Cee Cee James Gritty new CD release proves easy to enjoy
by KT
Cee Cee James poster
Cee Cee James' latest release Low Down Where the Snakes Crawl is easy to enjoy. Her gritty Janis Joplin-esque vocal style plays against her very sweet "little-girl-lost" voice.
All of the tunes are original material, by James, Rob Andrews and Russell Deck.
Artists featured on this recording are James herself, vocals and percussion; Rob Andrews, rhythm and slide guitar; David Malony, drums and percussion; Dan Mohler, bass; and James Howard, lead guitar. Also appearing is a list of musicians too detailed to list here but well documented in the liner notes.
A special feature on the CD cover is a Cherokee translation by Mark Wolf Copeland. To this writer's eye, the runic characters on the cover resemble both Greek and Russian (Cyrillic) characters but are the Cherokee translation of the CD title. The scholarship required to find this special notation of an all-but-lost language is impressive. James herself shares Cherokee lineage and speaks those words in the title tune.
Cut number two is Black Raven, a spooky grinder. The spare and deliberate guitar playing and harmonica licks are the coolest.
The third cut Love Makes Change is a "swamp boogie" that is all the more steamy by incorporation of an affectionate perspective.
Number six Make It To The Other Side is a genuine "roadhouse" tune. Done Love Wrong, the tenth cut, is what this writer calls a "spooky grinder."
Surprisingly, the last number Spirit of the Shaman is a rock tune with a heavy feel. It speaks well, delivered with guts and meaning.
This very good quality CD was produced and mixed by James, Andrews and Malony, recorded by Malony at Blue Ewe. Technically speaking, Low Down Where the Snakes Crawl is clean and clear with ample saturation on all parts. The overall sound is a steamy blues brew pulsing with sensuality and heavy with meaning.
Since the official release party was scheduled for Oct. 28, best sources for purchase are not all listed here, but you can visit www.ceeceejames.com or www.cdbaby.com for more information, including sound segments from the CD.
Low Down Where the Snakes Crawl opens up a new window on the blues/R&B scene. If you're not gonna dance, lay back and disappear.