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https://musicmecca.org/big-blues-rockin-daddy-a-look-at-jazz-swing-blues-dynamo-big-joe-maher-the-dynaflows/

ROCK AND BLUES MUSE                                                                             

Review: Big Joe and the DynaflowsRockhouse Party                                                         

Big Joe and the Dynaflows is the hot, blue, and righteous Washington, D.C.-based outfit of groove merchants led by drummer/vocalist/entertainer/recording artist Big Joe Maher. Big Joe has been playing blues and jazz music for nearly 50 years. He worked with jazz legends like Mundell Lowe and Clark Terry while still in high school and has been pounding the skins ever since. He has also shared air with blues, soul, and R&B greats like Jimmy Witherspoon, Willie Dixon, Lazy Lester, Bull Moose Jackson, James “Thunderbird” Davis, Nappy Brown, and Otis Rush. His latest release, Rockhouse Party, drops February 15th, 2019 on Severn Records and is a top-shelf record full of everything we all love about the blues.

Maher is that rarest of breeds, a lead-singing drummer, and, as such, controls the two most vital elements of his songs. His pocket is strong and solid, his swing is deep, and his vocals and engaging and expressive. The album opens with a cover of Roosevelt Sykes’ “Drivin’ Wheel” that is cool and confident and is built on a perfect mid-tempo shuffle feel. Many bands like to open a record with something fast and frantic but Big Joe keeps it wide open and easy, full of the confidence that lots more great music is on the way. His vocals express Sykes’ lyrics in a way that keeps listeners tuned in and paying attention to the songwriting skills that created them.

Big Joe and the Dynaflows bassist Tom “Mookie” Brill takes over vocals on the heartbreak-heavy “So Mean To Me” and lays every bit of pain in the song out for all to see. It’s the kind of track that reminds us that blues is vocal music first and foremost and that it’s built on actual songs, not the endless instrumental jamming so common with lesser groups. “Rockhouse Party represents my love of pure blues and R&B,” says Big Joe, “The songs I write come from my heart and tell the same story as all the great blues artists have done for the last 100 years: the story of life!” This kind of real human storytelling is somewhat of a lost art in the 21st Century but Big Joe does a fine job of keeping the spirit and tradition of blues music alive without sounding like a history lesson.

“World Gone Wrong” is an emotive slow blues with socially-conscious lyrics about the state of indigo that’s washing over our planet and it’s worth some close listening time. Co-producer Kevin McKendree lays down sweet piano and organ licks here that add to the track’s 3AM atmosphere. Guitarists Robert Frahm and Yates McKendree put in good work, too, and are always right where they should be on the entire album. The set ends with another slow blues, “Two Years of Torture,” that shows the entire band’s mastery of open space. No one ever overplays and this keeps the mood deliciously soulful.

Big Joe and the Dynaflows have a winner in Rockhouse Party, plain and simple. The record is distributed by MRI/The Orchard/Sony in both CD and LP formats and both versions feature vibrant cover art done by Big Joe’s homie Marty Baumann, who works for Disney-Pixar Films. This means it should be available and attracting attention around the world, bring the band to the biggest audience it has ever had. This is definitely one for lovers of vintage sounds but the soul and creativity the album contains will make it a good time for anyone interested in American musical styles. Rockhouse Party is a blast from beginning to end and you should play it for everyone you know. If they don’t respond to this session, they might be dead. Pick it up today!

By Mike O’Cull

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BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE

 

POSTED ONAPRIL 21, 2019 BY MARTY GUNTHER

Big Joe & The DynaflowsRockhouse Party | Album Review

Severn Records CD 0074

13 songs – 48 minutes

 

Big Joe Maher has been one of the top drummers and vocalists in the business since emerging from the Washington, D.C. area and this album, which was produced by Nashville heavyweight Kevin McKendree, clearly demonstrates he hasn’t lost a step. A Maryland native, Big Joe cut his teeth listening to Louis Jordan and other blues and R&B greats, influences who’ve remained his inspiration since forming his own trio after graduating from high school. He spent most of the 1980s managing and playing with The Uptown Rhythm Kings, a nine-piece swing band, before joining legendary guitarist Tom Principato’s ensemble.

 

He formed the Dynaflows as a five-piece unit late in the decade and spent most of the ‘90s serving as musical director of Mick Fleetwood’s eponymous nightclub in Alexandria, Va., when not touring with his own band. A three-time winner of the Washington Area Music Awards, the Dynaflows released their first album in 1990 and include successful releases on Ichiban, Black Top, Tramp and Severn, where they’ve returned after an eight-year absence.

