Mellow Down Easy

Mellow Down Easy
Studio album by
Carey Bell
Released1991
GenreBlues
LabelBlind Pig
ProducerSteve Jacobs, Jerry Del Giudice, Mark Hurwitz
Carey Bell chronology
Dynasty!
(1990) 		Mellow Down Easy
(1991) 		Breakdown Blues Live!
(1992)

Mellow Down Easy is an album by the American musician Carey Bell, released in 1991.[1][2] Bell supported it with a North American tour.[3]

Production

The album was produced by Steve Jacobs, Jerry Del Giudice, and Mark Hurwitz.[4] Bell wrote six of its songs.[5] He played a chromatic harmonica and was backed by a Maryland band, Tough Luck.[6][7] "Short Dress Woman" is a version of the song written by J. T. Brown.[8] "Walkin' Thru the Park" is a cover of the Muddy Waters song; "Delta Time" is a tribute to Waters.[9][10] The title track was written by Willie Dixon.[11] "Five Long Years" is a cover of the Eddie Boyd standard.[12] "Walkin' by Myself" is a version of the Jimmy Rogers R&B hit.[13] "St. Louis Blues" was composed by W. C. Handy.[14] "Big Walter Strut" is a tribute to Big Walter Horton.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All Music Guide to the Blues[15]
Chicago Tribune[16]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[17]
The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD[6]
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide[4]
Oakland Tribune[18]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[14]
The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide[7]
St. Petersburg Times[8]

The Chicago Tribune stated that "'St. Louis Blues' is the high point of this disc, a long, intimate harmonica solo by Chicago master Bell that begins in sensitive theme-and-decorations and moves on to dancing lines."[16] The St. Petersburg Times opined that the album "illustrates a few perfect intersections of Delta blues and Chicago jazz."[8] The Washington Post said, "The only real pleasures to be found are in the resonant tones and fluid runs Bell consistently coaxes from his chromatic harmonica, and the sound of his warm, weathered voice."[12]

The Denver Post noted, "Sometimes, the tone is like a vibrato-laden guitar. Other times, he gets a C&W swing into his sound."[5] The Oakland Tribune praised the "haunting, dark harmonica solos".[18] The Rocket said that Bell's playing "is astounding, and he's a fluid, expressive vocalist."[19] The North County Blade-Citizen listed Mellow Down Easy as the ninth best blues album of 1991; The Ann Arbor News included it in its top five.[20][21]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Short Dress Woman" 
2."Delta Time" 
3."Five Long Years" 
4."Mellow Down Easy" 
5."For the Love of a Woman" 
6."Just Like You" 
7."Walkin' Thru the Park" 
8."St. Louis Blues" 
9."That Spot Right There" 
10."Big Walter Strut" 
11."One Day" 
12."So Easy to Love You" 
13."Walkin' by Myself" 

References

  1. ^ Herzhaft, Gérard (1997). Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd ed.). University of Arkansas Press. p. 10.
  2. ^ Krampert, Peter (2016). The Encyclopedia of the Harmonica. Mel Bay Publications, Incorporated. p. 19.
  3. ^ Gettelman, Parry (May 24, 1991). "Harp and soul". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 28.
  4. ^ a b MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide (2nd ed.). Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 23.
  5. ^ a b Rosen, Steven (November 6, 1992). "Great blues CDs aren't all classic reissues". Arts. The Denver Post. p. 22.
  6. ^ a b Hadley, Frank-John (1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. The Grove Press. p. 13.
  7. ^ a b The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide. Random House. 1999. p. 55.
  8. ^ a b c Carey, Jean (April 19, 1991). "Sound Bites". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17.
  9. ^ a b Dyar, Kathy (May 3, 1991). "Recordings". Spotlight. Santa Cruz Sentinel. p. 14.
  10. ^ Steadman, Tom (November 29, 1991). "Carey Bell brings the blues downtown". Weekend. News & Record. p. 6.
  11. ^ Ford, Tom (August 25, 1991). "Sounds". The Blade. Toledo. p. E3.
  12. ^ a b Joyce, Mike (April 24, 1991). "The Blues with Harp and Soul". The Washington Post. p. C7.
  13. ^ "Blues master performing tonight at OK". The Marion Star. July 15, 1992. p. 3.
  14. ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 31.
  15. ^ All Music Guide to the Blues (3rd ed.). Backbeat Books. 2003. p. 36.
  16. ^ a b Litweiler, John (April 18, 1991). "Chicago Tribune". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  17. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 461.
  18. ^ a b Kelp, Larry (April 14, 1991). "Recordings". Sunday. Oakland Tribune. p. 6.
  19. ^ McCaughey, Scott (June 1991). "Searchin' USA". The Rocket. No. 140. p. 50.
  20. ^ Gallo, Mark (December 20, 1991). "Our critic picks '91's hottest blues licks". Preview. North County Blade-Citizen. p. 22.
  21. ^ "Top 5 Blues LPs". The Ann Arbor News. December 29, 1991. p. E5.
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