Peter Ward - Blues On My Shoulders (2017)

Blues and swing in a fresh new sound within traditional framework, with special guests and an emphasis on blues guitar. More than 40 years ago I was a teenager in Lewiston, Maine, playing my Gibson ES 330T next to the record player and trying to figure out how guitarists such as Robert Jr. Lockwood, Jimmy Rogers and Louis Myers were making the songs of Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson sound so great. (Those chords, fills and bass runs delight me still today.)

I would soon hear my blues heroes in person and perform alongside them on stage. Otis Rush once turned to me (in my 20s) and remarked that I played chords like "an old man.” A highlight was touring with the Legendary Blues Band, Muddy’s former band which starred Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Calvin “Fuzz” Jones and Jerry Portnoy. Their unhurried improvisational brand of blues was everything I believed in.

I’d always relished the role of sideman. But in recent years I discovered I had more to say. I started capturing snippets of melodies and phrases in my mind and converted them into songs and started to sing them. And finally I understood what my friend, the late jazz guitarist Sonny Dunbar, meant when he said a guitar solo should serve as a romantic conversation. I try to imbue mine with humor, tears, twists and turns. It's been a blast — and I'm not done yet! I do hope you enjoy “Blues on My Shoulders.”

Here are the notes for each song.

SONG NOTES
• She Took It All. I thought a friend was happily married; sadly so did he.
• Which Hazel. Tribute to Chuck Berry who once choked me in silence
• Blues on My Shoulders. I was thinking Jimmy Rogers
• Collaborate. Great singing as always by Sugar Ray Norcia and I combined my guitar tribute to Robert Junior Lockwood and Lonnie Johnson.
• Shiprock. A spiritual place in Navajo land where my wife, Mai, and I watched an all-Navajo parade celebration.
• What Can I Do To You? I'm not really this mean.
• It's On Me. Ronnie Earl and Sax Gordon Beadle help me out here. A tribute of sorts to a great singer, Eddie Boyd.
• Southpaw. Rusty Scott on the Hammond B3 helps me pay homage to left-handed swing guitarist Dickie Thompson, a sideman for Wild Bill Davis
• On the Ropes. For dancers.
• Colletta. I was thinking of a talking' blues like Taj Mahal — you know the way on some songs he gushes a cascade of lyrics as part of his story. Eric Kilburn of Wellspring Sound plays beautiful mandolin and lent me his all silver German resonator guitar
• Kansas City Blues. Tip o' the cap to Robert Nighthawk
• A Little More. I had my former bandleader and all around terrific person Johnny Copeland in mind. Ronnie Earl and Sax Gordon burn again.
• Drummin' Willie. I was happy working alongside Willie "Big Eyes" Smith while touring with the Legendary Blues Band. I was among the few Willie allowed to drive the truck. One time, as he nestled into the bench seat for a rare nap, Willie warned me, "If you zig, make damned sure you zag." Now THAT was brilliant — and funny.

Track List:
01. She Took It All 03:09
02. Which Hazel 03:10
03. Blues On My Shoulders 03:16
04. Collaborate 04:56
05. Shiprock 02:36
06. What Can I Do To You 03:10
07. It's On Me 04:24
08. Southpaw 04:10
09. A Little More 05:18
10. On The Ropes 03:09
11. Colletta 03:38
12. Kansas City Blues 04:24
13. Drummin' Willie 04:59

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