 

Delivering an old-school mix of blues and R&B, the album takes its name from McKendree’s Rockhouse Studio in suburban Franklin, Tenn., and features Mookie Brill, the multiple Blues Music Award-winning bass player, holding down the bottom throughout and sharing vocals with Big Joe. McKendree contributes keyboards throughout. They’re joined by Robert Frahm and Kevin’s 17-year-old son, Yates, on guitars with a guest appearance by Erin Coburn who provides backing vocals on two cuts and contributes six-string on another.

 

The disc contains five originals – four by Maher and one by Yates – and eight covers and opens with unhurried, guitar-fueled take on Roosevelt Sykes’ “Driving Wheel,” once a major hit for Junior Parker. A percussive shuffle, it swings comfortably into Little Milton’s stop-time classic, “So Mean To Me,” with Brill taking command of the vocals. He remains in charge for another R&B stunner, O.V. Wright’s “8 Men 4 Women,” which follows. Big Joe’s back in charge for Dave Bartholomew’s “Go On Fool” and “World Gone Wrong,” the first new tune in the set. It’s a tasty ballad that features McKendree on keys and deals with the realization that things simply aren’t the way they used to be. An understated political statement, it focuses on how folks are much angrier than they used to be.Nappy Brown’s “If You Need Some Lovin’” is up next, followed by “Overdrive,” an uptempo instrumental rocker that gives the guitars space to shine. Fenton Robinson’s “Tennessee Woman” follows before a pair of originals: the stop-time “Go With The Flow,” about picking up a lady in a brand new Dynaflow, and the loping “I’m A Country Boy,” which sings about the perils of city life.“Vibrate,” first performed in the ‘60s by rockabilly keyboard player Mack Self, gets new life before the jazzy “Sleepy Joe.” Penned by Yates McKendree, it’s a well-paced instrumental that features all three guitarists with the lead lines jumping between channels. The Percy Mayfield ballad “Two Years Of Torture” brings the disc to a close.While Rockhouse Party doesn’t cut much new ground, it’s as comfortable as an old pair of slippers and perfect for any blues lover with old-school sensibilities.

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BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE

DEAL WITH IT   -- 4 JACKS (Big Joe, Anson, Kevin & Steve)

By:  Chip Eagle, March 1, 2013

EllerSoul Records

BluesWax Rating: 8 out of 10

4Jacks-Deal_with_it 

So Retro, So Cool

First off, what a cool name! “J” stands for Big Joe Maher, “A” is for Anson Funderburgh, “K” is for Kevin McKendree, and last, but not least, ‘S’ is for Steve Mackey. Please no questions about the “C”!

I first saw this band in 2012 on Delbert McClinton‘s Sandy Beaches Cruise and there was a buzz that they were going into Kevin McKendree’s studio to record. I saw them again this past January on this year’s  Delbert cruise and Kevin McKendree handed me their new CD. Yes! Three of the four players have close ties to Delbert, so unless (I’m not knowing) Big Joe Maher is the only unconnected musician to Mr. McClinton. McKendree and Mackey have been with Delbert for some time now, and Anson previously recorded with Delbert. Big Joe played on McKendree’s Hammers and Strings CD, so there’s that tie in. Long story short, lots of tie-ins.

Deal With It is comprised of twelve tracks, three are covers, and most of the balance of tunes were either written or co-written by Maher. The instrumental title track opens this album and it’s a promising start. McKendree broils on B3, Funderburgh is right on with his big fat tone as the band locks in on a track that could have been recorded in the Sixties. Good stuff! Maher’s “Have Ourselves a Time” is so hip! Maher’s in his typical good vocal form, Funderburgh’s guitar is sweet, Mackey’s locked in, and McKendree tickles the keys and it’s a fun, good time for all. Percy Mayfield’s “I Don’t Want To Be President” follows and fits the bill like a glove. Funderburgh’s sparse playing nails it, McKendree doubles on B3 and piano and he’s is right on too. “Vote for me!”

