John Metcalfe announces new album and reveals first track ‘Xylem’
Tree is set for release on vinyl, CD and digitally via Real World Records on 22 September 2023.
Fri, 26 May 23
Released 08 October 2006
Liner notes
Little Axes’s fifth album is Stone Cold Ohio – 15 tracks of future blues – dubbed-out, dark, and smokey. It includes covers of songs by Skip James, Allen Toussaint, and Mos Def man Will Calhoun. ‘…Ohio’ traces a line from African chants, Afro-American field songs, blues, gospel, soul, funk and dub, and takes it on into the 21st Century.
Stone Cold Ohio references Skip’s home state. “Back to my roots. A reality check,” he says. Skip was born in Dayton, Ohio, one of the great funk breeding grounds – Wilson Pickett , the Ohio Players, The Falcons etc. There he learned blues guitar from his father, and by the age of 10 was already playing jazz professionally. By 12, his focus had shifted to doo-wop, and he also played in a gospel quartet. The name Little Axe is both a tribute to the Bob Marley/Wailers’ song “Small Axe” and also to Wilbur “Little Ax” Broadnax of the Spirit of Memphis gospel quartet. Gospel plays a big part on ‘…Ohio’, and Skip sums the album up as “Blues and spirituality”.
‘Stone Cold Ohio’ features Skip’s ex-Sugarhill Gang and Tackhead colleagues Doug Wimbish and Keith LeBlanc, and a cast of characters like upcoming reggae star Ghetto Priest.
Little Axe continue to play live – last time they did Robert Plant, a big fan, got up on stage and sang with them.
These are the 21st-century blues.
Further Listening
Released 19 September 2004
Daby Touré & Skip MacDonald
Released 09 March 2009
Tree is set for release on vinyl, CD and digitally via Real World Records on 22 September 2023.
Fri, 26 May 23
Out in the Real World, is a digital-only collection of remixes, demo recordings and outlier tracks.
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