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It's time again to tray and catch up a little on a few CDs, so here are a few mini-items on some of the more interesting albums I've heard.

Hugh Laurie, "Let Them Talk" (Warner Bros. Records)

For those of you, like me, who would usually rather listen to good music than watch the tube, Hugh Laurie is a British actor who plays Dr. Gregory House on the very popular TV show, "House." It trurns out that Laurie is also a big blues fan, with an especially keen interest in New Orleans musical styles. It also turns out that he's a piano player of some skill.

So Laurie now has an album called "Let Them Talk," and with the help of a few friends like Dr. John and Irma Thomas, cranks out a set of respectable piano-based blues. Except that it veers into disparate musical territory with tracks like “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho,” “It Ain't Necessarily So," and  “Swanee River" with some boogie woogie stylings.

Laurie's piano work is actually pretty good. If the album has a big weak spot, it's Laurie's vocals, which lack the substance and style to carry the music. You can tell the difference when Dr. John and Thomas get their turns on the vocals. But the CD is interesting because of the musical approach taken on a number of the tracks, and the quality of the musicians, including Laurie.

Sean Chambers, "Live from the Long Island Blues Warehouse" (Blue Heat Records)

Sean Chambers is a blues-rock guitarist out of Florida who plays wicked slide guitar, sports gritty vocals, and on this CD, a collection of original tunes. There are rockers like "Full Moon on Main Street," power ballads like "Love Can Find a Way," and whip-smart slide on the classic "Dust My Broom."

Chambers was Hubert Sumlin's guitarist and band leader from 1998 to 2003 before setting out on this career path. Blues-rockers aren't hard to find, but Chambers deserves a listen for the undercurrents of Chicago and the Delta in his roots.

Dicky James and the Blue Flames, "Hard Rain"

Dicky James is a tough-sounding traditional electric blues player out of Indiana who creates his own music based on Chicago-type blues. And he's quite good at it.

This CD is mostly original, with a strong sense of the blues and with a passion for their work. "Bulldog Talkin' " is a dobro slide that's especially tasty, "Special to Me" shuffles along nicely, and Bob "Icehouse" Freeze works a little blues magic on his harp. The band has a strong sound and if they ever show up at Moondog's, you should take them in.

Here's a sample of the Laurie CD:

Here's Sean Chambers:

Here's Dicky James:

 

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