Maher’s rollicking “She Ain’t Worth a Dime” rolls. McKendree keys are spot on with Maher’s vocals carrying on. The smoky, late-night vibe on Maher’s “Love’s Like That” is an end-of-the-night vamp. Funderburgh fits in smartly with his solo, McKendree’s very supportive on piano as this gem mesmerizes. It’s blues time on Maher’s “Bobcat Woman,” which is about putting poison in the coffee and arsenic in the tea, not a very happy lyric, but this tune will make you smile as the band percolates throughout. Their cover of “Your Turn to Cry” is, as expected, a sordid tale that’s very bluesy and talks about that there’s someone else by my side.

Maher’s “Thunder and Lightning” feels like it could have been out of the Freddie King songbook. Funderburgh easily fits the King’s part as the entire band coagulates to the end. Appropriately, “Texas Twister” follows instrumentally. Funderburgh’s so cozy and delivers on all fronts; the band follows in perfection on this ultra-fun tune authored by every band member. “Ansonmypants,” co-authored by Maher and Yates McKendree (Kevin’s son) is another hoot. Anson is so dead on and just sails, daddy McKendree hits the B3 as his kid sparkles on the keys. “Bad News Baby” is another late-night blues cover. You know what’s coming but want it. Yes, you’re bad news baby, cheat on me and let my hair turn gray… bring it on. Anson delivers the dirty deeds on guitar to near perfection, as does Maher’s vocals, who’s righteously out of his mind and has had his fill, but he’s still loving that bad news baby.

This cool disc closes with the instrumental “Painkiller,” authored by all the band members that could have easily been covered by the original sixties version of the Meters, it’s so sultry and appropriately funky.

Who makes albums like this? Nobody, but when you blend the high musicianship assembled here and add their knowledge of the music they cherish, what else could you expect? High-quality tunes performed flawlessly. Very recommended listening, little else compares.

Bob Putignano is a senior contributing editor at BluesWax, a contributing writer at Blues Revue, and the heart and soul of Sounds of Blue.

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BLUES IN BRITAIN  

         

DEAL WITH IT--  4 JACKS

 

Ellersoul ER121201

 

The 4 Jacks in question in question on this hot set of jumping blues and R&B just happen to be four of the finest musicians on the blues scene today – namely Anson Funderburgh, Big Joe Maher, Kevin McKendree and Steve Mackey.  With musicians like that you would expect quality – and that’s just what you get.

The set kicks off with the title track – a lasciviously swinging instrumental fuelled by hot Texas guitar, percolating B3 and a rhythm section that as Tampa Red would say is “tight like that”.  ‘Have Ourselves A Time’ is self-explanatory as it swings irresistibly fuelled by the booming clarity of Maher’s vocals – whilst on ‘I Don’t Want To Be President’ Maher captures the smoky quality of Percy Mayfield’s vocal style which is echoed by Funderburgh’s beautifully understated guitar. ‘Ansonmypants’ is a slab of vintage rock’n’roll fired by Yates McKendree’s powerhouse boogie piano, Maher’s animated vocals and Funderburgh’s fiery Texas guitar – whilst ‘Bad News Baby’ proves the 4 Jacks are equally at home on moody late night blues.With Funderburgh on board a number like ‘Texas Twister’ was inevitable and this one is a killer with him sounding like a blue Duane Eddy underpinned by Maher’s trash-can drums.

As they say “all killer – no filler.  Mick Rainsford

 

(www.ellersoulrecords.com)

 

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BigManDown

 



OFFBEAT MAGAZINE

Absolute Jaw Dropper”

By: Jeff Hannusch

 

YOU CAN’T KEEP A BIG MAN DOWN” -- BIG JOE & THE DYNAFLOWS

 

Big Joe is a rarity in the blues world. He's a drummer who doubles as a vocalist. That's about as rare as a left-handed baseball catcher. His sound is akin to

Roomful of Blues, but more stripped down (less horny, you can say). He relies on well-chosen vintage material, but he's also capable of writing first-class

originals. The title track is one of those originals, as it shuffles along a la mid-1950s B.B. King. Ironically, he covers a couple mid-1950s B.B. King tracks—

"Bad Case of Love" and the Jay McShann-penned "Confessin' the Blues." The track here that's an absolute jaw-dropper--especially if you're from these parts—

is the swamp-pop weeper "Evangeline." You'll swear you've heard this song on an old Guitar Gable or Cookie and the Cupcakes 45, but you haven't. It's a

Big Joe original. Another witty original is "Property Line," which "borrows" the arrangement from Israel "Popper Topper" Tolbert's "Big Leg Woman." So

is the telling lament of the nine-to-five grind "Face the Facts." Definitely recommended to those with a taste for the blues.

