Blues Music Review: Nasty Ned - Roots 52 - American Showplace Music 2010

On May 7, 2010, Nasty Ned was honored with an induction into the Blues Hall of Fame (not to be confused with the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame) and he was saluted as a "great Blues artist from New Jersey." Born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1952, Nasty Ned has been playing this music for decades now, is strongly dedicated to Blues in the schools and preservation initiatives, and has worked in all aspects of the music industry, while maintaining his reputation as a knockout vocalist and harmonica ace.

The induction came hot on the heels of the April 2010 release of Ned's latest release on the American Showplace Music imprint, titled Roots 52. The album is described on the back cover as "a throw back to post-war Muddy and Wolf type shoutin' Blues." I can tell you first hand that this is most likely more accurate than any description I will be able to conjure in this review. Roots 52 is right up my alley. Old school with conviction, and not for the sake of doing something nostalgic, but for creating something real.

The album starts off with "Lonely Loaded Pistol," the first of eight originals on Roots 52, and a tone-setter for the direction of the rest of the album. Roots 52 was recorded live to tape, with no overdubs, track stacking, and technological fixes. It's recorded in the classic fashion, and took two days to craft during the recording phase. This is impressive when you sit down with the record, because it shows the talent of the staff on Roots 52, as well as Ned's passion for keeping it real. Musicians on Roots 52 include Nasty Ned on vocals and harmonica, Michael Krizan on guitars, Junior Bradfield on bass, and Steve "Little Leroy" Pozellanti handling the drum kit.

"Lonely Loaded Pistol" is filled with the clever, double-sided songwriting that listeners used to get constantly in the post-war era. Nowadays, things aren't always as creatively crafted, lyric-wise, but the songs here, and this one especially (as well as the follower, "Love Me Deep,") buck that trend. "Born With the Plainfield Blues" is a somewhat autobiographical track that discusses American icons such as Muddy Waters and Mickey Mantle in the context of how they helped shape a young Nasty Ned. No wonder I dig this record so much...I'm a big fan of both of those cats, as well.

"Nothin' Else Can Taste That Way" is another great original track, and coincidentally, it's a song that I have the distinction of being the first to play on the radio (from the disc, anyway.) It's a raw Blues that continues on the path set forth by the songs before it: well played, well sang, and well written. There's a dozen tracks on Roots 52, including the two instrumental bonus tracks (A terrific harmonica solo of "Star Spangled Banner" and the minute-long stomper "That's All, Goodnight"), but I feel that where Nasty Ned really excells are the original tunes. That's no slight on the covers found on the album, it's simply a compliment of his new material, which is simply fantastic.

Ned and company lay down some wonderful versions of classic Blues tunes, as well, though, beginning with the Muddy Waters number "Can't Be Satisfied," which features Ned snapping and blowin' along with Krizan's National steel body guitar. This is a masterful cover, and at times you catch an impressiona that Ned actually channeled his hero for this tune. It's not the only time you find Ned as the embodiment of Muddy's ghost, either, as there's also a version of Muddy's "Standin' Around Cryin'" on Roots 52. He also cuts a take on "Rollin' and Tumblin'" which is a traditional that Muddy made his own, as well.

Original music fires back up with "Money Can't Buy You," a cool tune about the common knowledge that while there are some things that money can't buy, "it sure comes in handy all the rest of the time." Tell me about it! "Mississippi Water" follows and features an abolutely breathtaking harp solo from Ned. I love Krizan's guitar melody here, too, that he keeps ringing in the bacground throughout the track. This is probably the standout tune, for me, as far as the entire band's playing. The boys simply kill on "Mississippi Water." "In My Soul" is the last tune that we get before the bonus tracks that I mentioned earlier. It's a slow-tempo tune that provides Roots 52 a strong closer as far as vocal numbers.

It's always nice to get away from the studio gloss and listen to real people making real music. Thankfully, with the Blues, we don't often have to worry about that. It still happens, but it's a lot easier to find genuine music without the tricks and frills. Roots 52 is a perfect example of that, and a welcome addition to my library. American Showplace Music labeled Roots 52 "Nasty Ned's Finest Blues To Date!" in their press release touting the new CD, and I feel that the statement was certainly warranted. This is a great record.

Standout Tracks: All of Them, Especially "Lonely Loaded Pistol," "Nothin' Else Can Taste That Way," "Mississippi Water," and "Can't Be Satisfied"

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