Showing posts with label Dion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dion. Show all posts

2/29/2024

Blues-Rock-Country Review: Dion-Girl Friends

Release Date: March 8, 2024

Label: INGROOVES

Website

Dion has been making music for a mighty long time. He is one of the few who recorded music in the 50s and 60s that is still alive and relevant. That point alone should tell you something about the man's resilience and determination. It tells me a lot.

 

Girl Friends is another winner, his most recent release with an all-star cast. As you can see by the CD cover, all his guests are the ladies accompanying him on twelve tracks of blues, rock, and country-flavored tunes. I enjoyed it from start to finish, and Dion is in fine form musically and vocally.

 

Track one begins "Soul Force," an excellent way to kick off things with the fiery Susan Tedeschi. They both rock the house as Dion sings, "Superpower stronger by the hour."

 

"I Aim to Please" with Danielle Nicole is a country-inflected mover! This one has a great call answer from the duo and is a real toe-tapper. 

 

"Stop Drop and Roll" with Valerie Tyson features a strumming acoustic guitar with lots of rhythm and harmonizing. It is a country pop tune with banjo and excellent electric six-string licks. Some foot-stompin' country, y'all!

 

"Do Ladies Get the Blues" with Christine Ohlman & Debbie Davies asks the question. By all accounts, it is true. The ladies and Dion bring it home to make you a believer as some stinging electric guitar heats things to a boil and the bottom end cooks right along with it.

 

"An American Hero" with Carlene Carter is my favorite track because of its meaning. Dion sings, "We need an American hero to stand up for everyone." Never was there a time in our history was that truer. Carlene Carter was a great choice with her voice, and they punctuated every word, which gave me chills.

 

"Don't You Want a Man Like Me" with the soulful Rory Block and some acoustic slide guitar to get those embers of passion burning. The rhythm section is rock solid; hard rockin' blues burn the fuel as they sing "Some Like It Hot."

 

"Sugar Daddy" with Christine Ohlman's breathy vocals and steady rhythms merge for another rockin' blues workout. Acoustic and electric guitars soar!

 

"Endless Highway" with Randi Fishenfeld features exceptional bass, with the track deep in Americana roots and country twang. Dion is in great form.

 

"I Got Wise," with Maggie Rose starting the vocals, is the first on the album without Dion leading off. Dion comes in to answer her at a slow and emotional pace—a very atmospheric track.

 

"Hey, Suzy" with Sue Foley is a kind of old-fashioned love song. The duo combination is perfect, with Dion showing that he still has some range in his vocals. The country and blues-varied guitar lines hit the bullseye.

 

"Mama Said" with Shemekia Copeland is soulful, with Shemekia singing "Listen boy"…as Dion responds. It was another strong and well-rounded effort by the duo.

 

"Just Like That" with Joanne Shaw Taylor is a great closer with smokin' hot guitar lines as they cross the finishing line with conviction.

 

Girl Friends is an eclectic range of artists providing music and vocals that keep it a satisfying listen from beginning to end. The booklet accompanying the CD has an excellent write-up from Dion about the "feminine genius" and how it has surrounded his life. Also, he adds comments about each artist.

 

Dion proves once again that age has nothing to do with a great musician and a singer's capabilities as long as you have the experience, confidence, and belief in your craft. It is a solid release, and everyone involved should be proud.

 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-MuzikMan.net Founder

February 27, 2024

Tracks:

