Indie Blues CD Review

Joel DaSilva

Everywhere From Here

Trunoyz Records

Joel DaSilva was born in Chicago to Brazilian parents. His mother was a singer and his father a guitarist. His father died when DaSilva was still a child but he must have inherited his musical gene. As soon as he was able to work DaSilva took a job as a bartender’s assistant so he could get closer to the music. When he was eighteen DaSilva joined his first band “Junior Drinkwater and The Thirstquenchers”. DaSilva played jump blues, psychobilly, and with the “Hep Cat Boo Daddies” a surf rock oriented band. He gained experience playing with Rev. Horton Heat, B.B. King, Jeff Beck and the Roots and wound up opening for Leon Russell and Jimmie Vaughan among others.

In 2011 DaSilva released his debut recording Joel DaSilva & The Midnight Howl. Guest artists included Albert Castiglia who co-wrote one of the songs with DaSilva. For the past several years DaSilva has dug more deeply into his Chicago blues roots in order to make this new album. All of the songs were written or co-written by DaSilva except two. The album was recorded and mixed by Grammy winning producer Eddie Perez.

The musicians include DaSilva, guitars and vocals; Robert Cleary, bass; Chris Peet, drums; John Calzavara, pedal steel; Alejandro Sanched, accordion; Rico Geragi, Percussion; Tom Regis, keyboards; and background vocalist Natasha Watkins.

The album opens with “Shake” the song selected for airplay. Included is a nice guitar solo from DaSilva.

My favorites include “Everyday Man” co-written with bassist Cleary and Stephen Gibb, Barry Gibb’s son. Barry Gibb was co-founder of The Bee Gees. The lyric “can’t let them bring me down punching that clock…I don’t wanna be an everyday man” speaks to me. Regis’ organ and piano completes the production.

“Down In The Delta” seems to derive it’s inspiration from Howlin’ Wolf. “I hear the Wolfman call, down in the delta, I hear the bluesman call”.

Regis’ piano opens “Chasin The Sun”. Calzavara’s evocative pedal steel adds the finishing touch.

“Cadillac Mama” was written by Richie Supa. “Zoom zoom, ride all night…that girl is oughta sight…my Cadillac Mama gets me weak in the knees…some like them tall and skinny, some like them short and fat, I like them built for comfort, my baby’s is where it’s at”. Another great solo by DaSilva completes this fun tune.

“Bad World” was written by DaSilva and Vincent Del Basso. “I’m a bad boy in a bad world yeah you know I got a bad girl”. Sanched’s accordion gives the tune a Mexican flavor.

“This Day I Bleed” showcases the rhythm section of Cleary and Peet as they lay down a heavy beat. DaSilva plays rhythm on an acoustic and overdubs his lead; “try and push on”.

“Time Heals All Wounds” is a slow blues with a walking bass line from Cleary that contrasts nicely with DaSilva’s lead guitar and vocal.

The closer is the instrumental “My Brazilian Soul” from Minha Alma Brasilera with a new arrangement from DaSilva.

DaSilva’s songwriting skills and fine guitar playing are well displayed on this rockin’ record.

Richard Ludmerer

[amazon_link asins=’B075FFWW94,B006CIAO3M,B00149Y7M8,B075FGL81N,B075FGGS54,B075FFWXZY,B075FFCK22,B075FFBJF4,B075FDYQDN’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’maasc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fb1fc559-bc23-11e7-ae99-b1d23675e1fe’]