THE HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES "ROAD TO RIO" Source: Beach Music 45.com Date: 07/2006 Writer: Mike Little

Stacy Mitchhart has a hot song going. U Turn Me On, from his I’m A Good Man CD, is receiving lots of club play and airtime, as well as heavy chart action. The CD is on his own Dr. Sam label. Based out of Tennessee, the Cincinnati-born singer, songwriter and guitarist fronts his own band. He comes from a musically talented family, his grandfather playing fiddle, his grandmother playing piano and his uncle playing drums. Not only is U Turn Me On one of the hottest songs in the Beach Music market, it has also reached the Top 10 on the Chittlin’ Circuit. In addition, Stacy has been nominated for the Little Milton Campbell Guitarist of the Year Award by the Jus’ Blues Music Awards, the ceremony being held in Atlanta, Georgia as I write.

The Hollywood Blue Flames have a hot song out and is on the charts everywhere. The song, My National Inquirer Baby, comes from their Soul Sanctuary release. The CD is appropriately named, as the group was the band of The Hollywood Fats Band, which was disbanded after the sudden death of Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann. You may remember The Hollywood Fats Band from their hit, Too Many Drivers, a number of years ago. The group, now, is appropriately named, as they fired and carry the torch of the blues into a new millennium. No one could be a better choice to fill Fats’ shoes than Kirk Fletcher, a young man who has his own CD out with a couple of numbers bouncing around the charts. Delta Groove Productions has now released a double CD with a new twist to it. The package, entitled, entitled Road To Rio, includes original recordings from The Hollywood Blue Flames and a live recording of The Hollywood Fats Band. I’m not too hung up on instrumentals, but Gumbo Grinder is outstanding and may just be the best song on the release.

Have you heard Somebody Scream by Sugar Pie DeSanto? The song is fantastic and comes from her Refined Sugar release. Of course, this is not the only song of note, but does outshine the rest. Born Umpeytia Marsema Balinton in Brooklyn, New York in 1935, she was given her recording debut by rhythm & blues icon, Johnny Otis, who discovered her. He dubbed her “Little Sugar Pie” in 1955 because she was so little. She wore a size three shoe and weighed about 85 pounds. She later became the opening act for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Though her voice is a bit raspy now, there is no shortage of energy in the recordings on this Jasman release.

You may already have Check My Pulse by Nick Moss And The Flip Tops from his Sadie Mae release on his own Blue Bella Records label. But have you heard the live version? It is on Blue Bella’s new release, Live At Chan’s. Considering it to be recorded live, this has exceptional quality and has a little more kick to it than the original. The recording is made extra special by the guest appearance of Moss’ friend and fellow musician, Monster Mike Welch. Bassist Nick Moss learned instrument at an early age. He has toured and recorded with Jimmy Dawkins and The Legendary Blues Band, later joining Jimmy Rogers’ band as guitarist for a three-year stint. Growing tired of performing for other musicians, Moss started fronting his own band, The Flip Tops, in the late 90’s. He has received numerous Handy Award nominations and formed Blue Bella Records with his wife, Kate.

Calvin Owens, trumpeter, composer/arranger and bandleader, spent many years as musical director with B.B. King’s various touring bands. I first caught note of him when I heard his CD, The House Is Burnin’. I was very impressed with his take on B.B. King’s Please Love Me with Leonard “Low Down” Brown on lead vocals. It was because of this release that I became interested in That’s Your Booty, released on his own label, Sawdust Alley. I was excited that he teamed up with fellow Texan, Archie Bell. Yes, that Archie Bell of Archie Bell & The Drells. On the CD, Archie sings lead on How Long. It’s a great match-up, and a number you should take note of.

Billy “Soul” Bonds has been a main stay on the Southern Soul circuit for years. Waldoxy, a division of Malaco Records, has released Here Kitty, Kitty. On this new release comes a song from Billy that was originally released back in 1999 on his Going Public Again album. I Tried is a heck of a song. Why I missed it the first time around, I do not know. The song was on the same album that had his hit, Reverend Joe. Any way, I didn’t miss it this time, nor should you. Billy “Soul” Bonds grew up in Biscoe, Arkansas, halfway between Memphis and Little Rock and just up the road from Clarksdale, Mississippi. He began his professional career in the eighties.

The Mizell Brothers recorded with Blue Note back in the 70’s. Some of the material was never released until Blue Note came out with Mizell late last year. The sibling duo of Larry and Alphonso “Fonce” Mizell revolutionized the sound and shape of jazz-funk, combining the Motown sound into the Blue Note family. As I said, some of the material had never been released, but at one time they joined with Rance Allen in the studio for a song entitled, Reason To Survive. The Rance Allen Group, the Detroit-based gospel group, as you may remember, gave us several pop numbers in the mid-seventies, including Everybody’s Talkin’. Reason To Survive is one to take note of.

Fresno, California-born artist, Jacob Luttrell, has released under his own label, Old Soul. From this CD, you will want to take note of Don’t Be Too Long. It is a killer. Jacob, like many of the great artists, received his roots in church. From there, he was introduced to the piano. After leaving Fresno to pursue greater opportunities, little did he know, he would enter the world of piano stardom. He soon found favor with Randy Jackson of American Idol, who offered him a job sing background vocals with Idol’s Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken. And the rest is history.

Of course you know of the Crescent City icon, Dr. John. He has given us hits over the years, including his charted Such A Night and Right Place, Wrong Time. Since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, dozens of New Orleans artists have devoted their time and energy to bring the message of their music to the masses. His latest CD, Mercernary, is made up almost entirely of tunes of the legendary Johnny Mercer. The song you want to pay close attention to on this fabulous collection is Dream. Of course, it is a smoothie and will bring the crowd out to fill the floor.