"Bring the Blues"
Kurt Aemmer & Adrian Clarke
The CD opens with the collaborative title track, Bring the Blues with lyrics by Kurt Aemmer and music by Adrian Clarke. Lyrics drip with imagery ("A dirty verse is sailin' past a microphone, A hissin' and a wailin' like you want to go back home...") while the staccato guitars interplay. Aemmer's lead vocals have the relaxed weight and depth we've come to expect from this talented Bellingham songwriter and recording artist. Clarke layers his fluid lead guitar over Aemmer's rhythm guitar on both of the CD's songs.
The second selection hails all the way from 1922, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out by Jimmy Cox. The tune is closely associated with Bessie Smith, but it would be 1929 before she would record her definitive version. Clarke capably takes the lead vocals for this time honored classic with Aemmer providing some background harmonies. Clarkes lead guitar solo on Nobody Knows You... easily shows why he is such a favored studio guitarist in these parts.
The release has a folksy blues feel to it, leaning slightly more toward contemporary country rather than traditional country blues. The CD is at it's best when the vocals from Aemmer and Clarke are in the forefront providing some cohesive phrasing and injecting some needed empty pockets into the accompaniment. I would have loved even one more tune of a decidedly different tempo between the two selections. None the less, when the second cut ended my immediate reaction was "That's it?", I wanted much more and I think other listeners will too.
Aemmer and Clarke have worked on various full electric band projects together (like the Cathouse Blues CD, Take it Downtown) but the pair has been woodshedding on acoustic guitars lately, working up their new duo act. I look forward to hearing them out performing live with all their additional originals and covers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Laurette Langille is a Washington blues musician, teacher and writer.)
