernBlues Gospel Allstars - Saved (NorthernBlues)
Holmes Brothers - Righteous (Rounder)
Jimmy Thackery - We Got It (Telarc)
Tab Benoit - Wetlands (Telarc)


2001
Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson - Talkin About Soul - (Telarc)
Holmes Brothers - Speaking In Tongues - (Alligator) 
Michael Burks - Make It Rain -(Alligator)
Big James - If It Wasn't 4 Da Blues - (Jamot)
Rita Chiarelli - Breakfast At Midnight - (NorthernBlues)
Big Time Sarah - A Million Of You - (Delmark)
Mel Brown - Homewreckin' Done Live - (Electro-Fi)
Various - Blind Pig 25th Anniversary Collection - (Blind Pig)
Deborah Coleman - Livin' On Love - (Blind Pig)
Rico McFarland - Tired Of Being Alone - (Evidence)

 


Tim Holek is a very experienced blues journalist, having written more than 600 CD reviews, live reviews, feature stories and blues news since 1997. Here is just a brief sampling of his outstanding work.


 

CD REVIEWS
New  Mississippi Heat - Let's Live It Up!
New  Phil Gates - Addicted To The Blues
New  Al Miller - Wild Cards
New   Various Artists 30th Blues Music Awards DVD
Buckwheat Zydeco – Lay Your Burden Down
Roy Rogers - Split Decision
Mitch Kashmar – Live At Labatt
Saffire – Havin’ The Last Word
Gary Kendall - Feels Real Strong
Alberta Adams – Detroit Is My Home
Various Artists – 55 Years of Blues (on Delmark)
Various Artists – Broadcasting The Blues
Mark Hummel – Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowouts
Chris James and Patrick Rynn – Stop And Think About It
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials – Full Tilt
Buddy Guy – Skin Deep
Kenny Neal – Let Life Flow
Jeff Healey – Mess Of Blues
Julian Fauth – Ramblin’ Son
Willie "Big Eyes' Smith – Born In Arkansas
JW-Jones – Blueslisted
Tab Benoit Night Train to Nashville
Big James Montgomery - Thank God I Got The Blues
Reviews of older Alligator releases on Amazon.ca


LIVE REVIEWS
New  Chicago Blues Festival 2010
The 40th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Kitchener Bluesfest 2008
Blues Music Awards 2008
Chicago Blues Festival 2007

Pocono Blues Festival 2007
Sunflower Blues and Gospel Festival 2007
Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival 2006

FEATURES
Lil’ Ed Williams – Cover Story Living Blues #202 August 2009
Eden Brent
Rod Piazza
Lil’ Dave Thompson
Wanda Johnson
Donnie Walsh
Debbie Davies
Nick Moss
Billy Branch
Big James Montgomery
Mac Arnold
Andrew Galloway of Electro-Fi Records
Eddy Clearwater

Janiva Magness
It's About The Singer and The Song
Alligator Records and Bruce Iglauer in BLOCK magazine


All material (text and photos) copyright © by Tim Holek, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use any material, please send Tim an e-mail by filling out the form on his E-mail page