Blues

Albert Cummings - Believe (2020)

2020-07-26T19:45:45Z

Albert Cummings - Believe (2020)


1 	Hold On 	
2 	Do What Mama Says 	
3 	Red Rooster 	
4 	Queen Of Mean 	
5 	Crazy Love 	
6 	Get Out Of Here 	
7 	My Babe 	
8 	It’s All Good 	
9 	Going My Way 	
10 	Call Me Crazy 	
11 	Me And My Guitar

Backing Vocals – Kimberlie Helton, Trinecia Butler
Bass – Dave Smith
Drums – Justin Holder
Guitar, Vocals – Albert Cummings
Keyboards – Clayton Ivey
Saxophone – Ken Waters
Trumpet – Brad Guin

This latest album by Massachusetts singer and guitarist Albert Cummings was recorded in Muscle Shoals, with the legendary Jim Gaines in the producer’s chair, so there’s little surprise that when it kicks off with a horn-laden cover of the Sam and Dave hit “Hold On (I’m Coming)” the resulting sound is big and rich and soulful, and Cummings does justice to the Sixties soul men in the vocal stakes. It’s the first of several enjoyable songs of a soul-blues bent on Believe, but at the same time I’d venture to say it’s indicative of how the album sometimes plays it safe.

On the one hand this collection of originals and covers features cracking stuff like the catchy “Queen Of Mean”, with its “Take Me To The River”-like horn riff and stinging guitar from Cummings, and the bluesy dig of ‘Call Me Crazy’, all big ringing chords and a scrabbling, feedback-howling solo, with snappy lines like “You think I was born yesterday, but I stayed up late last night”. But on the other it includes a pretty redundant cover of Little Walter’s “My Babe”, and a rather bland country-soul reading of Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love”. As covers go though, there’s nothing “little” about his take on “Red Rooster”, a slow-grinding chunk of R’n’B with Cummings’ booming voice nodding towards the Howlin’ Wolf original rather than the reedy Stones’ version, and his guitar kicking in with an impressive solo that’s full of tension, release and dynamics.

But Cummings really hits his stride in the home stretch. “Going My Way” is strong but subtle, with reverb-heavy guitar over a strolling rhythm, and stuttering, twanging licks strewn around casually. It’s a good precursor to the wallop of the aforementioned “Call Me Crazy”, and then the album-closing rendition of Freddie King’s “Me And My Guitar”, which has plenty of punch, a funky groove to engage one’s butt, and a fleet-fingered, wah-wah inflected solo.

That closing trio of tracks would sit happily alongside any of Buddy Guy’s recent output, and demonstrates the impact Albert Cummings is capable of delivering. Believe is an enjoyable album, but if the drive and swagger of its best moments had been maintained across the piece, it could have been a standout. ---Iain Cameron, bluesrockreview.com

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Albert Cummings - Someone Like You (2015)

2015-07-28T16:03:30Z

Albert Cummings - Someone Like You (2015)


01. No Doubt (4:35)
02. I Found You (4:27)
03. Up Your Sleeve (4:27)
04. Movin' On (4:47)
05. So Strong (5:00)
06. Finally in Love (3:51)
07. Make up Your Mind (4:16)
08. Little Bird (7:04)
09. Meatlocker (3:42)
10. I'm in Love with You (3:43)
11. Old Dog (3:23)
12. Stay Away from My Sister (2:43)

Albert Cummings – Guitar,  Vocals 
David Z. – Producer (Drum Machine, Guitar, Piano)
Mike Finnegan – Keyboards
Reggie McBride – Bass
Tony Braunagel - Drums

For his newest recording, ''Someone Like You,'' Albert chose to record in Southern California with Grammy-winning producer David Z. (Buddy Guy, Prince, Jonny Lang, Gov't Mule) at the helm. Said Z, ''Albert Cummings writes, plays, and sings the blues like nobody else. What a blast to watch him jell in the studio with some of the best musicians in Los Angeles.'' One of those musicians was Blind Pig labelmate and leader of The Basic Cable Band on the Conan TV show, Jimmy Vivino, who performs on three cuts. Cummings said, ''I'm tremendously excited about this CD and the team of people that will be working this record. It was such a pleasure to also work with David Z and Jimmy Vivino and so exciting to share their excitement about the potential this record has.'' ---Editorial Reviews, amazon.com

