YOUNG MAN BLUES
C
arlton and Peyton McDowell are serious about playing music . The two brothers have been playing guitar and piano and bass , respectively , for half of their lives . Although they list jazz and R & B as part of their sound , their debut CD Tribute To Inspiration ( it debuted at # 7 on the Living Blues album chart - via Even If Records ) reflects a strong blues focus with Chicago blues musicians Brother Jacob , Jamiah Rogers , Fernando Jones and Seeds of Reed expanding the sound even more as guest artists . Listening to the album ’ s riffs and themes , it ’ s clear that blues has played a big part
By Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
The McDowell Brothers
in the brother lives , even though they are only 16 and 14-years-old .
“ We started out playing the blues so we feature a lot of blues artists on our album ,” explained Carlton and Peyton on a call from their home in Homewood , IL . “ B . B . King , Albert King , Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed are big influences ,” said Carlton . Another big influence is their grandmother , Nancy Rice “ one of blues music ’ s biggest champions ,” who provided their first music lessons and enrolled them in Fernando Jones ’ Blues Camp . At ten and seven-year-old , the siblings were learning blues history and performing
blues classics with some of the city ’ s most influential blues musicians . They continued attending Blues Camp for several summers and the sensibility and rhythms of the music clearly took hold , judging from the 13 tracks on Tribute To Inspiration .
Kicking off with a slow blues track , “ Runaway Blues ” accented with Carlton ’ s flavorful guitar intro and Brother Jacob belting out heartbreak , the mood is set for an album full of good blues . The next tune , ‘ Left Me In The Cold ” boasts a surprisingly skilled blues groove , considering that the song was written by Peyton when he was seven-year-old . Brother Jacob pours out the tale of a no good woman and Jamiah Rogers serves up a blistering guitar solo . The lyrics , about a trifling lady with a “ body cut from a perfect mold ” were written by the brothers ’ mother and grandmother .
Indeed , the CD , released in May , is a community affair with the McDowell Brothers ’ music teachers , mentors and family all contributing . Despite their age and obvious input from their elders , the album doesn ’ t sound like a school project but rather a professional release from promising young musicians .
“ We learned a lot at Blues Camp about musicianship -- going in and out of solos , stage presence , it ’ s much more than just playing ,” said Peyton . " We didn ’ t have a clue when we first started . We had only been playing for three weeks ," said Carlton about their introduction to Blues Camp . “ There were with a lot of kids who were professional musicians and already had albums . That prepared us for this level .”
" This level " clearly means polished and confident , as demonstrated by the
CDs standout instrumentals , “ Jam ,” “ Brothers ” and “ Delta Interlude ”. The tunes work as a talent showcase , with Carlton ’ s guitar weaving perfectly over Peyton ’ s bass and “ Delta Interlude ” swings with a guest harp performance by Fernando Jones . Neither of the boys sing ( although that could change ) and they effectively use their instruments to do all the expressing for them .
Two special songs , “ Imma Love You ” and “ Close Together ” act as tribute to the legendary Jimmy Reed , with his children and grandchildren singing lead and background on the tunes . The Reed family have played a significant role in the McDowell Brothers musical journey . Their first professional performance was with Rose Reed , Jimmy Reed ’ s daughter , at the House of Blues , and the family has continued to mentor them on blues music .
The album ' s last few songs highlight the siblings jazz influence , with an elegant cover of the Loggins and Messina tune and Stepper ’ s classic , “ Pathway To Glory ” and soaring take on Billy Preston ’ s ‘ With You I ’ m Born Again ,” dedicated to their grandfather .
Both McDowell brothers play in musical ensembles at Homewood Flossmoor High School and are certain that they will continue to play on some level when they grow up , with a particular interest in music production . For now , they ’ re happy to be able to create their own music . “ It ’ s not about making money , we ’ re doing this to please people ’ s ears . We ’ re going on to college to be successful humans , which means being happy with what you do and for me , that means playing music ,” said Carlton . According to Peyton , they may
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16 illinoisentertainer . com august 2016