Link: http://www.miavermillion.com

Mia Vermillion
Alone Together With The Blues
Mia Vermillion Productions

One of my favorite 2009 local blues releases so far this year is from Anacortes, Mia Vermillion. She's a new Washington Blues Society member, and Alone Together with the Blues is a must for fans of understated, but powerful, acoustic blues. Mia has performed at a range of festivals, including the Olympia Food and Wine Festival, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and the Jazz Walk for the 2006 Anacortes Jazz Festival. She was invited to participate in a musicians exchange in China, and she received an award for her US Armed Forces FORSCOM Festival show. Alone Together with the Blues features a core band of Orville Johnson (former Dynamic Log and world-class acoustic blues man), Chuck Deardorf (noted Origin Records jazz bassist), Ben Smith (drummer for Heart and the Lovemongers), and Hans Teuber (Origin Records reed man) with cameos from Cary Black, Mark Ivester, and Garey Shelton on a CD that features two original tunes and seven covers. I particularly like Mia's version of Big Bill Broonzy's "I'm Going to Copyright Your Kisses" and "When I've Been Drinkin'". "Two Cigarettes in the Dark" draws upon Hans Teuber's clarinet expertly, and takes the CD back, film-noir-ish, to the song's roots back in its 20's and 30's roots (and while it's clearly not a blues song - think Mia as a jazz chanteuse for a moment - it showcases the exceptional vocal range of a blues women I have just discovered through the Washington Blues Society)

Author: Eric Stiener
Repost Courtesy of The Washington Blues Society

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Born in Arkansas
(Big Eyes Records)
www.williebigeyessmith.com

Review by Eric Steiner
Courtesy of The Washington Blues Society

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith's infectious grin graces the cover of his latest CD, and he's got a reason to smile. Many, as a matter of fact. Living Blues magazine named him and his son Kenny Smith as Most Outstanding Musician- Drums in the magazine's 2008 awards copetition. A father-son tie in the 15th awards celebration! Willie's latest CD, Born in Arkansas, features a baker's dozen steeped in traditional blues. The opening cut, "When I Left" sets the stage nicely with Willie's harmonica playing buoyed by former Seattleite "Barrelhouse" Chuck on piano. Billy Flynn and "Little Frank" Krakowski share guitar duties, while Bob Stoger and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith keep the rhythm section right on track. Born in Arkansas is a strong traditional blues record, and I hope it lands on many radio programmers' "Top Ten" list for one of the finest blues CDs released last year. I can't wait to hear Willie and the guys perform "Money Talks at an adult-only benue, becuase the family-friendly refrain "Money Talks/And Bullgrass Walks" is essential for any radio airplay. I marveled at the way "Can't Rest For Worry" slowly launched: we've heard the same story many, many times before in the blues: usually inspired by a woman, same song structure, same chord progression. With Willie's band, though: the traditional sounds fresh, and each of the players add their own unique touches as Willie continues with his story about work, women, and worry (three of the blues' most often visited topics. Highly Recommended! - Eric Steiner