Richard 'King Biscuit Boy' Newell 1995 Urban Blues Re:Newell

Genre: Blues
Rate: 320 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:49:07
Size: 112,45 MB

Review by Rose of Sharon Witmer

King Biscuit Boy is considered by many to be the premier practitioner of blues harmonica in Canada. He has jammed with many great musicians, such as Muddy Waters, Allen Touissant, Dr. John, and John Lee Hooker. Although he has a number of critically acclaimed CDs, this is his first recording in 13 years. His given name is Richard Newell; hence, the CD's title, Urban Blues Re: Newell, both alludes to his own name and his re-emergence on the recording scene. There's little doubt that King Biscuit Boy is a more colorful name for a bluesman than the one his mom and dad gave him. This nickname was given to him by Ronnie Hawkins, with whom the blues harpist played for years. It has served him well in his native Canada, where he is much better known than in the United States.

This CD, released in 1995, has garnered a lot of attention and praise. The award-winning recording contains both original material and some blues classics, all done in Biscuit's inimitable style on vocals and harmonica. The album opens with a Newell composition, "Now I'm Good," which sets the tone for the entire CD. The blues are played gritty and intense throughout. Standouts include "Cracked Up Over You," "Too Poor to Die," and "My Love Lies Bleeding." King Biscuit Boy is back.



Tracklist:

01 - Now I'm Good 03:32

02 - Mighty Crazy 03:36

03 - Before We Think 04:19

04 - Cracked Up Over You 04:03

05 - Glide N' Slide 03:53

06 - Comin' Around The Corner 03:18

07 - Too Poor To Die 03:24

08 - Down On The Farm 02:16

09 - That's No Lie 03:14

10 - Chills & Fever 03:23

11 - Fire 02:52

12 - My Love Lies Bleeding 07:36

13 - Achin' Head 03:41





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King Biscuit Boy 1982 Mouth Of Steel

Genre: Blues
Rate: 192 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:39:19
Size: 54,04 MB

From the heart of Hamilton, Richard Newell would channel the blues from deep in the heart of the American south and become an international blues legend. Over the course of 4 decades, Newell's musicianship and encyclopedic knowledge of the blues was intense and inspiring.

Born March 9, 1944 in Hamilton, the Steeltown ran through Newell's blood but it was the blues music he heard on late night AM radio from the US that filled his soul. Newell wasn't even a teenager when he got his first harmonica, but playing along with the radio and the 45's he'd hitchhike down to Buffalo to buy would all help shape his 'mouth of steel'.

An instantly recognizable talent, it wasn't long before he was playing with a litany of bands in the 60s including The Barons, The Chessmen and The Mid Knights. But by 1968, Newell was recruited by Richard Bell and Kelly Jay to audition for the latest version of Ronnie Hawkins backing band.

Blues harpist Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) was a seminal influence on Hawkins, Levon Helm and anyone that experienced The King Biscuit Flour Hour radio broadcasts on KFFA AM back in the day. Immediately finding a kindred spirit, Hawkins was so astounded by how well Newell understood and played the blues that one audition later, Hawkins renamed Newell King Biscuit Boy in tribute. A legend was born.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones would name check King Biscuit Boy as one of their favourite players. You would hear his instantly recognizable harmonica playing on recordings by The Allman Brothers, Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band, and Aretha Franklin. It wasn't long before the most recent version of The Hawks decided to go out on their own and call themselves Crowbar.

By 1970, King Biscuit Boy featuring Crowbar released Official Music and Newell would follow it up with Good 'Uns in 1971, and the self titled King Biscuit Boy (often referred to as The Brown Derby Album) in 1974. Newell's magnificent harmonica and gritty vocals on these landmark recordings with tracks like 'Boom Boom, Out Go The Lights' still stand the test of time 3 decades later.

1980 saw his Mouth of Steel album released but it wasn't until 1988 that Richard Newell aka King Biscuit Boy followed up and then fans had to wait until 1996 for his Urban Blues Re:Newell album. Regardless of the infrequency, King Biscuit Boy recordings never lost that special magic that was King Biscuit Boy - the critics still loved him and the accolades and Juno nominations kept coming. During the 80s, Newell enlisted a local group of players to back him for performances but by the turn of the century, that band, Trickbag would be performing more often without Newell.

In 2002, Newell got back into the studio with old friend, Sonny Del Rio to record for Del Rio's Hamilton Hometown Christmas benefit CD. Sadly, the poignant recording of Blue Christmas would be the last released in Newell's lifetime.

