Blues CD Reviews: The Nighthawks - "Last Train To Bluesville"

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The Nighthawks - Last Train To Bluesville - Rip Bang Records 2010

I saw the Nighthawks for the first time last summer. It was a name I was familiar with, but for whatever reason, a band I had yet to be turned on to. Needless to say, I was impressed. The band was not only top notch when it came to playing their music, but on a hot day in June, they put on a hell of a show to boot. I was grinning from ear to ear by the end of their set, and I quickly understood why these guys have been drawing crowds for four decades, now.

It was on the strength of that performance that I was so excited when I received word that Last Train To Bluesville was hitting store shelves in early February 2010. Produced by the band themselves, the icing on the cake is how the record was recorded.

Recorded live at the Sirius/XM Satellite Radio Studios in 2009, Last Train To Bluesville features the Nighthawks doing 10 of their favorite covers in a stripped down, acoustic setting. Songs from legends such as Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, James Brown and more provide 40 minutes of sheer enjoyment.

Mark Wenner plays harp and handles lead vocals on seven of the disc's 10 songs, including all three Muddy Waters covers on the album ("Nineteen Years Old," "Can't Be Satisfied," and " Rollin' and Tumblin'"). Pete Ragusa plays only a snare drum on Last Train To Bluesville, but he certainly gets the most out of it. He also does a fantastic job on lead vocals covering James Brown's "I'll Go Crazy." Paul Bell plays guitar and provides backing vocals and harmonies on the album. Bass player Johnny Castle plays upright on the disc, and takes lead vocal duties on Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days" and Bo Diddley's "You Don't Love Me."

Last Train To Bluesville kicks off with Lieber & Stoller's "The Chicken and the Hawk (Up Up and Away)." The tune really swings, and Bell's guitar sounds warm as it rings behind Wenner's vocals. The song also features a sampling of some of the great vocal harmonies that are found throughout Last Train To Bluesville.

"Nineteen Years Old" is done playfully, with the song's subject getting progressively older as the lyrics unfold. Bell switches to slide guitar for this one, and fits in an imressive solo, complimented by Wenner's growling harp.

Pete Ragusa takes the lead, as I said, on "I'll Go Crazy." The song's lyrics "If you leave me, I'll go crazy," are ironic, considering Last Train To Bluesville is the last Nighthawks album Ragusa will be a part of before leaving the band to pursue other endeavors. He does a terrific job on vocals, and Wenner adds a stellar harp solo. Regarding Ragusa's departure from the band, Wenner, a founding member of The Nighthawks, said “I wish him the very best in his new endeavors and he will be missed." Mark Stutso has recently stepped into the role of Nighthawks drummer/vocalist, to fill the vancancy left by Ragusa.

Bo Diddley's "You Don't Love Me" follows "I'll Go Crazy," and features Bell's guitar harmonizing with bassist Johnny Castle's lead vocal. It's a cool touch. "Rainin' In My Heart," the Slim Harpo classic, is one of my personal favorites on Last Train To Bluesville. It's got a great blend of Blues and Country that translates incredibly well with the acoustic treatment that the band provides. If you bought one track from this disc, this is the one I would recommend.

Bell captures Muddy Waters iconic slide riffs to perfection on the cover of "Cant' Be Satisfied." I challenge you not to at least bob your head to this one. "Thirty Days" is done up as a Rockabilly number that has a fantastic groove to it. Wenner and Bell both solo on the tune, and capture the escence of Rock 'N' Roll.

"Mighty Long Time" is a slow number from the Sonny Boy Williamson songbook. "High Temperature" is a song perfectly suited for Wenner's harp, originally composed by Joel Cohen and Walter Jacobs.

Last Train To Bluesville ends with an awesome version of Muddy Waters' "Rollin and Tumblin'". The Nighthawks have some amazing layers on the tune, with harp, slide guitar, bass and percussion. The vocal lead-in sounds almost like a Native American war chant, rumbling over the first two minutes of the song's 5:20 total length. This is a very cool take on this classic.

Last Train To Bluesville shows what talented musicians can do without all of the fancy effects and production ga-ga that conquers the current musical landscape. Discussing this album, along with looking back at last week's review of Steve Howell's Since I Saw You Last show's us that there are those great musicians out there, we just need to go beyond what we find on the shelves of the big box stores and what we hear on the majority of our radio stations.

I highly recommend this CD!

Standout Tracks: All of Them, Especially "Rainin' In My Heart," "I'll Go Crazy," and "Rollin' and Tumblin'"

Click Here To Purchase Last Train To Bluesville Directly From The Nighthawks!