Blues cruise?

Sugar Ray Norcia and Mike Welch address the envelope

by Michael Caito

Mike Welch

You always hope the buildup isn't more exciting than the result, but it happens on a pair of surprising new releases which fell a little shy on the Richter scale.

I'd be one of the last people to say Sugar Ray Norcia isn't a happening singer / harp player, and now he's released Sweet and Swingin' (Bullseye Blues & Jazz) an album-ful of cover chestnuts from magical performers like Big Walter, Hank Sr., and Percy Mayfield. The title fits -- it is and it does. What's disappointing is that it may be overly spiffed and a little too . . . nice. Sure, Ray's capable of evoking feelings of when life was simpler and more idyllic (at least at 78 rpm), and on that nostalgia tip this record is an unqualified success. What's missing is edge and pace . . . not enough of the former and too much of the latter. Can a record be too tasteful? Ray's testing those waters. Maybe I'm just too hopped up on goofballs (though in retrospect Ihad less trouble with Duke Robillard's Minor Swing), but I always thought there had to be a little blood spillage somewhere in blues. And Ray Norcia is a blues singer, first and foremost. He was way back with Ronnie Earl, later in the Bluetones and later still with Roomful (who, incidentally, embark on a Euro trek right after their Ocean Mist gig next weekend, which features the debut of veteran pianist Steve Kostakes, late of Debbie Davies' band). Soul, yes -- Norcia has that and to spare. This stuff just always translates better live, so there should still be thrills a-plenty when he plays the Zoo's annual fund-raiser Saturday ("Feast with the the Beasts" at the Roger Williams Park Zoo with the Debbie Davies Band and the muy excellente Bellevue Cadillac; tix are $75, call 941-3910).

Poor Mike Welch. Thrust into the spotlight when barely a teen, he now finds himself -- as does Kenny Wayne -- constantly pegged against an absolute legend who went down in a chopper a few years back. But he's determined to eke out his own turf, his own sound, and that's no cakewalk as a blues player. So listening to Catch Me (Tone-Cool) you realize the singer/songwriter/ guitarist is trying hard, but more seasoning is needed before conviction -- and thus believability -- matches chops. He has a fastidious rhythm section (bassist David Hull and drummer Warren Grant especially) but needs a singer. I've received several releases from the Welch camp over the years, from early demos to this full-blown disc with the Rounder Group's distro wallop behind it. Progress has been made, as his confidence waxes and he finds inspiration in legit roof-raisers like Johnny "Clyde" Copeland (to whom this one was dedicated posthumously). He's being careful and studying, both good things because often the biz's pressure gets to young artists, and by the time they get their creative shit together nobody's listening any more. Happens all the time.

It's a fine line, but being careful and being cautious have always meant completely different things to Welch, so the record's not boring. While illuminating moments make too-rare appearances on Catch Me, they're definitely in there, so if Welch sticks to his guns -- and keeps upgrading their caliber -- he'll be fine. Some day.

SLINGIN' BY THE SEA. Now that pretty boy Agassi's left Newport, some righteous string zingers invade in a new festival replacing the R&B Fest, though with a Saturday lineup (July 25) that includes legends James Cotton and Bo Diddley there will still be plenty of blues and R&B appeal. Also that Saturday at the inaugural Gibson Guitar Festival: Kansas / Deep Purple alum Steve Morse and Zairean soukous master Diblo Dibala, whose Euro success in Kanda Bongo Man led to him forming his own band Loketo and later Matchatcha, with whom he appears at Fort Adams. Morse is the best thing about Deep Purple's brand-new, iffy Abandon (CMCInternational) with, yes, Roger Glover along.

Angolan ex-pat Waldemar Bastos, now living in Portugal, makes this a pan-African event. Puerto Rican folk gets due time when Yomo Toro arrives with a 10-stringed cuatro, and brilliant SoHo name-droppee Marc Ribot (who guested on David Poe's latest for Epic) recently checked in with Mark Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos (Atlantic), burning in the Havana son with bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez. More reasons to get fret: Kelly Willis and Sue Foley crash the cozy boys' club, having earned their way in through gritty, stirring live performances and strong writing. Nils Lofgren and Chris Whitley try to keep roots-rock transcendent, and that's only little more than half the lineup.

More strings: a 40-piece mostly-mando orchestra, a RISD Auditorium CD-release celebration for the World Café Quartet's debutMetro, a river afire. All Saturday, all free, hold the casino.

The newly-formed (or was that re-formed? Reformed?) Rhode Island Blues Society celebrates at the Newport Blues Café tonight (June 25), with area heroes Doug James, James Montgomery, Mark Taber and many more along for a stoked evening. Music starts at 9; info at 841-5510.

A benefit for the Margaret Otis Multiple Myloma Cancer Fund will be held Wednesday, July 1 at 8 p.m. at the Living Room. This requires zero hype. Lineup: Dropdead, Paindriver, Landed, Arab On Radar, Bull Roarer, Double Nuthins and more. See you there.

Tonight (6/25), you'd better shake it right now, 'cuz the Mekons are at the Middle East in Cambridge. Run. On Friday: Showcase Showdown / Thumper / Tedio Boys churn up tasty debris by the sea at the Ocean Mist, and Olympic Hopeful (new single release) / Wicked Farleys (good new CD) / Magdalen Hsuli / Pines of Rome/ Aiko Shimada perform at the Century Lounge.

Remember: no pressmen, no paper. This one's for all the web-watchers. Peace.