Mitch Wood: Friends Along The Way

DETAILS ALBUM

Disc One:
1. C.C. RIDER feat. Van Morrison & Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (vocals, guitar), Van Morrison (vocals), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Ma Rainey, Universal-MCA Music Publishing a division of Universal Music Corp.
Van Morrison appears courtesy of Exile Productions
Taj Mahal appears courtesy of Concord Records
2. TAKE THIS HAMMER feat. Van Morrison & Taj Mahal
Van Morrison (vocals, tambourine), Taj Mahal (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Huddie Ledbetter, Folkways Music Publishing Inc.
Van Morrison appears courtesy of Exile Productions
Taj Mahal appears courtesy of Concord Records
3. KEEP A DOLLAR IN YOUR POCKET feat. Elvin Bishop
Elvin Bishop (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (vocals, piano), Larry Vann (drums)
Written by Oliver Perry, Sony/ATV Songs obo Venice Music
Elvin Bishop appears courtesy of Alligator Records
4. SINGIN’ THE BLUES feat. Ruthie Foster
Ruthie Foster (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Ruthie Foster, Bucknpony Publishing (BMI)
Ruthie Foster appears courtesy of Blue Corn Music
5. MOTHER-IN-LAW BLUES feat. John Hammond
John Hammond (vocals, national steel guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Don Robey, Songs Of Universal, Inc.
6. CRYIN’ FOR MY BABY feat. Charlie Musselwhite
Mitch Woods (vocals, piano), Charlie Musselwhite (harmonica)
Written by Mitch Woods, Viper Music obo Mitchrich Music
7. NASTY BOOGIE feat. Joe Louis Walker
Mitch Woods (vocals, piano), Joe Louis Walker (guitar, vocals)
Written by Champion Jack Dupree, Unichappell Music Inc.
8. EMPTY BED BLUES feat. Maria Muldaur
Maria Muldaur (vocals), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by J.C. Johnson, Songwriters Guild of America obo Record Music Pub Co.
9. BLUES MOBILE feat. Kenny Neal
Kenny Neal (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Mitch Woods (vocals, piano), Larry Vann (drums)
Written by Kenny Neal, Copyright Control
Kenny Neal appears courtesy of Booga Music
10. THE BLUES feat. Cyril Neville
Cyril Neville (vocals), Mitch Woods (piano, vocals)
Written by Taj Mahal, Norman Caesar and Cyril Garrett Neville
Disc Two:
1. SATURDAY NIGHT BOOGIE WOOGIE MAN feat. Elvin Bishop
Mitch Woods (vocals, piano), Elvin Bishop (guitar), Larry Vann (drums)
Written by Jimmy Liggins, Sony/ATV Songs
Elvin Bishop appears courtesy of Alligator Records
2. BLUES GAVE ME A RIDE feat. Charlie Musselwhite
Charlie Musselwhite (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Charlie Musselwhite, Henrietta Music
3. CHICAGO EXPRESS feat. James Cotton
James Cotton (harmonica), Mitch Woods (piano, vocals)
Written by Mitch Woods, Mitchrich Music
4. NEVER GET OUT OF THESE BLUES ALIVE feat. John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by John Lee Hooker, Songs of Universal
5. MIDNIGHT HOUR BLUES feat. Van Morrison & Taj Mahal
Van Morrison (vocals, harmonica), Taj Mahal (national steel guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Leroy Carr, Universal Music Corp obo Wabash Music Co.
Van Morrison appears courtesy of Exile Productions
Taj Mahal appears courtesy of Concord Records
6. IN THE NIGHT feat. Marcia Ball
Marcia Ball (piano, vocals), Mitch Woods (piano, vocals)
Written by Henry Roeland Byrd, Professor Longhair Music
Marcia Ball appears courtesy of Alligator Records
7. BLUES FOR NEW ORLEANS feat. Cyril Neville (previously unreleased)
Cyril Neville (vocals), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Cyril Neville
8. DON’T DIP IN MY BIZNESS feat. Kenny Neal (previously unreleased)
Kenny Neal (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by Kenny Neal, Copyright Control
Kenny Neal appears courtesy of Booga Music
9. SOUTHBOUND BLUES feat. John Hammond (previously unreleased)
John Hammond (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (piano)
Written by W.R. Calaway, Clarence Williams
10. MOJO MAMBO feat. Maria Muldaur (previously unreleased)
Maria Muldaur (vocals), Mitch Woods (piano, vocals)
Written by Mitch Woods, Mitchrich Music/BMI
11. WORRIED LIFE BLUES feat. Joe Louis Walker (previously unreleased)
Joe Louis Walker (vocals, guitar), Mitch Woods (piano, vocals)
Written by Sam Hopkins

