Candice Ivory – New Southern Vintage
What starts as typical blues morphs into a marvelously mystical blues trajectory. The blues guitars, chords, harmonica & drums drive are evident, but when St. Louis, Missouri’s Candice Ivory starts singing, the barometer changes. Her creativity settles between the pores; the skin prickles & the Grammy-nominated blues/soul vocalist puts both oars in the water & takes her audience to another side of the blues’ shore.
Maybe it only happens on “Ain’t So Blind,” but ah, you’d be wrong. Assume nothing. “Blue Blood” is funk stirred into the soul food of notes peppered by Candice’s skillful musical ingredients. By the time we reach “Shout the Boogie” we’re in the Cotton Club with cold high balls, a barrelhouse piano & high heels. Big deal, right? But she does it again on “I’m In Trouble” as the lead guitar skitters along, bumps & grinds like a stripper in glitter & spangles at the footlights. Slinky & seductive, this is just a human voice, right?What am I saying? I’m saying this is a lesson in how to interpret good lyrics when it’s pinned to the drapery of a marvelous blues melody.
It’s an original approach to a vintage genre. Candice does it. What’s old is new again. 14 tunes that didn’t come from the crossroads on New Southern Vintage (Drops Sept 12/Nola Blue Records/51:07). Self-produced with expertise by Candice & recorded in Memphis & Ecuador. Ecuador? While not every song was written by Ms. Ivory, her application captivates each word & soaks in the music enough to marinate it. The Asian-flavor of “Foolish Pleasure” is a surprisingly original approach to the blues.
The band has delicacy & skill. The songs have an atmosphere. A little rockier is “Lookin’ For My Baby,” which cooks & has all the realms of late ‘50s rhythm & blues dance energy that Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, & Ray Charles would’ve paid for. Candice applies perfect intonation to her excellent phrasing & peculiar tones. The only band I can think of who could back her equally is an old Columbia ‘70s group known as Ballin’ Jack (“Hold On”).
The LP manages to slip retro stylings in with a pinch of Billie Holiday & a dash of Cassandra Wilson (“Corrina,” “Crown Royal Bag Blues,” & Memphis Minnie’s “World of Trouble”). All have the topography of vintage excellence. The elders would approve.
Highlights – “Ain’t So Blind,” “Blue Blood,” “I’m In Trouble,” “Foolish Pleasure,” “Lookin’ For My Baby,” “Strong Black Mattie,” “Catfish Blues,” “Corrina,” “Crown Royal Bag Blues,” “World of Trouble,” & “Shout the Boogie.”
Musicians – Jan Hartmann & Takuto Asano (guitars), the Blue Bloods: Robert Allen Parker, Adam Hill (guitars), Khari Wynn (bass), Donnon R. Johnson (drums) with David Evans (guitar), Damian Pearson (harmonica/guitar), Ben Levin (piano/whistle), Yubu Kazungu (vocals), Chris Stephenson (Wurlitzer organ/Hammond B3), Andrew Cohen (narration/guitar), Antonio Vergara (lap steel/wah/electric guitars/bgv), & featuring Jimmy “Duck” Holmes (vocals/guitar).
Cover photo by Marilyn Stinger. CD @ Bandcamp & https://newsouthernvintage.com/