Chris James & Patrick Rynn - Trouble Don't Last (2015)

Chris James and Patrick Rynn are at the forefront of today’s traditional Blues movement. They've been playing together since 1990, proudly dedicating their musical collaboration to the high-energy sound of real, unadulterated Chicago Blues. They lead their own widely acclaimed band, and have toured the world playing behind some of the greatest Blues legends in the field.

Their 2008 debut CD Stop and Think About It, was nominated for a 2009 Blues Music Award and won a 2009 Blues Blast Music Award for Best New Artist Debut and spread their names far and wide. “Mister Coffee,” a standout original from the album, was nominated for a Blues Blast Award-Best Blues Song and won third-place in the Independent Music Awards, where Chris and Patrick were nominated for a People’s Choice Award.

Gonna Boogie Anyway, their 2010 album for Earwig Records, stirred up a similarly heightened level of critical buzz as Patrick has now earned Blues Music Award nominations as Best Blues Bassist for four consecutive years.

The duo’s latest Earwig album Barrelhouse Stomp is as firmly rooted in traditional Chicago Blues as its acclaimed predecessors. Yet the duo continues to evolve and take chances in the studio. This is tough, real-deal electric blues to party to, to dance to, to sit down and savor. Barrelhouse Stomp makes it clear once more that Chris James and Patrick Rynn rate with the finest traditional Bluesmen on the planet.

~ thebluefour.com

We’ve been fans of Chris James and Patrick Rynn for nearly twenty years, when they were backing Sam Lay. They’ve always been purveyors of that classic combo sound that was prevalent in the years immediately following WWII when amplified blues became standard. Such is the case with their latest album for Vizztone, “Trouble Don’t Last.”

They are paired with some fantastic backing musicians, too. Along with Chris on guitar and vocals and Patrick on bass, we have June Core on drums, and both Rob Stone and Aki Kumar on harp. “Lilly Mae” has a good country-blues feel, and was originally done by Detroiter Calvin Frazier, hence the lyrical nod to Hastings Street. June keeps the beat stompin’ throughout, too. The title cut is a band original that recalls vintage Muddy, as that loping beat rides over the ominous lyrics, “I gave her a home but she mortgaged my soul.” The set closes on a similar note with a tune from Sunnyland Slim, “Roll Tumble And Slip,” featuring both Rob and Aki on dual harp!

The fellows do write some fine topical contemporary blues. The story of a man who’s down on his luck thanks to poor choices at the track and a DUI from the high sheriff realizes he made some mistakes, but it all “Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time!” And, everybody’s “paycheck is gettin’ smaller” and it is sho’ nuff “Hard To Keep A Dollar” nowadays!

We had two favorites, too—one original and one cool cover. The set begins with Chris’ fine lead work on a brooding ode about people we all know, who are “Shameless,” and whose “best friend is a dollar!” And, Chris pays tribute to Freddie King with the jazzy swing of “Lonesome Whistle Blues,” with a great vocal arrangement.

With each successive album, Chris James and Patrick Rynn just keep gettin’ better. They had a great backing band on “Trouble Don’t Last,” and this set shows why they are among the best players of real-deal, down-home blues on the scene today!

~ Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society