Shrimp daddy & the Sharpshooters

Shrimp Daddy & The Sharpshooters are a high-energy blues band, that have just come out with an equally live CD, titled 'Live At The Roxbury'. This great band features front man Mike 'Shrimp Daddy' Reid on harp and lead vocals. Dave Watson plays some mighty fine blues guitar leads, while 'Downtown' Albert Brown's bass lines fit right in with Bobby Hill's energetic talent on the skins. (Hill's been playing 'de bluz' for four decades, and it shows in his amazing technique on the skins on 'Roxbury'). John Templeton's recording and mastering of 'Roxbury', allows these tunes to retain their original energetic feel -- an engineering feat that's highly commendable!

The first tune on this 25-minute/four song live CD tells the whole story in a nutshell. This is definitely a party CD all the way - containing all the main ingredients that guarantee fun times whenever it's played. Shrimp Daddy's upbeat, emotional harp attack is complemented by his infectious vocals and added to by the wild energy of his talented rhythm section.

The instrumental first track is a sure-fire winner that should send blues die-hards into a higher bluesy realm! Shrimp Daddy's hearty laugh at the end of this song, indicates the fun he and his band had recording this live CD, and reflects the great live energy they give off at all their gigs.

This upbeat instrumental is followed by an aggressive and catchy "Born In Chicago", reminiscent of the great Paul Butterfield's early days and is dedicated to Butterfield by Shrimp Daddy in the intro. The rapid-fire bass lines are added to by Watson's scorching leads and guitar rhythms coupled with drumming urgency that really feels the blues. This song won't let up, and it's a good thing, because we all need this special emotional boost that's sure to please! Watson's guitar leads go all over the neck, in a desire to rev up the musical proceedings to the nth degree! Shrimp Daddy's harp soloing is equally as intense, and is backed by eager bass lines and drumming.

Just so the listener can enjoy a little bluesy 'breather', things slow down with the classic "Five Long Years". Watson's relaxed lead guitar intro, is followed by Shrimp Daddy's gentle-rolling harp riffs -- added to by insightful bass and drums. His heartfelt vocals bring out the true meaning in the lyrics, as if he's living them while he's singing them. (That takes real talent!) Watson's guitar solo part way through is incredible, as is Reid's on harp!

Shrimp Daddy's vocals on this one, are uncannily at times sounding much like B.B. King's in intonation … a surprising characteristic which caught this writer's ear and caused me to perk up right way! That's saying something for the quality of Reid's interpretation.

"Mojo", is the spirited encore to this amazing, recorded-live Shrimp Daddy show. It's definitely a wild, bluesy excursion into the blues of yesteryear that's still alive today! This fine rendition brings to mind images of Muddy Waters taking the audience to blues heaven at Newport in 1960 with "Mojo". Unlike Muddy however, Shrimp Daddy can really lay down the harp riffs too on this one -- backed by Watson's unrelenting guitar leads, along with Bobby Hill's hard-driving talent on the skins and Albert Brown's inspired bass lines. As in the 'B.B.' similarity in vocals on "Five Long Years", Reid's vocals on "Mojo" at times echo uncannily a Muddy vibe to them, which reflects Muddy's inspiration on this one that Shrimp Daddy surely must have taken to heart!

This incredibly enjoyable Shrimp Daddy & The Sharpshooters 4-song, 'Live At The Roxbury' CD, ends like it started .. with a bang that's sure to get plenty of bluesy repeats on the player.

And that ain't no lie!

Shrimp Daddy email: shrimpdaddy@cogeco.ca
- by Joe Curtis