Miracle men Greg Hodde’s deep blues; plus, the Sleazies hit 100 BY BOB GULLA

Greg Hodde and the Blue Miracles have been leaning into the local and regional blues scene since 1996. That was when Hodde, inspired by his years of experience working for other bands on the circuit, decided to strike out on his own. Since then, Hodde and his cohorts, drummer Dave Watson and bassist Joe Downs, have been logging serious miles and chalking up at least 150 gigs a years. That tally is not only a testament to the enduring power a sharp blues band wields in this area, but also a good indication that people are coming out to see these Miracles do their thing.

Well, Hodde and company finally have a CD to show for their efforts. Greg Hodde and the Blue Miracles is a great showcase for the guitarist’s substantial skills. He’s obviously inspired by a variety of six-stringers, from electric bluesman Gary Moore to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Hodde explains a few of the cuts on the album so guitarists in particular can appreciate them. " ‘Got Love’ is a fun swing tune with influences from Duke Robillard, Charlie Christian and Les Paul. ‘Link Dale’ is a tribute to the great Dick Dale and Link Wray. ‘Whose Life Is It?’ is very Santana, Gary Moore, and Eric Johnson. ‘What Goes Around’ is wide open with a hint of Alvin Lee and Johnny Winter."

Guitar playing isn’t the only feature of interest on the new record. Hodde peppers his songs with weighty issues as well, topics you don’t generally find in the cliché-prone idioms of blues and blues-rock. Chasing drugs and alcohol is the subject of "Just Can’t Lose." "I don’t mind saying," Hodde notes, "that I’ve been drug- and alcohol-free for 15 years. I lost a lot but still have music, friends, and family, and health, thank God." Elsewhere, "Roomful of Mirrors" is about "blaming everyone for problems that I or anyone created for themselves." "What Goes Around" is about paying for all the crummy things people do and then have to account for them. Hodde’s blues, as traditional as any in the electric sense, are rife with the concerns of today, and quite different than your average black snake moaner outta Chicago.

Not everything on the disc is uber-dark. Hodde thought it best to mix it up a bit because, after all, the blues knows how to turn bad feelings into a good time. "I didn’t want the whole record to be dark, so we put some fun stuff on there to lighten it up." Hence, the tribute to Dale and Wray and the familiar dashes of upbeat R&B. Throughout the disc, Hodde, Downs, and Watson keep it tight and focused, with the rhythm section reigning things in even while Hodde makes hot and frequent excursions on guitar.

RECORDING NEWS. Black & White have started work on the follow-up to their internationally lauded 2001 set, 45 RPM. The band have been visiting of late with Joe Moody over at Danger, readying an album which will highlight some of the trio’s favorite cover material. Representative of their rollicking gigs, the album will feature versions of songs by Eddie Cochran, Otis Redding, the Ventures, and Lazy Lester. Yeah, that Lazy Lester. The as-yet-untitled CD will be Black & White’s first with debonair new frontman Mark Iannuccilli, who stepped into the singer/guitarist slot in June.

Grandevolution has finished the three-song demo they’ve been working on for so long. The band will have discs in hand at their gigs this week, including their date tonight (Thursday the 30th) at JR’s Bourbon St. Rock House in Cranston. Drew Townson produced, recorded, and mixed the tracks; he’ll continue to work with the band as they mix a few more songs before going back into the studio to finish off a new recording.

The film documentary Holy Water-gate that features the music of Jackie O’Brien and Illustrious Day had its first broadcast in prime time on Australia’s SBS-TV. Here’s a link to the network’s Web site, if you want to check it out: www.sbs.com.au. The band will also have some tracks from the film on illustriousday.com for fans, some of which may be included on the band’s upcoming record. For that recording, Jackie and Jim will be joined in the studio by veteran drummer Pete Abdou.

WANDERING EYE. Tomorrow’s Remedy calls itself "a dynamic band playing original music," with the operative term being the O-word. No covers here! TR formed two years ago when the members of the bands Vague and Livid Serene wanted to elevate their music and grow artistically. Since forming, Tomorrow’s Remedy has been honing their sound in Brockton, Massachusetts, at the renowned Centre Street practice studios, a former shoe factory on the east side of the city. They’ve been gigging throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island for the past several months. Check out their website for more info and sound clips: www.tomorrows remedy.com. Or see them if you’d like a good boot in the ears tonight at Cats. The show starts at 8:30.

The Sleazies’ 100th show happens, coincidentally, to be their next hometown show, on Friday (the 1st) at the Green Room. It’s also their bass player Darga’s birthday. And don’t be feeding the band fake-ass compliments like "you guys were really tight," because everybody knows they aren’t. Neurotic Swingers, a ’77ish punk band from Marseilles, France, will help ’em celebrate. They’re doing a couple of shows with the Sleazies (this one and the Abbey Lounge in Somerville on Thursday) before they head up to Canada, where they can try in vain to converse with the French-Canadians. At least they’ll be able to read the signs. Also on the bill are local psycho sleazoids Sasquatch and the Sick-a-Billys, fresh from a tour of Attleboro with Reverend Horton Heat, and the Marvels (from Boston), who will be hawking their new album Cheat To Win on Abbey Lounge Records.

Small-town Maine songwriter and folk music icon David Mallett brings his poetic sensibility and a comfy flannel shirt with him to his gig at Stone Soup. Mallett’s a personable artist and a terrific talent, and he’s a real favorite with the old (and young) folkies over at the coffeehouse. Check him out on Saturday (the 2nd). The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Arts Center of the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket (210 Main Street). Tickets are $12. Call 457-7147.

There’s some nice jazz happening at CAV (14 Imperial Place in Providence) on Saturday (the 2nd). Stellar sax man Greg Abate will be joined by Art Marco, Bruce Gertz, and John Grieco. Enjoy the vibes, enjoy the grooves, enjoy the ambience at CAV. Bring a date and try the ice cream. You won’t regret it.

E-mail me with your music news at big.daddy1@cox.net.