Newell's last performance was with The Little Red Blues Gang featuring Tim Gibbons at the now defunct Mermaid's Lounge in Hess Village just before his passing on January 5, 2003. (http://www.hamiltonmusicawards.com/bio-king.html)



Tracklist:

01 - Georgia Slop 02:49

02 - Done Everything I Can 03:16

03 - Mama Louchie 04:07

04 - Neighbor, Neighbor 03:13

05 - Down The Line 03:25

06 - Hoodoo Party 02:50

07 - Route 90 03:21

08 - Terraplane Blues 02:38

09 - It's My Soul 03:28

10 - Necromonica 03:43

11 - Get It Right 02:49

12 - Look Out Mabel 03:40




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King Biscuit Boy 1974 King Biscuit Boy

Genre: Blues
Rate: 320 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:32:39
Size: 74,69 MB

This album is GREAT!!! It may remind you of the funky/boogie sound of Dr. John's "Desitively Bonaroo." This is a must have for all the former night trippers. I feel that it is one of King Biscuit Boy's best albums. Enjoy! Now that it is available in CD format I think that I am in Heaven...Love It! (http://www.amazon.com)



Tracklist:

01 - Mind Over Matter 03:30

02 - Lovers And Leapers 02:41

03 - I'm Gone 02:55

04 - The Bum Is Mine 03:08

05 - The Greatest Love 03:17

06 - Mean Old Lady 03:47

07 - Deaf, Dumb, Crippled & Blind 03:33

08 - Willie And The Hand Jive 03:47

09 - Caledonia River 02:53

10 - River Boat 03:08




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King Biscuit Boy 1970 Gooduns

Genre: Blues
Rate: 256 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:34:16
Size: 62,13 MB

Review by Keith Pettipas

Originally released on LP format in 1971 with a cloth burlap cover, Gooduns is the second album by Richard "King Biscuit Boy" Newell. After the success Official Music the year before, Gooduns was more of the same style with a few left over songs from the previous albums' sessions with Crowbar (although by this time they had officially parted company) and backing from some new musicians that included members of Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band, Seatrain and Canada's Dr. Music. For this album, Newell recorded on a couple of cover songs written by Dr. John, Little Walter and Willie Dixon but the album contained mainly original compositions by Newell.

With a harder blues guitar sound and tighter band edge than the debut, "Gooduns" was supported by a successful tour of England in 1971 where King Biscuit Boy and The Real Gooduns Band were backed up by the British band The Idle Race. Despite the success of the album and tour, the Daffodil Records label fell on hard times financially and folded with no single or album promotion, leaving King Biscuit Boy to move to the Epic label for the next release. This budget priced reissue by Unidisc does not contain any bonus tracks but faithfully reproduces the original album graphics and liner notes.

Album Notes:

First, let me make this clear. I love the King Biscuit Boy. Yes, love. I love to listen to all his albums, all the time. And it follows that I love Richard Newell, who is the King Biscuit Boy.

Now, stay with me on this. The story has been told many times - but here we go again:

Ronnie Hawkins is from Fayettesville, Arkansas. He and Levon Helm crossed the border into Canada, and were handed the Canadian music culture as a housewarming gift. Their consensual validation meant legendary status, instantly.
Ronnie would start in on one of his stories, then I would tell them "Boys, I've told you a million times, ..."don't exaggerate."

But the Hawk's Midas touch didn't come without serious alchemy. He didn't invent the term 'woodshedding' (as in: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practise, practise, practise!) but he did apply it. Ronnie didn't care how long you practised, as long as it was most of your waking hours. He'd muse out loud: "Boys, I saw this player last night and he's got your job written all over him."

The Hawk shared space and attitude with this fight promoter, Heavy Andrews. Heavy was a treat. He'd lean into the rehearsal space and softly drawl, "Ronnie says if you boys miss that turnaround one more time, y'er all history!"

Ronnie used to call us the ugliest band in rock and roll, but then we used to call him the Old Hawk Sucker.
Of all us players Ronnie deified, time has proven he was right about the King Biscuit Boy.

In 1938, Sonnie Boy Williamson - a.k.a Aleck Ford Rice Miller and not Sonny Boy Williamson #1 a.k.a John Lee Williamson - began to broadcast over station KFFA in Helena, Arkansas. The show was called King Biscuit Time, and it was sponsored by Sonny Boy Cornmeal and King Biscuit Flour.

