Piper & The Hard Times Revelation

June 24, 2024

Piper & The Hard Times

Revelation

Hard Times Records

In February 2024, the Nashville-based Piper & the Hard Times held court in the legendary Ronnie’s Place at Soundstage Studios in Nashville, and Tresland Studios in Franklin, Tennessee. This debut album features a collection of twelve original songs deeply anchored with a New Orleans flavored groove. They deliver tense, eclectic, and rhythmically dynamic blues-based music flavored with R&B, soul, and rock. In the month preceding this recording the band won top honors at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis where they were named “Best Blues Band”.

They open the album with “Trouble Man”, “I’m a trouble man, I’ve been in trouble all my life”. Al “Piper” Green sings all lead vocals. Each of the members of his ensemble has been gifted with a nickname but it might be too confusing so I have decided to leave them out. This lead-off song was written by Green and his guitarist Eagon, the principal songwriters on this collection. Other musicians responsible for this madness include Amy Frederick piano and Hammond organ, Eddie Meyer, tenor saxophone; and the rhythm section of Parker Hawkins, bass; and Dave Colella, drums.

On “The Hard Times” the tenor and baritone saxophonist is Dick Aven, while the background vocalist is Shaun Murphy (who appears courtesy of Vision Wall Records). On “Heart For Sale” written by guitarist Eagon, Aven appears again on saxes, while Frederick plays keyboards. “Preacher Blues” is another one from Eagon and we get to hear harmonica ace Chris Floyd. The title track, “Revelation”, includes Aven, and background vocalists Lisa Oliver and Melissa Gardener, “I had a revelation, gonna get myself together, and I’ll be alright”.

“Working Farm Blues” another by the “team” of Green and Eagon, is beautifully sung by Green, with the lyric “I got the blues in the city, I got blood on my boots…I got the working for Blues”; Meyer is on the saxes. “Crave You”, from guitarist Eagon, once again features Floyd on harmonica while Green sings “I crave you, I want to do dirty things to you…wanna misbehave for you”. “Come Back Knockin'” written by the team once again includes Floyd’s harp as Eagon takes a fiery guitar solo “went to California and then on to Mexico…I come back knockin’ on your door”. “Why Not Me” from Eagon, once again features background vocalist Murphy.

“You’re Gonna Miss Me”, from the “team”, features Green as he sings “hey baby, you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone…you should have been at home”. On the gospel drenched classic “Walk With Me” arranged by the “team”, Frederick adds some keyboards, while Murphy once again provides harmony. The closer is the slow lowdown “Twenty Long Years” again from the “team” as Green recants his story “it’s been twenty long years, that I’ve been through, but I got some friends, that let me sing the blues, for twenty long years, up and down the road, that’s all I’m asking of you, please let me sing the blues”, Frederick on piano helps to close out this fine debut.

Green states “I’ve never been prouder of anything we’ve ever done”. You’ll hear his energy and vitality on “Revelation” the fine album debut from the band “Piper & The Hard Times”.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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