​Sinds zijn verhuis naar San Francisco in 1970, speelt Mitch Woods al jaren boogiewoogie en jumpblues. Zijn dynamische pianospel wordt ondersteund door zijn Rocket 88s-band. De afgelopen jaren maakte Woods een omweg naar New Orleans, waar hij zich onderdompelde in de R&B-geschiedenis van die stad, terwijl hij ook een vaste klant werd in de Pianobar op de Legendary Rhythm & Blues-cruises. Een van zijn meest memorabele muzikale projecten was het registreren van zijn CD/DVD ‘Big Easy Boogie’, met de Fats Domino Band in New Orleans. Het project ‘Friends Along The Way’ begint met twee performances met Van Morrison en Taj Mahal, Woods speelt heerlijke gospelpiano terwijl Taj Mahal gitaarbegeleiding toevoegt aan Van Morrisons kenmerkende stem op ‘Take This Hammer’ én ‘CC Rider’, Taj achter de microfoon. Ruthie Foster trekt in aandacht in ‘Singin' The Blues’, terwijl de ingetogen piano van Woods de perfecte background vormt. Een ander hoogtepunt is John Hammond gruizige vocals en National steel slide-gitaar op ‘Mother-In-Law Blues’. Maria Muldaur’s kleurt ‘Empty Bed Blues’, John Lee Hooker is er op ‘Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive’ met zijn vocale personificatie hoe de blues werkelijk moet geperformd worden. Elvin Bishop was te gast op de nummers als ‘Keep A Dollar In Your Pocket’ en het energieke ‘Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man’, waar hij gretig strooit met zijn gitaarlicks én zo Woods de kans geeft om zijn markante vocale talent te distribueren. Mondharmonica- virtuoos Charlie Musselwhite geeft ‘Blues Gave Me A Ride’ statuur, terwijl Woods de vocalen verzorgt op de slowblues ‘Cryin' For My Baby’. De track ‘Chicago Express’ is een dynamisch song met James Cotton die zijn stevige licks op harp blaast terwijl Woods’ zijn klavier beroerd. Gitarist Joe Louis Walker geeft met zijn snaren ‘Nasty Boogie’ gestalte, Kenny Neal is speciale gast op zang, gitaar en harp op zijn originele ‘Blues Mobile’ en Cyril Neville is een merkwaardige figuur op het nummer ‘The Blues’. Van Morrison en Taj Mahal zijn een laatste keer terug op ‘Midnight Hour Blues’. De release wordt afgesloten met ‘In The Night’, origineel van de legendarische Crescent City artiest professor Longhair, wat uiteindelijk een geweldig zang- en pianoduet is tussen Woods en Marcia Ball.
 
Philip Verhaege

​​San Francisco Bay Area roots keyboard wizard Mitch Woods has set an August 18 release date for the expanded deluxe edition of his 2-CD album set, Friends Along the Way, on Club 88 Records, distributed by The Orchard. The multi-disc set features Woods in simple duo and trio settings with such stars as Van Morrison, Taj Mahal, Ruthie Foster, Elvin Bishop, Maria Muldaur, Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball, John Lee Hooker and many more.
The release ‘Friends Along the Way’ finds Mitch reaching into his historical sense of music. He reaches backwards to the roots rather than forward for his inspiration. With Friends Along the Way, Mitch wanted to get a chance to play with some of his contemporaries in an intimate and mostly unplugged environment. The piano as an instrument lends itself to this format so perfectly. Mitch can play rhythm, lead, bass, and sing while accompanying some of his friends, who happen to be today’s blues and musical greats. It is a great instrument for bringing out the best of these awesome artists who are keeping the blues flame burning for generations to come.