Blues with a taste of cream that’s fit for a King or two.
The CD cover wasn’t very inspiring – three teenage black kids and a not very good band name; then I turned it over to see a picture of two very funky homemade electric guitars that Bo Diddley would have been proud of; but still nothing to stir the blood.
“Ohhhhhhhhhh oooohhhhhhhhh!” A voice roared onWashing Clothes before a guitar howled and the cymbals shivered before the drums pumped and five of the finest Blues drenched minutes I’ve ever lived through, unfolded before my very ears.
The Homemade Jamz Band are two teenage brothers Ryan and Kyle Perry and their 12 year old…..(yes TWELVE) …sister Taya on drums and what they miss in life’s experiences they more than make up in pure raw talent.
Elder brother Ryan’s guitar playing and singing are exceptional and Taya and Kyle on Bass have no right to support him as well as players 40 or 50 years older than they are. Every song tells a story and is exceptionally well structured around the traditional Chicago Blues sound.
Second track in, the self-written I’m The Man takes its influences from Diddley Daddy of course, but the story is all about a young man living his life today and if Bo is looking down on us, he will be very very proud that this generation can sing the Blues.
Title track The Game is outstanding as the guitar and bass duel for supremacy until Ryan cuts in with a really cool song about being messed around by his ‘woman’ ….nothing ever changes in the Blues!
Tupelo is my favourite track on the album and brings back many happy memories of early Groundhogs gigs or even ……the Cream.
All of the songs are written by Dad, Renaud Perry who also made the guitars and supplies some real down and dirty Blues Harp on most of the tracks.
Just to add insult to injury – 18 year old Ryan Perry produced the whole album (and it’s a really sharp production) with the aid of his father and siblings.
This is electric Blues of the very finest order and I make no apologies for putting these kids up there with the legends that are Cream, the Groundhogs and Rory Gallagher…..try to remember how old Clapton, McPhee and Gallagher were in the late 60’s and early 70’s when they made their first recordings.
Final track Nothings Changed For the Po’ is real Ghetto music and the message is correct; nothing has changed for the Poor since I first heard music like this in 1968.
#This album was first released in 2011
The Rocking Magpie 