Eden Brent - Ain’t Got No Troubles

Yellow Dog Records

www.edenbrent.com

12 Tracks; 45 minutes 35 seconds

Styles: Piano Blues, Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Soul

Produced by Colin Linden. Players: Eden Brent, piano and voice; Colin Linden, guitars; George Porter, Jr., electric bass; Bryan Owings, drums; Tracy Griffin, trumpet; Emile Hall, alto saxophone; Jeff Albert, trombone; Jon Cleary, Hammond B3.

If you loved her debut release ‘Mississippi Number One’, then you’ll definitely want to get your copy of this, her follow up CD. I’m assuming most of you know who Eden Brent is by now or, at least, you’ve known about her since she won the 2006 International Blues Challenge. But did you know she’s a ‘born & bred’ Mississippian, music ‘schooled’, appeared in two tv/documentary productions, got her nickname “Little Boogaloo” from a 16-yr apprentice with MS blues pioneer Boogaloo Ames, has appeared at the Kennedy Center, the Republican National Convention, is a 3-time Blues Music Awards winner and has been compared to the legendary voices of Janis Joplin, Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Norah Jones and Diana Krall (and can I throw in I heard a hint of Nancy Griffith)?

Eden Brent is the real deal. Her southern roots serve her well in this world of show biz. She’s down to earth, warm, engaging and spirited. Her comfort on stage and in front of a piano--belting out sultry, raspy, husky, silky and sensual vocals--flows right off the stage into your heart and soul, just like it does here on this CD. You can’t help but love her and her music.

And I guess I’ve been asleep at the wheel when it comes to paying attention to Eden’s songwriting skills, being caught up and blown away by her charismatic piano playing and singing. I mean, who else has more fun performing than Eden!? So, take a look at all the tracks she penned in this, her 2nd release—8 of the 12 (tracks 1-3, 6-8, 10, 11). And they’re all clever, catchy jazzy bluesy tunes that’ll stick in your head after just one listen. She’s even included the lyrics in the CD jacket.

Eden’s original, danceable Track 1’s ‘Someone to Love’, lets the men folk know there’s plenty of fish in the sea so they better commit because they’re swimming in a pool of contender fish! Track 2 ‘Ain’t Got No Troubles’ has New Orleans written all over it (and where the album was recorded)—gospel-tinged, happy, upbeat and jazzy. Track 3’s ‘Blues All Over’ is about us ladies missing that special man and is performed in the purist piano blues and stylish vocal way that only Eden does best. Track 6 ‘Leave Me Alone’ is a moving ballad where Eden waxes melancholy over a lost love with resolve of shutting doors to any further communication with him.

Track 7 ‘Let’s Boogie Woogie’ is classic Eden, just like I remember seeing her perform live in the Blues Music Awards Beale Street showcases, as if playing and singing is easier than breathing. How anyone can have that much natural talent is beyond me. She can flat out bang a piano and not miss an instrumental or vocal note, that’s for sure. This is a rockin’ bluesy dance hit that’ll have everyone in the juke a’jumpin’. Slide on into Track 8 ‘My Man’ for more fancy ivory tickling, savory vocals and a shout out to (finally) a good man! The theme continues in Track 10 ‘If I Can’t’ (have you baby, I don’t want nobody else). And the last of her original Tracks (11) is ‘In Love With Your Wallet’. How nice of Eden to remind the Sugar Daddies: “She’s in love with your wallet, not your personality.” Amen, sister.
You’ll also love Eden’s version of the Tom Hambridge, Delbert McClinton, Gary Nicholson tune ‘Ain’t I Got a Right to be Wrong’. The band rocks it out and she belts it out.

Producer Colin Linden penned Track 4 ‘Later Than You Think’. And in case you aren’t familiar with Colin, I took the liberty of stealing this bio bite from his website:

“Linden is a genuine renaissance man of roots music. He’s a singer and songwriter of great skill, an in-demand and prolific record producer ( Bruce Cockburn, Tom Wilson, Colin James), a sideman to the stars as guitarist for the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Emmylou Harris, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and, for the past decade, a member of the highly successful trio, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. Colin’s songs have been covered by The Band, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Keb’ Mo’, and Colin James, and his well-stocked trophy case includes seven Juno, multiple Maple Blues Awards, and a Toronto Arts Award. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for the star-studded A Tribute To Howlin’ Wolf CD, and was involved in the ground-breaking O Brother Where Art Thou phenomenon. Linden has a well-deserved reputation as a slide guitar virtuoso of real originality, and his riveting slide work can be heard both on albums from such artists as Cassandra Wilson, The Rankin Family, Whitey Johnson and on his own sizeable solo catalogue.”

Frolicking romps, thigh-slappin’ boogie-woogie, juke-joint-jumping, soulful blues ballads, clever original tunes and another hit record. Yep, folks, that’s what you get when you buy “Ain’t Got No Troubles”. I give a strong ‘thumbs up’ to this one, blues friends. And I have a feeling more Blues Music Awards are well on their way for Eden and this album.

Reviewer Belinda Foster is a Web-TV Host for www.greenvillehd.com, a Columnist and Contributing Writer for Greenville SC Magazine “Industry Mag” and former manager of Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues. She is a devoted promoter and support of live blues root music and history, making frequent trips to Clarksdale MS and the Delta Region. Her column “The Upstate Blues Report can be found on line at www.mega-scene.com.