Customer Reviews

West Coast House Party

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kid Ramos' second Evidence album, West Coast House Party features a who's who of some of the more prominent blues guitar pickers on the West Coast blues scene along a variety of vocalists and other players. Musically, this album leans to the jump blues scene that thrived on the West Coast, with two takes of a T-Bone walker instrumental, Strollin' With Bone, spotlighting Gatemouth Brown and Duke Robillard along with Kid Ramos, sandwiching 14 other tracks. Other guitarists here include Junior Watson, Rick Holmstrom, Rusty Zinn and Charlie Baty, while Zinn, Robillard, Watson, James Intveld, Kim Wilson, Janiva Magness, Big Sandy Williams and James Harman handle the vocals. Jeff Turmes anchors the horns, while Fred Kaplan is on piano, Larry Taylor on bass and Stephen Hodges is on drums. Its a tight band, that swings, and ramos gets to trade guitar solos with his peers and special guests. The vocals are generally quite good, although overshadowed by the originals. James Intveld is a capable singer on Roy Brown's Love Don't Love Nobody, but not simply in Brown's league as a singer (admittedly few are), and even Kim Wilson can't quite equal a Smiley Lewis on a jump blues like Real Gone Lover. Within its admitted limitations, this record still possesses have considerable appeal. The music is wonderfully played and the result is a lively blues party disc great for dancing and/or listening.

Listening to this I felt I was transported to a jumping roadhouse with a rockin' band and people dancing everywhere! Excellent production, musicianship, songs and playing! Jump Blues, Boogie, Rockabilly, Big Band all evident and all stewing very hot! ... .

Great recording with a who's who of performers. James Harmon, Gatemouth Brown, Kim Wilson and Duke Robillard just to name a few. All the tunes are inspired but my favorites are house party,happy hour, one bar short and one mo peep

hot tracks, legendary guest performers, put it together and it equals a must have cd. enjoy!

Ok now I get it. It takes me awhile but these guys must really hang out together. Think of that party. Would the typical blues fan be in a second heaven or not? The likes of a Nightcat "Little" Charlie Baty, Gatemouth Brown, Rick Holmstrom (a man blues lovers are just beginning to recognize as one of the best blues guitarist),Duke Robillard, Junior Watson, Kim Wilson, Rusty Zinn and the guest list goes on with some great hornsmen and vocals. Forget it if you are ever thinking of a better blues party, this line up is the rockin' jumpin' blues as we know it. It gets you clickin' and tappin' at home too. Thanks for inviting us, Kid. We all had a real good time.

ANOTHER GREAT CD FROM THE FAB THUNBERBIRDS GUITARIST WITH GUESTS SUCH AS KIM WILSON,DUKE ROBILLARD AND RUSTY ZINN HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG,WITH TWO T BONE WALKER TRACKS TO BOOT. IF YOU LIKE TO SWING AND JUMP THIS IS FOR YOU

Ok, I admit it, I have never bought a CD with so much swinging tracks: this IS the ultimate PARTY-cd! Junior Watson, Duke Robillard, Rick Holmstrom, Gatemouth, Zinn, Baty playing guitar, it's practically unbelievable. But I have one complaint: the overall sound quality of the recording. I think the rhythm section especially the base is scarcely hearable, that's nothing against Larry Taylor but I think the people who mixed the CD, just forgot about him. For the rest: BUY THIS swinging CD and make YOUR OWN HOUSEPARTY AT HOME!

Dave (hope you don't mind me telling)Ramos, a 17 year-old Carlos Santana wannabe with the long black curly hair and macho moustache sitting and pontificating about guitar players - Rock NOT Blues guitar players in the American Government class that I was teaching at Anaheim High School, not too far from Disneyland. This was during the time Kiss, Foreigner and Boston were roaring up the charts.

Dave knew of my interest in British Rock Guitarists and my background as a Rock Music Critic and would ask me about people like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Stevie Marriott, Dave Clem Clempson, Mick Ralphs and others. Also in the class was another great little - and legally blind guitar player by the name of Troy Mills whom I referred to as Ariel Bender, because with his henna-hair and interest in Brit Glam Rock he modelled himself (or I did) on Mott's Ariel Bender aka Luther Grosvenor.

Well, imagine my surprise around 10 years later when sans the long locks and moustache, clean-shaven and sporting a pompadour here was this Kid Ramos delivering Blues licks - not the Brit Blues of a Clapton or Beck, but the Chicago and L.A. Blues of James Harman and others, including legends like Canned Heat (Kid, if you read this, Kid, I'll have to tell you about my chat with Bob "Bear" Hite just a couple of years before he passed on). And that is what he's been doing to this very day, delivering the Blues, from Harman on to a fabulous spell with who else? The Fabulous Thunderbirds - who came out of Backstreet Crawler, the joint Anglo-American Rock venture headed by the late great Paul Kossoff of Free's "All Right Now" fame.

While I have meant to see my former student makes good a number of times, I haven't been able to do so, but will make an effort when he will be appearing at a local venue in June. And no, I haven't heard this album but knowing his dedication to Blues (and Rock) guitar, I just know its a great one. His former Government teacher will just have to buy himself a copy.