Illinois Entertainer November 2019 | Page 18

By Rosalind Cummings-Yeates TORONZO'S BLUES "The blues stereotype is a man, his guitar and a story. It’s all about the feeling, not the technicality.” That’s how Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon sums up the essence of blues music amidst an industry that places a premium on image and blues guitar bombast. As a long-time follower of the Jimi Hendrix blues model, Toronzo is quick to explain that guitar strutting is not his focus. “To me, it’s all about the story and the guitar comes later,” Together or Get Apart”, marries Jimi’s riffs with an evocative tale of trying to hang onto a crumbling relationship. The title track, however, is enough of a masterpiece to justi- fy buying the entire album. Borrowing from a “Curtis Mayfield kind of vibe,” and adding riveting social commentary, it’s easily his most unforgettable tune to date. Referencing the three characters who all capture followers by weaving words and dreams that aren’t Toronzo Cannon he said. His new album, The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp ( Alligator) lays out this formula in a perfect, 12-song package. The follow up to his critically acclaimed Alligator debut **The Chicago Way, the CD showcases his sharp songwriting as well as his fretwork, digging deeper into contemporary issues and offering up a tasty slice of 21st-century blues. A veteran of the Chicago blues scene for over 20 years, Toronzo Cannon’s story has grown as noteworthy as his fiery blues guitar. A CTA bus driver who gathers song inspira- tion during the day and tours the blues scene at night, he’s crafted a sound that’s recogniz- able for its influences as well as his insights. “Every guitarist wants to touch the hem of Jimi Hendrix’s garment and be saved,” he explained about his hero and musical influ- ence. “But as Bruce (Iglauer) says, people don’t go home humming a guitar solo; they’re humming a song. Ronnie Earl plays guitar that speaks to me, and so does Son House. But I don’t want to see that on stage, I want to feel it. That’s what I try to do with my songs that tell stories that are illustrated with my guitar.” When he was growing up on the South Side just a few blocks away from the leg- endary Theresa’s Lounge, he didn’t know that he’d one day play with some of the icons that played the club. Listening to his Uncle’s Little Walter records and absorbing all of the music that streamed out of Theresa’s, he developed a solid blues foundation. He took up blues guitar in his 20’s and studied mas- ters like Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Albert Collins, and Hound Dog Taylor by watching videos. He played in bands and performed as a sideman all over Chicago for years. Soon, he was paying homage to the icons that influenced him not by imitation, but by learning from their examples and telling contemporary stories that reflect the joys and struggles of life. The Preacher, The Politician Or The Pimp announces Toronzo as Chicago’s ultimate blues storyteller. The blazing intro “Get 18 illinoisentertainer.com november 2019 always true, the song cleverly analyzes con- temporary life on many levels. “There’s an Easter egg in that song,” he said of the tune’s layered wordplay. Crooning over a mellow groove, Toronzo unfolds scenes like a cascad- ing waterfall; “Put a dollar in my hand/I’ll take you to the promised land/ if you put your faith in me/I’ll save your soul/I got the key/your eyes are closed/but you think you’re blind/I’m in control/I got your mind/ Am I a preacher/a politician/or a pimp.” “I think people are wanting more songs that are non-traditional blues,” Toronzo said of his songwriting process. People want to go beyond four bars. Too many blues songs are the same subject wrapped in different clothes. I’ve always been an advocate of orig- inal blues songs.” “Insurance,” a shuffle with Billy Branch wailing on the harp, falls into the original cat- egory. A humorous take on the need for affordable health care, he declares. “I need some insurance/cause I’m too young to die...I need a CAT scan? I can’t afford that, how about a kitten scan?” Another highlight is a breezy ballad cradled in restrained guitar riffs, that cuts into the political and social landscape, “Silence of My Friends.” Calling out the toxic landscape of insulting women and standing back as people protest injustice Toronzo charges, “Don’t sit and act/like you don’t know/ the silence helps evil grow/you kill evil at the root/cause people will do/what you let them do.” For the startling finale, blues queen Lynne Jordan joins in for a wrenching tale of domestic violence “I’m Not Scared.” The Preacher, The Politician or The Pimp inspires thought and a good time with thoughtful songwriting. “It’s just really important to write your own songs,” Toronzo said. “If you don’t have no blues in your everyday life, you need to put your instrument down; you’re bluesless.” Appearing on November 30 at Untitled Supper Club in the Merchandise Mart, Chicago.