AUGUST 1, 2021 - BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE - STEVE JONES
Aguirre handles the electric guitar and lead vocals. The Blu-City All-Stars are Andy Coco on bass guitar and vocals, Nathan Hershey on organ, clavinet, Rhodes, keys and vocals and Kevin Bowers on drums and percussion. This quartet is a tight and very hot ensemble of musicians and their three-part harmonies are exceptional. They all hail from St. Louis and it’s deep blues music tradition. Aguirre also adds a three piece horn section to great effect; they are Charlie Cerpa (Tenor), Matt McKeever (Alto) and Derick Tramel (Baritone).
Opening the album is the slick instrumental “Hot Plate.” The organ intro is cool and Aguirre’s guitar work is excellent, a rousing opener. The classic “Stagger Lee” follows, a ramping and fun musical ride with great guitar, keys and vocals. “Be Thankful For What You Got Going” has a funky groove uses the keyboards and organ to provide a big sound and the horn section are superbly intertwined. Aguirre sings with passion and reminds me a little of Boz Skaggs here in this William DeVaughn cut. Up next is “Deal With The Devil” which begins with a big sounding instrumental mash up and then shifts gears to a fast driving beat with gravelly vocals and guitar, horns and organ blazing. “My Dog” is next, a cut where Mike gives us a little funk as he talks about his relationship with dog and how his dog looks him in the eye. There is even some cool trombone thrown in for fun here. “Didn’t I” turns down the heat a bit with a slow, cool, funky ballad done is a slick falsetto, similar to the original by Darondo from the 1970’s but with Big Mike’s stamp on it. Subdued guitar and organ provide the main accompaniment.
“It Won’t Be Long” is a take you to church sort of song with Aguirre testifying with a big organ and horn sound supporting his vocals and guitar. Up next is another swinging tune entitled “Two Out Of Three.” Horns, guitar, piano and hand claps help drive the tune along vibrantly. “Free Yourself” features a big guitar and organ presence along with nice horn work and more great vocals in a rousing song with a heavy beat. “Get Away” continues the high energy pace with another jumping style. Aguirre grinds out the vocals, the band plays with controlled frenzy and the overall sound is delightfully hot and energized. A ringing guitar solo compliments the piece nicely. The album concludes with the title track. The pace is slower and the feel is jazzier as the guitar and piano offer the listener a change of pace from the last few tracks; a pretty and cool instrumental that takes the listener home sweetly.
I was impressed with Aguirre and his band makes. These younger St. Louis musicians are the real deal- they do a wonderful job delivering contemporary blues that grab the listener and won’t let go. Eight originals and three nice covers makes for a special album that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!
DEC 2020 -JAN-FEB 2021 - BLUES & CO. AUTREMENT BLUES - ERICK DIARD
Cryptography team has been working around the clock on this review... Here's the translation from French:
Ok, we've all met guys that procrastinate, guys that aren't particularly quick to work, or others who just don't try, but in this instance with this guy Mike we're far away from all of that, or else we should say that we don't really know in which category we should put him. Maybe we should put him in the category of guys that simply didn't have time, or maybe even in the category of guys that like to fine-tune (tweak/refine)?
Because in this instance we're holding a beautiful specimen, imagine a guy who is maturing, thinking, and lay his first album since... hmm.. more than 20 years, that's a while eh! It says that if he keeps up the rhythm we're going to have a hard time listening to the next one, and that, it would really be, but reaaaaally be, regrettable, since this album [“Mississippi Stew”], is truly wonderful. It is super in its musicality, its originality and its diversity. It's a beautiful piece and a delight in 11 songs, with only 3 covers particularly well rearranged, with the rest of the album being brand new compositions, we have to admit that he had the time to make it, but in his own words: "I was intimidated with the writing... Then I put a finger on the gear and I learned to do the job.".
Big Mike Aguirre is a pillar of the St Louis Blues scene, a guy who was cradled (born in/rocked) in all of America's roots, meaning old school blues, rhythm and blues, soul and everything else that mixed and matched around the Mississippi River, a guy who learned the job the hard way with some old school folks, using his everywhere pants (and everywhere has not always been cool), he crossed the path of some industry leaders (that one "illustre pointure" is very difficult to translate litteraly, it really only means someone famous/that you should know of, in a particular industry) before flying his wings with his Blu City All Stars and after 20 years, rich of this experience, he throws in our faces the sound that makes our ears dance in a variation of rhythms (this one too is pretty difficult to translate, literally "il nous envoie direct dans la tronche la rondelle qui fait mouche en nous trimballant les ouïes au gré d'une variation de rythmes" would translate to: "he directly sends in our face the slice that shivers in us by transporting our ears in a variation of rhythm") any ones tastier than the other (any ones meaning any song tastier than the other), navigating from pure zz top boogie, to Memphis sound style booker T, to some soul in honor of his mentor Johnny Taylor and, of course, blues with a big wink to Mister Hooker. Only good, real thought of, interpreted by an imperial six chords Mike, singing ray of sunshine, supported by a monstrous band (monstrous = amazing, beautiful, not heard of).
Ok, he did take 20 years but seeing the results we can only think that he did good and that now that he has his finger on the gear the upcoming album will come really really soon and it will blow (as in blow your mind), all that put aside, if this virus leaves us alone, his career is gonna get a big lift (litteral translation is "his career will get a huge shoe kicked up his a$$").
The best of Big Mike Aguirre is still brewing (yet to come)...
