Seattle to Greaseland
Joel Astley
Seattle To Greaseland
Blue Heart Records
After working hard to establish himself on the Pacific Northwest music scene by playing in several popular bands, winning 18 “Best of The Blues,” award from the Washington Blues Society and signing on as a Lee Oskar Harmonicas artist, singer-songwriter, Harmonica man and graphic artist Joel Astley is poised to burst on to the national scene with his debut solo album Seattle To Greaseland. The collection of eleven original songs will be released August of 2023 by Blue Heart Records was recorded at Greaseland Studio in San Jose by acclaimed producer and multi-instrumentalist Kid Andersen who invited some of his “Greaseland Regulars,” to join in on the weekend jam sessions that yielded a fine album, including Chicago guitarist Johnny Burgin and Charlie Musselwhite’s rhythm section, drummer June Core and Randy Bermudes on Bass with backup singers Marina Crouse and Jill Dean, while Astley brought in his talent as a clever lyricist, accomplish vocalist, and hot Blues Harp player. The songs are a blend of authentic styles from straight ahead Blues to classic R&B , jumping swing and a sweet Gospel number that together create the unique vibe of West Coast Blues.
Opening track “Born Crying,” has a swampy down on the bayou feel with Astely spelling out how the Blues is everyone’s Soul, with Kid and Johnny each testifying to the fact with smoking guitar solos. The Jump Blues “Candy Shop,” rips at a furious sugar fueled pace with Astely and Anderson sparing on harp and Hammond B3. Astely turns the notion of “Hard Luck and Trouble,” on its head during the honky Tonk Blues bouncer “Just Right,” and points out how the universe eventually finds a way of balancing the scales on the slinky reverb soaked “Karma Wheel.” Anderson pumps the clavinet and Core drives the groove of ultra-funky “Secondhand Kid,” highlighting some of Astley’s most snarky lines. The vaudeville number “Takin’ It With Me,” has theatrical flair of a pre-war tin plan alley song and the gents keep it swinging hard on “Hot As Hell,” a sure fire dance floor filler that features sizzling leads from Burgin. The ladies join Astley on the chorus of old time Rock N Roll anthem “Down To The Rims,” and the piece of sage advice set to angular beat “Work With You Got.” Astely commemorates a long lost Seattle club ‘88 Keys,’ which helped launch his career and everyone who was “in the know” called “Bobby’s Place.” The album closes with Astely and the crew taking us to church on the Gospel two beat “No Brighter Gold,” celebrating the pure joy music brings to the world. With a little help from his friends Joel Astley should be adding more accolades to his collection after the release of this excellent record.
Rick J Bowen