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Albert Cummings - True To Yourself (2004)

2015-05-26T15:50:17Z

Albert Cummings - True To Yourself (2004)


1. Man On Your Mind	3:56	
2. Work It Out	4:18
3. Come Up For Air	3:57	
4. Blues Makes Me Feel So Good	3:18
5. Where Did I Go Wrong	2:59
6. Your Sweet Love	5:10	
7. Sleep		4:15	
8. Separately	5:23
9. Lonely Bed	7:36	
10. Follow Your Soul	3:47

Albert Cummings (vocals, guitar)
Albert Cummings; Riley Osborne, Riley Osbourne (piano, keyboards)
Tommy Shannon (bass guitar)
B.E. "Frosty" Smith (drums, percussion)

Although they might not admit it, fans of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan have been waiting for the next Stevie Ray to rise out of the blues-rock circuit, and while countless hotshot guitar slingers certainly have dressed the part, few if any of them have that same mixture of explosive skill and hard-earned soul. New England's Albert Cummings might just be the guy who can do it, though. Calling him the new Stevie Ray wouldn't be fair, certainly, but Cummings, a carpenter from Williamston, Massachusetts, has that same explosive, soulful and emotional tone that made Vaughan so special. He also is somewhat of an "aw, shucks" kind of guy, with very little show-biz about him, but when he picks up that Fender Stratocaster, sparks fly. True to Yourself is Cummings' debut with the Blind Pig label, and working with Double Trouble bassist Tommy Shannon is sure to draw parallels with Vaughan, but Cummings, although his guitar tone and attack are definitely similar, is a much more grounded songwriter, and there is somewhat of a domestic veneer to these tracks. Cummings tackles themes that would be familiar to any working stiff trying to support a family in an uncertain economy, and in this context, the blazing guitar breaks function as nothing short of deliverance. This workingman's approach works well on the best tracks here, which include "Come Up for Air," the explosive boogie of "Your Sweet Love," the moody "Sleep," and the wise and masterful "Follow Your Soul," which closes the album, but other tracks unfortunately fall into a sort of rote blues-rock category. Cummings is an intriguing mixture of everyman humility and blazing guitar genius, and True To Yourself has strong moments, but one can't help but feel that his defining tracks haven't been cut yet, and are perhaps just around the corner. --- Steve Leggett, Rovi

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Albert Cummings - No Regrets (2012)

2012-10-12T16:37:51Z

Albert Cummings - No Regrets (2012)


01. Glass House
02. 500 Miles
03. Eye to Eye
04. Checkered Flag
05. She's So Tired
06. Your Day Will Come
07. Cry Me a River
08. Drink Party and Dance
09. Foolin Me
10. Where You Belong
11. Mannish Boy
12. Home Town

Personnel: 
Albert Cummings (vocals, guitar); 
Jimmy D. Taylor (harmonica); 
Rick Steff (piano, keyboards); 
Dave Smith (bass);
Steve Potts (drums); 
Kevin Paige, Kimberlie Helton, Vickie Adkins (background vocals).

Albert Cummings has performed and recorded with Double Trouble so you know he’s legit. No Regrets delivers another 12 tracks with a down home country influenced blues rock style that is uniquely his. Albert started out building custom homes and got a pretty late start as a recording artist; but he’s made up for that tardiness with five respectable albums since he crawled out of the proverbial woodwork.

Cummings said of the project, “This album is really who I am, as an artist and a man. It’s a return to my true musical roots and the first step in really defining my identity as a mature artist. I approached this with one intent – deliver a collection of great songs that I’ll be proud to perform for the rest of my life without feeling confined to a specific genre. I am a Blues man, and I will always be one, but inevitably that foundation now reveals a couple of other floors being constructed as the house rises” This is evident by the diverse collection of styles that Cummings covers in this album.

