A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!

Subject: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 11:37 AM

I've received quite a few recordings from Mudcatters over the four years I've been here, and many of them have made it to the airwaves on "Acoustic Workshop". They've ranged from (occasionally)pretty bizzare to really excellent, but few (if any) have reached the level of Reggie Miles (with Ham Gravy) At The Crossroads.

I don't know the guy, and all I remember about his posts here is that he has a pretty knowledgeable sense of the blues, he busks, plays the SAW(!) and lives in Washington State.

I put this album on two days ago, and after about thirty seconds was calling to Heather in the other room...."Hey, come and listen to this! This guy really swings"!

Well the whole album "swings", including the slow pieces. It's a mixture of Bluesey, jazzy, juggy, eclectic stuff and it relects a HUGE commitment on the part of the singer/players. I'm not sure who plays what on specific songs so I'll focus on Reggie (his band mates are Jack Cook and hugh Sutton) for this review.

My criteria for enjoyment of music are simple: Originality being the first. Well, that's a tricky thing in Blues music, because so many recordings are derivative with very slight deviations from "the learning source". Reggie MAKES this music his own. His take on Leroy Carr's "Papa's On The Houstop" is the best I've heard, and Gershwin's Summertime "on the saw" must be heard to be believed. He's got songs by Rusty Draper, Bert Williams, Clifford Hayes etc. which proves that he "digs deeply" for material. One question though: "Who's 'One Man Johnson'? You got me there, reggie.

I'm big on "investment". Well, if Reggie Miles isn't a "lifer" (someone who's commitment to making music is life-long and supercedes many of the more mundane things like 'earning a lot of money' Ha ha(!), I'll be surprised. He seems to know his genre well enough to simply be called "A Bluesman".

Timing, and pitch. Yup...he swings, and he's on key, I can't ask for more.

Anyway, this album causes me to smile...Big time. Great work Reggie.

I'm not sure if I should give ordering information, without hearing from Reggie first, (If you see this could you let folks know how to get it) but I WILL say, if you give this album as a holiday present you can be sure of some smiles on the other end. Even your elderly Aunt who watches Lawrence Welk re-runs will probably like it!

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 06:36 PM

Don't mean to intrude on Reggie's review thread, but the last album from Mudcat that I enjoyed (almost) as much was by 'one man band' Eric Royer (Lonesome Gillete on the forum)....also great rootsy music.

Rick

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Deckman
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 07:24 PM

Rick ... you are absolutly right on regarding Reggie. He is a joy as a person and as a musician. And, he's the ONLY saw player I've ever heard who can play in pitch, and that ain't easy. CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 07:27 PM

Well, Art Thieme seems to have played Amazing Grace really well on pitch.:-)

Thanks for the review, Rick. I've added it to my list. Oh, Secret Santa?!

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: reggie miles
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 07:52 PM

Rick, thanks so much for the review. Gosh folks I'm speechless. So I'll stick to responding to your inquiries. Jack Cook is singing the lead vocals on the Leroy Carr and Clifford Hayes numbers and I join him on my 1929-Maytag-Custom-Dixie-Delta-Deluxe-Eldorado-Rhythm-board, harmonica and harmony vocals. I'm singing lead on everything else.

OneMan Johnson is, to be more precise, Robert OneMan Johnson. He's a long time friend, a truly gifted writer, player, performer, entertainer and my biggest influence. He has a number of recordings out. You can check them out at his site www.housedogmusic.com He plays a foot operated 12 string bass that he calls an acoustic foot piano. It's similar to the one played by Jesse Fuller, who OneMan drew his inspiration from. He also efforlessly keeps counter rhythms on a chopped down (lowboy) highhat cymbal, again like Jesse, while playing one of several different guitars, a 12 string, a '36 National Steel, a Martin D-28, and adding harmonica, kazoo and vocals to the mix.

The info for gettin' a copy of this is simple, call me 360-793-9577, write me at Reggie Miles 519 3rd Street Sultan, WA 98294, or email me at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: reggie miles
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 08:06 PM

www.housedogmusic.com Robert OneMan Johnson

---

Link fixed - added "http://". --JoeClone

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: reggie miles
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 08:07 PM

Well that didn't work in the thread but you can get there believe me.

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Amos
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 08:24 PM

And you can hear Reggie's amazing Girl With the Shimmy... on your own set of Mudcat Sampler CDs, coming soon to a folk community near you!

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: reggie miles
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 08:27 PM

LOL!

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Deckman
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 09:23 PM

Hi Reggie ... Have you thought of this tag line: "You should have seen what I saw!" CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Deckman
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 09:28 PM

Or ... better yet ... "YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT I SAW! Bob

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: reggie miles
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 10:18 PM

Bob, LOL! That sounds like a good bumper sticker. Thanks, I'll work that up. I hope you're well. You certainly sound in good "spirits" so soon after Halloween. "Sawry" I missed the "hoot" the other night. I wanted to come and get spooky on my saw but daylight savings time got to me and warped my internal time clock. Or maybe it's all these hours of pecking away at this keyboard. Saw ya later? ;~)

Subject: RE: A Great CD from Mudcat: Reggie Miles!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 02 Nov 02 - 12:15 PM

I'm sure that some of the Toronto Mudcatters (there's about five, by my count) know the band "SlowPoke" which is mostly Ed Hutchison, aka. Eddie Baltimore. Same kinda music.....Solid, solid, solid. The folks that get Reggie's album will NOT be diappointed.

Cheers

Rick