 

Big Joe & the Dynaflows Deliver Jumping Rhythm, Blues, Rock

By MattMarshall http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2011/04/big-joe-and-the-dynaflows/

April 2, 2011  Posted in: Album Reviews, Blues, Reviews

 

Big Joe and the Dynaflows recently released their new album You Can’t Keep A Big Man Down, from Severn Records. Big Joe Maher, a 30 year veteran of both blues and jazz, is a mighty vocalist and a powerful drummer, both positions he takes up on this album. There’s a range of influences to play with, while the album thematically continues along a jump blues feeling that helps keep it centered.

The second track is an excellent cover of B.B. King’s “Bad Case of Love”, with a righteous multi-saxophone backing courtesy of Dennis Taylor. Joe’s drumming and vocals are perfect for the track, possibly one of the best renditions of the song since the King himself put his stamp on it. Rob McNelley’s guitar riffs echo B.B. while managing to hold his own sound, an accomplishment that isn’t easy to pull off. “Evangeline” is straight out of the classic New Orleans R&B playbook. “I’m To Blame” is a great take on the track, with heavy horns and a rockin’ piano groove reminiscent of B.B. King.

Overall, the album plays with a number of styles, all of which are handled easily by the crack band. Maher makes the vocal work sound effortless. While the liner notes make a mighty proclamation that he’s one of the finest drummers on the scene today, after hearing this album, we might be convinced. With a great blend of original and cover tracks, it’s a fun, upbeat album that surely has that jumping blues feeling. Since it’s recent release, it’s been getting quite a bit of mileage, with appearances on B.B. King’s Bluesville on Sirius XM, New Orleans’ Offbeat Magazine, and plenty of others.


 

“You Can't Keep A Big Man Down"

 

Big Joe and the Dynaflows


CD Review by John H. Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

 

The liner notes for "You Can't Keep A Big Man Down" start off by saying "Big Joe Maher is among the finest drummers and vocalists on the scene today". A bold statement indeed, but one that you will soon find more then fitting once you have started listening to his great new release.

"You Can't Keep A Big Man Down" consists of 12 Tracks mainly done in the vain of Jump Style Blues, with the odd track bordering on a little Funk and Swing feel, with great flavors of New Orleans, Chicago, Texas, and Beyond Blues. Six of the Tracks are Covers and six are Originals, with Big Joe Maher solely writing four songs and co-writing two in whole or part, with J.R.Maher, P. Maher, Bill Campbell, and Rob McNelley. Band members for "You Can't Keep A Big Man Down" included Big Joe Maher (Drums/Vocals), Kevin McKendree (Piano/Organ), Bill Campbell (Bass), Rob McNelley (Guitar), Dennis Taylor (Saxophone). It was produced by Kevin McKendree and Big Joe Maher.

It starts off with the first Original, which is the title track, "You Can't Keep a Big Man Down", a great Chicago Blues style tune that gets you acquainted with the great guitar playing of Rob McNelley. The second track, "Bad Case of Love", is the first cover on "You Can't Keep A Big Man Down", and starts off with a great intro courtesy of Dennis Taylor on Saxophone. This B.B. King song is simply done to perfection, especially with the great vocals and drumming of Big Joe Maher.

Other Covers on this release are Whatcha Gonna Do? (Billy Wright), Someday (Johnny Green), Confessin' the Blues (J. McShann/Walter Brown), I'm to Blame (J. McCracklin) and What the Hell Were You Thinkin'? (Mcclinton/McKendree/Hambridge). All the covers are done extremely well and fit into the general theme of "You Can't Keep A Big Man Down" in a logical and well done fashion.

I found all the Originals to be very well written and performed and they cover the gamut of styles from "Evangeline", a sound reminiscent of Elvis Presley, in the slower vain. to "Nothin' But Trouble", a great slow song which is highlighted by the amazingly youthful feel of Big Joe Maher's vocals as well as all the other magic brought into it courtesy of all the other great band members.

"You Can't Keep A Big Man Down" is a great bluesy musical romp, put together via Big Joe Maher and his exceptional group of fellow Artists. This release not only shows us that Big Joe Maher is indeed "among the finest drummers and vocalists on the scene today,” but it also shows us that together as with "The Dynaflows" he also is part of one of the better bands on the scene today.

"You Can't Keep A Big Man Down" was a great introduction to an Artist and Band I was not really aware of. Great Stuff... Highly Recommended.