The CD starts right off with three straight up blues rock tracks. The first is the standout “Glass House” which is followed by another rocker with a standout solo – “500 Miles.” Next up is the Allman Brothers influenced blues “Eye to Eye.” There are a few more rocking tracks farther into the album including “Your Day Will Come” and the very funky “Foolin’ Me” which makes great use of that infamous wha-wha pedal.

Albert also reveals his southern country influences with “Checkered Flag” which sounds like a southern rock jam that the Skynyrd boys would be proud to call their own that you might hear jamming in the parking lot at a stock car event. “She’s So Tired” continues the country influence with a slow ballad about woman at the bar who’s tired of understanding her inconsiderate man

There are a couple of tracks for the traditional blues fan also. “Mannish Boy” is a cover of the Muddy Waters original that has the signature driving syncopated rhythm with some fiery solo playing. “Drink, Party, and Dance” is a self explanatory fast paced shuffle about Friday evenings.

Albert started out as a bluegrass banjo player and superb picking skills are evident. He credits exposure to SRV in high school to changing his interest to the guitar and for that we are most thankful. All things considered No Regrets is a solid effort that leaves me with only one regret which is wishing there was more. --- bluesrockreview.com

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Albert Cummings – From The Heart (2003)

2011-09-27T08:50:29Z

Albert Cummings – From The Heart (2003)


01.Your Own Way
02.Long Way
03.Regular Man
04.Tell It Like It Is				play
05.Together as One
06.Barrel House Blues
07.I've Got Feelings Too			play
08.Living on the Highway Now
09.Ready as I'll Ever Be
10.Rock Me Baby
11.Beautiful Bride

Personnel:
Albert Cummings - Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Chris Layton - Drums
Tommy Shannon - Bass, Rhythm Guitar
Reese Wynans - Keyboards
Johnny Moeller - Rhythm Guitar
Riley Osbourn – Keyboards

New England's Albert Cummings is a fine blues-rock guitarist somewhat in the Stevie Ray Vaughan mold, displaying at times the same sort of tone, explosion and soul that made Vaughan so special. Although he had played the northeast blues circuit with his band Swamp Yankee, Cummings really didn't catch the attention of the blues world until he teamed with Vaughan's old backing band, Double Trouble, and recorded this album in Austin, Texas. Yes, he sometimes has Vaughan's tone and feel, but there the similarities tend to end, in spite of having Reese Wynans, Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon in his corner. Cummings, who makes his living as a carpenter, takes more of an everyman, working stiff approach to his material, and his songs tell the stories of men struggling to make ends meet, both economically and domestically. There is little of the mystical guitar seeker in his repertoire, and although he plays wonderfully, it always seems grounded in a kind of blue-collar utility. Which is fine. There was only one Stevie Ray. The opener here, "Your Own Way," pretty much sets the tone for a solid blues-rock outing, with lyrics that celebrate survival and persistence, and while "Tell It Like It Is" strays just a bit into country territory, nothing here breaks or messes with the mold. The Vaughan comparisons are going to follow Cummings as he moves through his career, and recording an album with Vaughan's backing band may or may not have been a good idea in that regard, but aside from that study Fender tone they share, Vaughan and Cummings are really quite different musicians. This is a guitarist to watch. ---Steve Leggett, allmusic.com

Albert Cummings has quickly become one of the hottest blues commodities in the Northeast United States with his blistering guitar and sound approach to the blues. Cummings has admitted to a number of influences in his musical development, from B.B. and Albert King to Brian Setzer. These varying influences reveal themselves to the listener on From The Heart. One bonus to this fine recording is the addition of the talented tandem of Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton (a.k.a., Double Trouble) providing a strong backbeat for Cummings guitar and vocals. When Shannon and Layton first heard the 33 year old carpenter from Williamstown, Massachusetts, they were so impressed by his work that they offered to produce From The Heart, also contributing a song, "Barrelhouse Blues," to the effort. In the process, they also convinced the talented "third" member of Double Trouble, Reese Wynans to join them on the recording. According to information found on Cummings web site, this marked the firs time the talented trio had joined together to back another guitarist since the tragic death of Stevie Ray.

