In case you didn't know it folks we have a very hot one here!
A Blues/Roots trio that actually has fun deconstructing the whole idea, guitarist Robin "Hammer" Ludwig, bassist "Money" Mike Esterson and drummer Jason "J-Bird" [Bowman] aren't interested in burning another solo into our collective heads. No sir. These guys twist 'n twirl the old medium, lighting it up with a lil bit of cajun 'n country, creating a very listenable originality you and your CD player will be most thankful for.
Recorded right here in New Paltz, Five Points breathes fresh air into Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain" by bringing some Dixieland brass to the party. Mississippi John Hurt's elemental "Candyman" does a hard shuffle ala electric Hot Tuna. Blind Willie's "Nobody's Fault" and Skip James' "New Special Rider" are literally resuscitated.
Stick-to-the-rib original ticklers include the crackling "TV Preacher," "Call Me The Hammer," "Name of My Game," and "900 Miles."
There is so much great playing and playfull imagination on "Roots and The Spirit" that you'd only be cheating yourself and your heirs if you didn't pick this one up.
The slow and sometimes painful (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) rebirth of the blues is one of the bright spots on the modern music scene. The New York-based Five Points Band is one of the more brilliant of those lights. It's led by Robin "Hammer" Ludwig, the goldsmith who designs and fashions High Times' Cannabis Cup and whose 35 years in the music business are indented on his face like creases in an old roadmap.
Ludwig pays homage to such old bluesmen as Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Blind Willie Johnson and Robert Johnson without imitating, shredding or mutilating. Five Points Band's original songs are an extension of the Delta kings, but the mud on their boots is from the Hudson River, not the Mississippi; the band plays deep country blues even though it's from a big city. I doubt that Ludwig ever gave a serious listen to the commercial patter that is Chicago blues. A diamond of a CD.
Dash of Blues, spoonful of Swing, 1 pinch of Cajun Spice, 1 ounce Twang, 2 cups familiar Rock n' Roll - simmer.
At first listen, I envisioned Tom Waits and Johnny Cash duking it out for first mention in the Five Points Band's list of musical influences, of which there are obviously many. This NYC trio delivers a variety of moods ranging from brooding dark blues to up-beat swinging, jump blues, to carnival style New Orleans funeral. The Five Points Band possess such a unique and attractive style, I'd say that these guys are prime candidates for a cult following. Intelligent lyrics, delivered by spooky at times (yet smooth) rock and roll vocals and sanctified by tasteful and intense instrumentation, make this CD a must have for fans of delta blues, twang and rock-a-billy, although you can't classify this release into any of those singular categories.
Back with its second album, The Five Points Band continues its minimalist fusion of country blues and roots rock with Roots and The Spirit. Robin "The Hammer" Ludwig, Jason "J-Bird" Bowman on drums and new bassist "Money" Mike Esterson split their time evenly between covers and originals - the trick is, if you don't know the songs, you can't tell which is which.
As usual, the band chooses to err on the side of taste and style rather than originality. Songs by Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James, Robert Johnson, and Willie Brown blend well with such FPB compositions as "Angel Child," "Smokin' Loco," "J-Bird's Blues," "TV Preacher," "Call Me The Hammer," and "New Special Rider Blues." The latter owe a heavy debt to Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, and Robert Johnson, by way of previous blues revivalists like the Rolling Stones. Songs are played loose and lively, the rhythm section creating the perfect backdrop for Ludwig's slide guitar and Jaggeresque voice. The Five Points Band is a third-generation branch of the blues family tree, and they've clearly listened closely to the voices of their elders.
Roots and The Spirit, recorded at The Gallery Studio in New Paltz, will be released nationally on Baby Mack Records this spring. Meanwhile, it's available at www.fivepointsband.com or at www.cdbaby.com. You can also pick up a copy at the band's live shows, of which there are many upcoming [...].
The Five Points Band: Roots and the Spirit (Acacia Music - 777 421)
New York's Five Points Blues Band hails from Chinatown, NYC in the area where the old Five Points neighborhood was once located. The band regularly appears on stages across New York City, also making regular visits abroad to perform at festivals and clubs in blues-crazy Holland and Norway. The band is led by Robin "The Hammer" Ludwig, who works as the singer and guitarist for the band. Along with the 35 years of blues experience offered by "The Hammer," the Five Points Band includes bass player, "Money" Mike Esterson, and Jason "J-Bird" [Bowman] on drums and percussion.
Roots and the Spirit is the second recording by the Five Points Blues Band, a follow-up to their self-titled 2000 debut. Like the first CD, Roots and the Spirit is comprised of fourteen songs, combining classic blues covers like Mississippi John Hurt's "Candyman" and Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain," with some excellent original material including "Call Me the Hammer," "J-Bird's Blues" and "Smokin' Love." All of the original material includes some catchy lyrics with excellent slide and regular guitar by Robin Ludwig.
One of the first things I noticed as I listened to Roots and the Spirit was that the band has chosen to give new, and in many cases a very different, treatment to the cover tunes. Interestingly, the band takes partial credit along with Skip James for "New Special Rider," an obvious variation on the original tune. However, clearly the band's treatment of "Candyman," "Nobody's Fault" and "Love in Vain," could also receive dual credit between the original songwriter and the band. As for the traditional tunes, "Maggie Walker" and the medley including "Reno Ride" and "M&O Blues", "The Hammer" and company provide a new, refreshing treatment of the three standards.