(Are You confused yet? I told you - stay with me!)

Sonny Boy was accompanied by Robert Jr. Lockwood and, later, his own King Biscuit Entertainers. They included Willie Love and Peck Curtis.

The popular radio show continues today. The show brought Sonny Boy great prestige and he became a regional media celebrity. He was easily recognized because his picture was on each flour sack.

After Sonny Boy's 1963 tour with the likes of Brian Auger, The Animals and the Yardbirds (complete with Eric Clapton and Jimmie Page), he was quoted as saying: 'Those "English boys want to play the blues real bad... they do play the Blues real bad." (Blues News, Vol 2, Issue 11, Hamilton, August. 1986).

Ronnie Hawkins attended many of those early broadcasts, and he saw Sonny Boy play on the back of a flatbed delivery truck. So when he hooked Richard Newell with the moniker the King Biscuit Boy, he made Richard a righteous member of a controversial royal Blues family.

Ronnie Hawkins, for years, has earned the role of beloved godfather of rock. And time has shown that he is a king-maker.

(Still with me?)

I love the King Biscuit Boy because it fits. Imagine this blond, fuzzy Canadian guy taking the bus to Buffalo every Saturday during the '50s to Herb Ross' Rhythmland - "Buy five, get one free." Or imagine him listening to George "The Hound" Lorenze on WKBW Buffalo's Rocking Right On Record Tonight . Or here's my personal favorite, from the Catholic Teens "N" Twenties dances: Guys ties. Gals no capris, please."

Each King Biscuit Boy album - Official Musk and Gooduns and the many that followed - were personally stamped, the Jimmy Reed guitar tortures filtering through King Biscuit Boy's unique vibes. (By the way, don't call him Biscuit. Just don't.) Yes, I love Richard Newell because he's my pal. He makes me laugh so hard that it endangers my health. He likes my piano playing too.

Let's just say this about our bond - some people like Roy Rogers, Some like Dale Evans, or Trigger. But me and Rich, we like Gabby Hayes.

Like Rich's biggest fans, Liz and Dick (His mom and dad) and brother Randy, I'm happiest with a frosty mug in front of me, listening to Rich being the King Biscuit Boy, singing and playing the classics faithfully.

During rehearsals, Rich would say, "That's not in there. There's nothing new about the Blues."
Listen to Dr. John's Lord Pity Us All, or to Rick Bell's (Dr. Leslie Bell's son) 60-second intro to that old 12 Bar Blues standard, I Can't Hold Out Much Longer. Or how about the old timey Georgia Rag? Then there's that kids' skipping verse, Ranky Tanky.

Just do yourself a big favor and slip this baby into your music machine - and hang on!

From Son Richard and The Chessman in 1962 in Hamilton's Downstairs Club (Rich Newell, Doug "Magna" Carter, Earl Johnson and Babe Myles) to King Biscuit Boy and Crowbar - and all us musicians in between - we all say this: Anyhow, anyway, anytime, let's do it again. Boogie! (Kelly Jay, Calgary, September 1995)



Tracklist:

01 - You Done Tore Your Playhouse Down Again 05:46

02 - Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights) 02:48

03 - Georgia Rag 01:37

04 - Barefoot Rock 03:34

05 - The Boogie Walk 04:03

06 - Ranky Tanky 03:59

07 - Twenty Nine Ways 02:41

08 - Bald-Headed Rhumba Boogie 04:10

09 - Lord Pity Us All 05:38




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King Biscuit Boy & Sonny Del-Rio 2003 Two Hound Blues

Genre: Blues
Rate: 196 kbps VBR / 44100
Time: 00:43:24
Size: 61,11 MB

A combination of six lost tracks from the 1981 King Biscuit Boy album, Blues Bisquits and the 1999 Sonny Del-Rio effort, 40 Years of Rock & Roll and all I got's the Blues, recorded in 2002.

For 2005, this work received the Hamilton Music Awards nomination for Best Blues Album.