Happily, what Albert Cummings offers the listener on From The Heart is not an attempt to "clone" the work of Stevie Ray Vaughan. Instead, Albert provides is a collection of eight original songs with just three covers interspersed through the recording. Along the way, Cummings demonstrates a nice degree of versatility in his work including blues rock, blues, pop and sweet ballads. On songs like the original opener, "Your Own Way," Cummings offers a driving rock song, complete with stinging guitar. On the following number, "The Long Way," Cummings successfully conjures up images of the Crosby, Stills & Nash classic, "Long Time Gone," sans the harmonies of CSN. On "Tell It Like It Is," Cummings and friends take a firm hold on some Texas honky tonk blues. The gradual crescendo opening and B-3 dominated backing on "Together As One," offers a pop laden influence that is reminiscent of the mid-80's sensation Mr. Mister, who dominated the radio waves with their biggest hit, "Broken Wings".

Cummings hits the blues hard with the burning original by Shannon, Layton and Doester entitled "Barrelhouse Blues." Cummings vocals on this song are heartfelt and emotional as is his powerful guitar. The Texas feeling returns on "I've Got Feelings Too," where rock n' roll meets Texas honky tonk. Cummings does an excellent job on his rendition of the Freddie King hit "Living On The Highway Now," written by Don Nix with excellent vocals and some tasty guitar. The band's funkified version of B. B. King's classic, "Rock Me Baby," take on a different feeling from the original, making more personal for Cummings. The CD ends with the most personal song of all, "Beautiful Bride," a song Cummings wrote for his wife. --- Dave "Doc" Piltz,

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Albert Cummings and Swamp Yankee - The Long Way (1999)

2010-06-26T13:34:53Z

Albert Cummings and Swamp Yankee - The Long Way (1999)


01. The Long Way
02. Lonely Bed
03. Memory
04. Hoochie Coochie
05. Mojo Workin'
06. Where Did I Go Wrong
07. Old Dog
08. Crossroads
09. Pull The Hades

Band:
Albert Cummings - Guitar, Vocals
Don Chilson - Bass
Ken Pallman – Drums

I am the drummer for this project,and was the drummer for this group for 3 years. This album was not meant to be released,infact it was not meant to be an album at all,just a recording of a set of music we did at Bluestock in Memphis on Beale St. We had just flown back from Memphis,had gotten virtually no sleep and went into the studio to record the material for "our own heads". We set up,did Mojo Workin' to get the sounds(so it wasn't even meant as a keeper) and proceded to do the whole set in one take, with all "the clams" included,did a quick mix,and got out of there in just under two and a half hours. We were so tired when we did this recording,that we as the group frankly thought it was a very poor representation of what we truly were(in fact we thought it sucked!). We played it for some true blues fans and they thought it was great!!

So, Albert decided to print and release it,and away it went and so did Albert's career. The rest is history. I'm truly blessed to have been part of this project and his career on "his way up" I thank Albert for the fun, tribulations,and all the emotions and experiences we had.-Check out the cd!!---Ken Pallman ps.thanks Don Chilson,you're a great friend and wonderful player.....I hope Albert decides to rerelease this cd! --- Kenneth M. Pallman "The drummer" (Bennington,VT)

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Albert Cummings - Working Man (2006)

2010-06-20T19:59:31Z

Albert Cummings - Working Man (2006)


1. Working Man Blues
2. Say You Love Me
3. I Feel Good
4. Girls To Shame
5. Let Me Be
6. Feeling End
7. Party Right Here
8. I'm Free
9. First Day
10.I'm On My Way
11.Rumors
12.Please
13.Last Dance

Personnel:
Albert Cummings - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Smith – Bass
Steve Potts – Drums