Among the originals, The Five Points Band provides several exceptional, slide laden tunes that cover a variety of feelings. The first original tune on the CD is "Angel Child," a slide heavy boogie that helps to get the CD off of the ground with a bang. "Smokin' Loco" is a musical train ride that helps the listener get the feel of a hobo's cross country ride in an open boxcar. "J-Bird's Blues" has a Piedmont country blues feel to it that is not as heavy as some of the preceding songs and offers a friendlier feeling to the bands sound. On "TV Preacher," Ludwig goes back to his slide guitar boogie in a description of the influence wielded by television evangelists in converting/capturing the masses in their charismatic web. Ludwig continues his slide boogie barrage on the next song, "Call Me The Hammer," which appears to be something of an autobiographical musical voyage for the guitarist. The final original on Roots and the Spirit is "900 Miles" which has more of a country feel to it, but still maintains the "traveling music" feeling that pervades the music found on the CD.
For the blues lover that wants to hear something different from the standard blues sound, Roots and the Spirit is an excellent variation on the basic blues theme, featuring innovative performance and a unique sound. To check out the Five Points Band or to pick up a copy of Roots and the Spirit or the band's first CD, The Five Points Band, visit their website at www.fivepointsband.com. If you are from the New York area, the website also provides contact information, as well as the band's performance schedule.
Back to topSome of you out there may have a copy of Hammer's first CD (entitled "Five Points Band"). Well listen up peoples cause Robin "Chinatown Slim" Ludwig (guitars&vocals), "Makin'Money" Mike Esterson (bass), and J-Bird "the new Dad" [Bowman] (drums) are back with 16 new tracks on their second CD entitled "Roots and the Spirit".
This one is a bit different from the first and has some new styles incorporated into the mix with blues, country, cajun, dixieland and a healthy dose of rock from the rhythm section. They do some covers on here ("CandyMan" by Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James' "Special Rider Blues", and "Nobody's Fault" by Blind Willie Johnson), but I find myself bein' more partial to the originals by Hammer & Co.
"J-Bird's Blues" bemoans the bluesman experience of having too many women, whiskey and the troubles that comes out of all that. A neat song with very cool arrangement and fine "KISS principle" guitar work.
"TV Preacher" starts off by declarin' "Last Nite I got religion....I joined the TV church..." . I like this one probably best of all. Steve Burgh adds some organ to the celebration of video salvation and Robin's got a hell of nice guitar hook goin' on.
"Call Me the Hammer" just plain flat out swings. A fellow named Lew Soloff blows a meanass trumpet on here that changes the whole mood of the song . Amazin' what a single horn can do, very cool stuff.....
There's a medley of three different tunes,("Reno Ride", "M&O Blues", and "Leave 'Em Now") that's done in a sort electric Piedmont style and knits together well with Hammer's fingerpicked guitar and very nice sounding mandolin work from the multi-talented Steve Burgh, who also co-produced the album with Mathieu Chabert and was the Mixing Engineer as well.
"900 Miles" is a snappy country style number that gets your feet slappin' and your fingers snappin. A big surprise from the Chinatown gang, but I reckon the time they spent in Upstate New York rubbed off on them. That clean air and living will do that to ya;~)
"Love in Vain". I reckon it wouldn't be a Five Points Band record without at least one by Robert Johnson, and I was glad to see they picked this one. It's a completely different arrangement than any I've heard previously and Lew Soloff returns with more horn work to jazz things up and turns a usually sedatedly delivered standard into a New Orleans type street party.
I've listened to this record about a dozen times so far and every time I do I find more stuff to like about it. It's just plain good music and the guys have done a great job on their second outing. Congrats to the Five Points Band and to the Guest musicians on a job well done! This record is aptly named as it contains both Roots and plenty of Spirit. For more info on these guys and how to get hold of yer own copy, go to FivePointsBand.Com
The creator of the Cannabis Cups, Robin Ludwig, is also an accomplished blues guitarist.
Robin "The Hammer" Ludwig wears many hats. Usually, a big floppy one hangs off the side of his head. He's the goldsmith who hammers out the Cannabis Cup each year. And he's an accomplished blues guitarist who has just released his first album, The Five Points Band (available at Amazon.com and CDNow). [...]
The 12th Cup gave judges an opportunity to hear Ludwig's authentic blues style. He performed with Cup promoter/bassist Mike Esterson and Cannabis Cup drummer Gabe Moses on several occassions delighting fans of unadulterated blues guitar. "The music was more sophisticated this year," he says. "More blues and jazz people were there." [...]
The album features two New York studio aces, bassist Johnny Cement and drummer JBird, and is chock full of blues classics ("Crossroads", "Little Red Rooster") and Ludwig originals ("Devilvision", "Ain't This Trouble"). "The album is mostly classics," the Hammer offers. "You've got to play the classics credibly. The next album will be more creative."
How did Ludwig get his nickname? "Well, as a goldsmith the hammer is my favorite tool," he says. "Also, my favorite wrestler is Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine." He has another nickname that fits where he lives in Lower Manhattan. The Cannabis Cup's reigning bluesman singsongs with a blues growl, "Some people like to call me Chinatown Slim."