"Stone Cold Ohio" by Little Axe

February 11, 2009—The Little Axe aggregate continues to do good things with their latest CD Stone Cold Ohio (Ryko). The synthesis of old time blues, gospel, songs of work and songs of protest with the contemporary studio and its ability to combine old sound with new is in many ways aided and constructed by industry vetted producer Adrian Sherwood.

This new one is another winner. (See below for a review of a previous release). There's some cool acoustic guitar work embedded in there too. Sounds like there is the presence of what my young but eager nephew calls "that guitar with the spaghetti strainer built into it," the resonator!

Little Axe: Change in Continuity

January 28, 2009—Little Axe is singer-guitarist Skip McDonald and selected friends. The music combines dobro and electric guitar, contemporary rhythms and old-time stomps, pre-urban and folk sensibilities in the Afro-American tradition with the forms of contemporary r & b and rock.

Blues-based yet with a foot in the present, the 2004 release Champagne and Grits (Ryko) gives you a take on the roots that ends up with a music for today. That to me is a most welcome turn of events and I found myself responding to it with pleasant surprise. It’s good music and a good bet if you value change in continuity.