The Hitman Blues Band

Calling Long Distance

Nerus Records

The new album by The Hitman Blues Band, “Calling Long Distance”, is produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Bob Stander at the Parcheesi Studios in Huntington, New York. The new album breaks down genre boundaries and pulls you in from the very first note.The album includes eight new originals and four distinct covers.

On the opening, title track “Calling Long Distance” Alexander plays guitar and sings both lead and background vocals, “the road is paved with gold, calling long distance, way long distance”; included are the fabulous four-piece horn section of John Kelly, alto saxophone; Tom Mineo, tenor sax; Eric Altarac, trumpet; and Al Alpert trombone.

“Edge Of The Bed” has a ska-like beat with Stander on bass and a great tenor sax solo from Mineo, “I’m on the edge of the bed, if I push her back, her eyes fill with tears, I’m on the edge of the bed”. “Blood Alley” is an instrumental with some outstanding guitar from Alexander; Mike Katzman on organ; Mike Porter, bass; and Greg LaFountaine, drums.

“Folsom Prison Blues” is the Johnny Cash classic, first recorded by Cash in 1970, again with Mineo on saxophone, “always be a good boy, never play with guns, I shot a man in Reno, just to see him die…I’m stuck in Folsom Prison, that’s where I’m goin’ to stay…time keeps draggin’ on”. “Side Pocket For A Fool”, “up all night, sleep all day…”.

On “Foolish Pride”, Alexander croons “oh my love, I wish you had lied…but you cut my foolish pride…I tried so hard to keep it all inside, but you cut my foolish pride”. “We’re Gonna Party Tonight”, “bills to pay, things don’t look too good, but there is just one thing to do, we gonna party tonight, if the world ain’t right, and the ends in sight…we gonna party tonight”, with more great sax from Mineo, and Katzman on piano.

“I Know You Rider” is a new arrangement of the traditional song “I tried so hard but you don’t treat me right…I wish I was a headlight on a north bound train…you’re gonna miss your baby from rollin’ in your arms”; with a great guitar solo from Alexander, sax from Mineo, and Katzman on piano. Mineo again plays tenor sax on “Back To The Blues”, “I took the lonely route to get back to the blues…if it ends in heaven or if it ends in hell, I took the lonely route to get back to the blues”.

“Watch That Thing!”, includes a great call and response as Alexander chants “me and my baby went steppin’ out, you gotta watch that thing, especially when your about to swing”, with a trumpet solo from Eric Altarac, and a trombone solo from Al Alpert. “Sunday Morning Coming Down” is the Kris Kristofferson classic, first recorded in 1970, but performed as a narrative. The closer “Wide Old River” includes the lyric “keep on rising, that wide old river, storm is coming, gonna carry me home”.

With fifty years under his belt, Russell Alexander imitates no one. He has New York City in his veins, and blues in his heart. This is the best I’ve heard yet from Russell Alexander.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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