One Night Only

Little Bill & The Bluenotes

Review by Pat Lee

“One Night Only” the brand new release by Little Bill finds Bill in a fine mood. Bill has been threatening for years to not record again, and instead we have this great CD just in time for Christmas. This will be Bill’s 6th CD release along with two compilations of older material originally released on vinyl or cassette also on CD. Bill’s first three CDs featured his big band of Bluenotes with horns and Buck England or Pat Hues on organ. On his next two award winning CDs, Bill featured his acoustic side. For this recording session, Bill chose a sound kind of in the middle. It’s a much softer sound yet has the solid support of Dick Powell on the B-3 and keyboards. Tommy Morgan does his usual masterful job on drums both on the full kit as well as some fine brush work. Tommy is the shuffle king of Northwest Blues and has been for decades. Why he is not in the NW Hall Of Fame continues to be a mystery to me. Remember that when you vote this spring. Bill’s bass playing continues to shine with a rock steady foundation for each track. For this CD, Bill uses two lead players. Dick Powell shows why he is the NW boss of the harmonica with one masterful solo after another. So where is the 2nd Dick Powell CD you ask? Excellent question with no clear answer. Dick just shrugs. On guitar, making his first recording with Little Bill is the award winning Billy Stapleton. The guitar chair in the Bluenotes has always been filled with monster players. Joe Johansen, Richard Dangel, Hans Ipsen, and most recently the muti-talented Mark Riley is a serious list of string benders. Billy steps right in and shows he is not intimidated by anybody. Billy is all over the CD with exquisite leads and subtle rhythm guitar.

The CD contains 9 songs, with three original compositions by Little Bill. It’s been fun over the last couple of years listening to Bill as he has worked “Lincoln Continental Blues” into one of his classic show stoppers. Originally a Cadillac, and now a Lincoln, this song demonstrates Bill’s wry sense of humor and humble view of himself. “Cherry Red” has similar themes of money and cars and features a great harmonica solo by Dick and some delicate slide work by Billy. “Down Town Rumba Girl” is a reworking of a Little Bill cut from the “Down For Double” CD and, like Bill, has improved with age. Tommy’s drumming on this cut is a perfect example of his mastery of his craft. Two other standout cuts on this session are the standards, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Bye Bye Blackbird”. Bill has been including more and more standards into his stage performances over the years. Bill’s voice and this band are perfect vehicles for these songs. When Bill sings these songs, you can hear a pin drop. Bill has always admired Ray Charles and has included songs by Ray on his last two CDs. He continues this tribute by recording a version of “Losing Hand” that will send shivers up your spine. A reading of BB King’s “Guess Who” also finds Bill in a blue mood.

Don King’s engineering at this recording session was superb. The CD is well produced and mixed. I even enjoyed the swirling guitar on “Shake Rattle & Roll”. Dick’s B-3 work in particular has a warm tasteful sound to it. My only complaint is that the CD comes in at just over 30 minutes. Little Bill is a bit like the Grateful Dead. Every performance is different, with songs changing keys, lyrics, and arrangements every time they are played. This CD is a snapshot of that day in the studio. So go ahead and buy the CD for a Christmas present, but don’t miss Little Bill when he is playing near you. Each performance is a treat as Bill dips into his blues bag. No one, not even Bill , knows what he will pull out. You can buy the new CD at any of Bill’s shows starting on December 1st.