The Chicago blues collective the Cash Box Kings include founding member Joe Nosek (harpist, singer/songwriter), Oscar Wilson (vocals), and a rotating cast of musicians. For Royal Mint, the full band included: Joel Paterson (guitar), Billy Flynn (guitar), Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (percussion; son of Willie “Big Eyes” Smith), Mark Haines (percussion), Brad Ber (bass), and Lee Kanehira (keys). The Cash Box Kings explore a variety of musical styles and genres on the LP, putting their own spin on classics from Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Clifton Chenier, Jimmy Reed and Amos Milburn. Album highlights include: a slinky cover of Milburn’s “House Party”; Jimmy Reed’s 1958 shuffle “I’m Gonna Get My Baby”; a killer cover of Muddy Water’s “Flood”; the contemporary, anti-Trump “Build That Wall”; and “Blues for Chi-Raq” which chronicles the epic gun violence in their Chicago neighborhood. With a talent for the Chicago blues of the past and a nod to contemporary blues and current injustices, musical masters Cash Box Kings are a force to be reckoned with on Royal Mint. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Selwyn Birchwood, Harrison Kennedy, John Nemeth, Andy T-Nick Nixon Band, John Primer