Product Description
ALLISON AUGUST - AUGUST MOON
COMING MARCH 21, 2025, RESERVE YOUR COPY TODAY!
ALLISON AUGUST
August Moon
MoJojo Records
What is it about Southern California that allows it to produce so many excellent woman blues vocalists? Although we lost Candye Kane to cancer in 2016, we still have Teresa James, Kelly Zirbes, Casey Hensley, Laurie Morvan, and Whitney Shay. (Forgive me if I forgot anyone else worthy.) To that list add Allison August.
From a musically inclined family, August has been writing songs since age nine (!) and singing in various bands since her early teens. Collaborators on her 2016 album included noted guitarists Coco Montoya and Paul Barrere. For her new outing, a cooperation with award-winning producer and drummer Tony Braunagel, she and Braunagel have recruited the cream of the crop of West Coast blues musicians. Front and center on each cut is August singing her heart out.
One of the pleasures of the album is the contributions of Barrere and Mike Finnigan, obviously recorded pre-pandemic. Barrere was a critical component of the popular Americana, rock, and blues band Little Feat until his untimely death in 2019, and Finnigan’s lauded keyboard career extended from his appearance on Jimi Hendrix’s “Electric Ladyland” release in 1968 to his years the Phantom Blues Band; he died in 2021. Finnigan plays keys on six of the tracks of August Moon, and Barrere on two. The only number on which they appear together is “The Cure,” Finnigan vamping on organ and Barrere on slide guitar, in concert with fellow guitarist Billy Watts, bassist David Carpenter, Braunagel, and harmonica player Jimmy Z. Backing vocals by Gregg Sutton and Teresa James enhance the mix.
Another standout of the set is “I Won’t Say No,” a funky four minutes sporting the dual vocals of Allison and soul blues luminary Sugaray Rayford; steamy! Equally compelling is “Dashboard Madonna,” James and Sutton again supporting, Finnigan deploying his magic digits on piano, and Don Teschner adding violin. Here, and on several other tracks, August’s singing evokes comparison to Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi. “Dog In You” in its structure and vibe again reminds of Raitt, with notable horn mavens Joe Sublett (saxophone) and Les Lovitt (trumpet), both allied with the Phantom Blues Band, making one of their several appearance.
On a few other numbers August’s singing reminds me of Rickie Lee Jones, which I again intend as a compliment. The entire set is a success, and August’s commitment to her art and to the blues is encapsulated in the titles of two other tracks: “Blues Is My Religion” and “I Ain’t Lyin’.”
– Dan Stevens