# CD review: Billy Branch and The Sons of Blues – Roots and Branches – The Songs of Little Walter 2019: Full album video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/08/30/cd-review-billy-branch-and-the-sons-of-blues-roots-and-branches-the-songs-of-little-walter-2019-full-album-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2019-08-30T11:58:35+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**_Roots and Branches — The Songs of Little Walter_ ****cementsBilly Branch’s place
among the kings as he and his Sons of Blues dedicate this disc to the best who ever
did it. **

Billy leads the way on harmonica and vocals, with a backing band of longtime Chi-
town veteran Sumito “Ariyo” Ariyoshi on piano, Giles Corey on guitar, Marvin Little
on bass, and Andrew “Blaze” Thomas on drums. They deliver 14 tracks of the most 
popular selections from Walter’s repertoire, but the band cooked up their own batch
of blues, soul, R&B, funk, and gospel grooves to infuse some freshness into the 
fabric of these classics—plus a bonus track of Walter’s daughter Marion Diaz talking
about memories of her dad. 

On** **_Mellow Down Easy_,** **Branch shows his mastery of range, while the band
gets a funk-gospel groove going.** **_Roller Coaster_** **reminds us how well Walter
could build a seemingly endless solo over a one-chord vamp.** **_Blue and Lonesome_****
typifies the West Side style, with great blues guitar work à la Otis Rush / Magic
Sam from Corey, and some of Branch’s best minor blues harp licks playing G diatonic
on a C chromatic harp. It’s also one of his best vocal performances on the entire
album. 

_Hate to See You Go_ is a one-chord, Lightnin’ Hopkins–esque boogie which shows 
the ingenuity of Branch’s chugging, incessant groove and growl. _My Babe_ gets a
wonderful New Orleans–flavored tinge that would make Professor Longhair smile. After
the first two verses, it suddenly shifts back home to the hard Chicago shuffle, 
even as the chord progression blends in a few jazz changes for good measure (Giles
Corey squeezes off a tasty pair of guitar solo choruses). A few tracks later in 
the album, we find that _It’s Too Late Brother_ actually has the original _My Babe_
groove on it.

_Juke_ is not the jump blues instrumental we expected—its greasier and funkier, 
with a slightly different set of chords, even as Branch liberally snatches verbatim
quotes from the well-known solo. Equally surprising is the rendition of _Last Night_,****
arranged more on the sassy end of the spectrum. It’s a bold move that really works
for Branch and Sons, especially with the plentiful piano rolls that Ariyo employs
underneath the vocals. 

_Just Your Fool / Key to the Highway_** **is a funk fest that Billy’s vocals are
custom-tailored for. They modulate out of** **_Just Your Fool_** **and seamlessly
segue into a new key with chord changes of** **_Key to the Highway._

_Boom Boom Out Go the Lights_** **is played pretty close to the original version—
just a good, hard-driving shuffle that swings like mad, with a howlin’ harp attack
that really burns. On the other end of the spectrum, _One More Chance With You_****
has a smooth-walking bass line and cascading jazzy piano riffs from Ariyo, with 
guest artist with Shoji Naito sitting in on guitar.

The last two tunes find the band playing it straight**—**_You’re So Fine_ has the
brisk, patented double shuffle, while _Blues With a Feeling_ is as good an example
of the classic Chicago sound as any on the album—with beautiful Otis Spann–flavored
piano solo, Jimmy Rogers–style rhythm guitar, and the Walter harp squall from Branch.
It’s as strong an ending as anyone could have asked for.

Billy and his band are tighter than a snare drum head. Harp blowers everywhere will
rejoice. – **Wayne Goins**

![Image result for Billy Branch and The Sons of Blues - Roots and Branches - The
Songs of Little Walter](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/
I/81xWZ22edKL._SL1500_.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

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