The Bluesmasters featuring Cassie Taylor
What’s instantly obvious about these songs is that, despite being written years ago by some blues greats, the band with Cassie Taylor (vocals/bass/banjo) play the songs with such contemporary arrangements & vigor that the songs sound modern. Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” sparkles under Cassie’s tonality & the band is smooth & bluesy simultaneously. No rough edges.
This is the band’s 8th studio album, which blends gospel, blues & soul into one big, sweet showcase. The 11-piece band cruises through 10 live-wired performances. “Sit Down Servant” is a gospel driven soul-stirring number with the same muscle as the Edwin Hawkins Singers did back in the 60s with “Oh, Happy Day,” & later with folk singer Melanie Safka on “Lay Down Candles In the Rain.”
Produced by Tim Tucker (guitars/bass V1), the self-titled album The Bluesmasters featuring Cassie Taylor (Drops June 27/Exulans DMD/34:34) is exhilarating from start to finish. From blues to gospel to the soulful Ramsey Lewis composition “Wade In the Water,” the group skillfully navigates through varied genres.
Cassie isn’t as a belter like Janis Joplin, Candy Givens, or Brenda Patterson but more of a refined blues singer in the shape of Ten Wheel Drive’s Genya Ravan or 1994’s & Blue By Nature’s Karen Lawrence. It’s more about the soulfulness of each genre coming through the song than simply showboating. Don Robey’s beautiful “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry” is filled with both a gospel fervor, soulfulness & blues tonality. Remarkable. Cassie fits in between these blues masters with contagious vocals.
It’s a good team. It’s a shame we’ll never hear Cassie sing a duet with Otis Redding & John lee Hooker because the vocal contrasts would be mesmerizing. “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again” is something I wish Elvis Presley had sunk his voice into. Excellent version by Cassie.
More in a soul-rock, Aretha/Brenda Holloway arena comes “If You’re Ready.” It has a little Motown-Tamala feel with a dash of FAME Studios & Stax. That alone is amazing, but Cassie & the Bluesmasters achieve it with ease. This could be hit in any decade. The ‘60s would’ve eaten it up & today the potential is…good.
Dirtier blues comes with Paul Butterfield-type harmonica courtesy of Doug Lynn wailing throughout “Pop Staples’ “I Wonder Why” & the backup vocalists are incendiary. Cassie sings in a Bessie Smith-type tempo even though she doesn’t have that deep end. It works anyway.
Highlights – “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” “Sit Down Servant,” “Wade In the Water,” “You’re Gonna Make Me Cry,” “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again,” “If You’re Ready,” & “I Wonder Why.”
Musicians – Kassidy Kent (bass/bgv), Christian Teele (drums), Eric Moon (Fender Rhodes/B3/accordion), Sally Van Meter (lap steel), Doug Lynn (harmonica), Stella Ann (percussion/bgv), Kylee Ribble, Larea Edwards & Chrissy Grant (bgv).
Color image courtesy of the band’s Facebook. CD @ Apple & https://thebluesmasters.com/ & https://blindraccoon.com/