Often compared to Stevie Ray Vaughan for the tone and explosive improvisation style the two share, Albert Cummings' Working Man sees the artist including more of his country music roots to the mix. Cummings played banjo for years, before he began playing the guitar in public. His understanding of bluegrass and country music shines through on the album's sentimental closing note, "Last Dance," and Cummings' voice is at its finest on "Feeling End," a song that's blues-rock with country tones. "Party Right Here" sounds like it's straight out of Nashville. A contemporary country song with a blues edge, from the lyrics, one can't help associate it with Hank Williams, Jr.'s "All My Rowdy Friends." The album's title track is a blues version of country icon Merle Haggard's "Workin' Man Blues," a song that was a number one single for Haggard in 1969. For fans of the original version, Cummings' vocals might seem a bit forced, but his guitar playing is impeccable, with a tone that's impossible to ignore. The rest of the songs on Working Man were penned by Cummings himself and performed with his phenomenal rhythm section: bassist Dave Smith and drummer Steve Potts. Smith and Potts add a unique, modern feel to the album, far more funky than Double Trouble ever was backing Vaughan. Working Man is an incredibly upbeat and well-mixed album. Songs like "First Day" are light and uplifting, with lyrics like "Just trust in yourself/If you do that your life will take care of itself/With each day/That you live/Give more of yourself than you think you can give/Just relax, it'll be alright/Because tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life." Cummings is a promising talent. He's a strong songwriter, and he becomes more appealing the more he's listened to. Working Man isn't the type of album that will hit the top of the charts (most blues albums don't), but musicians will appreciate the immense talent possessed by Cummings, and lovers of contemporary blues will be happy to have another blues guitar virtuoso to follow. --- Megan Frye, allmusic.com

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Albert Cummings – Feel So Good (2008)

2009-12-09T16:00:16Z

Albert Cummings – Feel So Good (2008)


01. Party Right Here (Live) 3:34
02. Why Me (Live) 3:07
03. Sleep (Live) 6:03
04. Hoochie Coochie Man/Dixie Chicken Medley (Medley/Live) 8:38
05. Barrelhouse Blues (Live) 7:18
06. Tell It Like It Is (Live) 3:35
07. Rock Me Baby (Live) 6:22
08. Your Own Way (Live) 5:30
09. Together As One (Live) 7:32
10. Blues Makes Me Feel So Good (Live) 3:54
11. Rock and Roll (Live) 3:10

Personnel: 
Albert Cummings (vocals, guitar); 
Daniel Broad (bass guitar, background vocals); 
Aaron Scapin (drums).

New England's Albert Cummings has been hailed as the next Stevie Ray Vaughan, and certainly Cummings' explosive, soulful, and emotional guitar style adds credence to that claim, but Cummings, a carpenter from Williamston, MA, has a completely different blues approach, tackling themes that would be familiar to any working stiff trying to support a family in an uncertain economy, sounding in this live set like a man who is more than glad that the weekend is here and he finally gets to make some noise. In this context, Cummings' blazing guitar breaks function as deliverance. Recorded in March of 2008 at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, MA before an enthusiastic hometown crowd, Feel So Good gives a glimpse of Cummings in his natural setting, and this is a straight-ahead rocking show that opens with the Friday night anthem "Party Right Here" and just keeps rolling from there. Locked in tight with drummer Aaron Scapin and bassist Daniel Broad, Cummings plays a hot hand on his Fender Strat as he tears through fine versions of B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby" and Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll," slowing things down a bit for a beautifully sung version of his own "Together as One." Live albums are often holding patterns for recording artists, and this one has that feel, but Cummings is such a down-home player and singer, and performing live on-stage is so obviously his sweet point, that Feel So Good seems like a perfectly natural career move. It sounds like it was one hell of a party that night, and in the end, that's how Cummings approaches the blues, by using it to catch a little bit of freedom and running off into the night with it, understanding that the blues is really all about the need for joy. --- Steve Leggett, allmusic.com

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