Tracklist:

01 - Two Hound Blues 06:36

02 - Bad Luck Soul 02:21

03 - 7Th Avenue Blue 04:52

04 - Let The Good Times Roll 03:14

05 - Treat Your Baby Right 05:56

06 - Play The Honky Tonks 02:36

07 - Hard Times 03:00

08 - I'm In Love 02:29

09 - Blue Light Boogie 04:46

10 - Jailhouse Blues 07:34




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King Biscuit Boy With Crowbar 1972 Official Music

Genre: Blues
Rate: 210 kbps VBR / 44100
Time: 00:42:47
Size: 68,11 MB



Review by Keith Pettipas

Born in Hamilton Ontario, Richard Newell's musical career began in the early 60's as a teenager playing the harmonica in teen bands, the Barons in 1961 (later renamed Son Richard and the Chessmen) and then with the blues styled Mid- Knights in the mid 60's. He became noticed while playing with Ronnie Hawkins as one of the Hawks, who nicknamed him King Biscuit Boy. After playing with Hawkins for two years, he left to go it alone but joined Crowbar band made up of ex Hawks) and recorded his debut album entitled Official Music (as King Biscuit Boy & Crowbar) in 1970.

Official Music was released on the Daffodil Records label in Canada and Paramount in the U.S.A. to critical acclaim. Of the eleven songs on the album, eight are standard blues covers of songs by such greats as Willie Dixon, Bill Broonzy, Otis Redding, Sonny Boy Williamson, given a unique treatment by Newells' harmonica playing. There are also original compositions written by Newell and performed in a classic blues style. Official Music charted in both the US and Canada and a single taken from the album, "Corinna Corrina" was a minor hit in Canada for King Biscuit Boy and Crowbar in 1970. After the release of Official Music, King Biscuit Boy and Crowbar parted ways.



Tracklist:

01 - Highway 61 02:56

02 - Don't Go No Further 03:48

03 - Unseen Eye 03:02

04 - I'm Just A Lonely Guy 02:36

05 - Key To The Highway 03:20

06 - Corrina, Corinna 04:39

07 - Biscuit's Boogie 09:39

08 - Hoy Hoy Hoy 05:18

09 - Badly Bent 02:14

10 - Cookin' Little Baby 02:42

11 - Shout Bama Lama 02:33




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Richard Newell 1987 A.K.A. King Biscuit Boy

Genre: Blues
Rate: 160 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:42:31
Size: 48,68 MB

Biography

Born Richard Newell, 9 March 1944, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, d. 5 January 2003, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Blues harpist and vocalist Newell aka King Biscuit Boy will be remembered as one of his country's finest unsung musicians. Newell began playing harp at the age of 12, and made his recording debut in 1961 with the rock 'n' roll group the Barons on the "Bottleneck" single.

Various name changes ensued, with the band performing their increasingly blues-orientated material as Son Richard And The Chessmen and Son Richard And The Gooduns, but despite a popular live following a series of failed record deals led to them calling it a day in 1965.

Newell joined Richie Knight And The Mid-Knights, recording a cover version of Sam And Dave's "Soul Man' before being poached by Canadian rock 'n' roll legend Ronnie Hawkins. The Hawk gave Newell his popular sobriquet (from the KFFA Arkansas radio programme King Biscuit Boy Flower Hour), and introduced him to venues that far outsized the bar circuit he was used to.

Newell left Hawkins in 1970, recruiting drummer Sonnie Bernardi and keyboard player Jozef Chirowski (aka Crowbar) to record Official Music for Daffodil Records. Despite warm reviews for the album Newell moved on once more, reviving the Gooduns name for a solitary album before launching a solo career.

He relocated to New Orleans to work with songwriter/record producer Allen Toussaint and the Meters on the excellent King Biscuit Boy, which was released in 1974 by Epic Records. A follow-up album was not forthcoming until 1980, when Mouth Of Steel appeared on the tiny UK label Red Lightning.

Further releases dripped out over the years, including 1987's Juno nominated King Biscuit Boy Aka Richard Newell and 1995"s Urban Blues Re: Newell. Newell, who had suffered from alcohol problems throughout his life, was found dead at his house in Hamilton in January 2003. (https://www.talktalk.co.uk/music/biography/artist/king-biscuit-boy/biography/6351)



Tracklist:

01 - I Tried 04:05

02 - Blue Light Boogie 05:01

03 - The Comeback 03:02

04 - Castin' My Spell 02:22

05 - Close Up The Back Door 02:40

06 - Operator 03:18

07 - Early In The Morning 02:43

08 - Hattie Malatti 02:51

09 - One Scotch, One Bourbon, One B 03:34

10 - Ashamed Of Myself 04:03

11 - Don't Let Daddy Slow Walk You 03:48

12 - She Knocks Me Out 02:45

13 - Step Back Baby 02:19




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