01. Soul Force with Susan Tedeschi

02. I Aim to Please with Danielle Nicole

03. Stop Drop and Roll with Valerie Tyson

04. Do Ladies Get the Blues with Christine Ohlman & Debbie Davies

05. An American Hero with Carlene Carter

06. Don't You Want a Man Like Me with Rory Block

07. Sugar Daddy with Christine Ohlman

08. Endless Highway with Randi Fishenfeld

09. I Got Wise with Maggie Rose

10. Hey Suzy with Sue Foley

11. Mama Said with Shemekia Copeland

12. Just Like That with Joanne Shaw Taylor


7/03/2020

Blues Review: Dion-Blues With Friends

Release Date: June 5, 2020
Label: Keeping The Blues Alive

Dion was born, Dion Francis DiMucci in Bronx, New York. Throughout his career, he has seemingly done it all. Although at 80 years old (almost 81), you could expect that. While his musical beginnings link back to 1957, it was not until 1960 that Dion went solo and started to experience some true momentum in his music. Having gone through several different phases in his career, he has fiddled with so many different genres from rock to Christian, and R&B. I mean who else can form several different bands, break out into a solo career, and genre hop so effortlessly to arrive at 80 with such a short album discography? That has been revealed through Dion’s ventures with the Belmonts, himself, and revolving from Christian back to secular music. Recently he released Blues With Friends.

When “Blues Comin’ On” starts up, you immediately understand why the “blues” could be both uplifting and also get you right in the gut. It starts the album off with a very positive chord and tone, while the lyrics are reflective and not exactly light and positive. “Kickin’ Child” is a cruiser of a tune. With the top-down and the wind blowing through your hair, it offers a continuation of a feel-good spirit. Then you get the jazzy-influenced “Uptown Number 7” to conclude the trio of overall positivity.

“Can’t Start Over Again” at first, sounds like a country song. It’s like the singer is a rolling stone trying to find his way. But, when you listen more closely, it’s more of a heartbreak that acts as a roadblock in his life because the point of a do-over is so tough to comprehend. “My Baby Loves to Boogie” bounces right back to a funk beat. The song is a great way to step onto the dancefloor and…boogie. I’m reminded of the Blues Brothers here. “I Got Nothin’” is a cool message of letting a partner know that one might not have a lot of material goods or a lavish lifestyle, but in the end, they do have the capability to still make one another happy. “Stumbling Blues” is a great play-on song lyrically of the way we often feel when we first become infatuated with a new love interest.

Moving forward, “Bam Bang Boom” is a happy ode to a woman who gave new meaning to the singer’s life and he seemed he couldn’t be more thrilled because of it, just like that. “I Got the Cure” lays out the singer’s confidence in himself as well as for the perfect remedy of a bad day or mood. The album then switches up to “Song For Same Cooke (Here In America)” which is a wonderful reflection on the famed singer, Sam Cooke. It spoke of a bond between the two artists that went deeper than just music.

“What If I Told You” is a twist on the typical cheating or wronged love song. The song tells of how the singer is on to his lover’s actions and feelings (or non-existent feelings) towards him and toward someone else. Knowing he is above the tomfoolery of the back-and-forth of a breakup or fight, he just gives off premonitions of how aware he is of her actions.”Told You Once In August” pairs well with the prior song. Another cheating song told in a different form, holds more of a western vibe to it this time around.

Rounding out the final tracks, “Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More)” sings of hurt and pain from love but, speaks more to the redemption of the singer’s attitude. He will in-fact, rise above this temporary pain of betrayal and be better for experiencing it. This leads us to the finale. Although sounding initially like a somber tune, a very positive, reflective message shines through.

Speaking of the Lord, Dion directs the listener to always look towards God to overcome the greatest adversity. This last track is an opposite mirror effect of his first track “Blues Comin’ On” where the lyrics are gloomy, but the tone and sound are both happy; whereas “Hymn to Him” is sounding more slow and dark but, a very powerful message prevails.

Key tracks include: “Hymn to Him,” “Kickin’ Child,” “Stumbling Blues.”


Gregg Keniston - MuzikMan.net Staff
June 30, 2020



Track Listing:
01. Blues Comin’ On
02. Kickin’ Child
03. Uptown Number 7
04. Can’t Start Over Again
05. My Baby Loves To Boogie
06. I Got Nothin’
07. Stumbling Blues
08. Bam Bang Boom
09. I Got The Cure
10. Song For Sam Cooke (Here in America)
11. What If I Told You
12. Told You Once In August
13. Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More)
14. Hymn To Him