Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze

"Wally Greaney, Singer, Saxophone- and Harp player from the States gives his carrer into the traditional Chicago-, Texas- and Westcoast Blues. From three shows in 2009 between Breisgau and Allgäu he took advantage to record a live CD with his band that now is released. Its not the first CD of the band that exist since 1990, but nobody gave the band big attention yet.
This is absolutely not to understand if you hear the new CD. What Uwe Herr is playing with his guitar is top quality and the rhythm section with the bass player Thomas Lipps and the in Europe living American Peter Perfido is absolutely high class. Herr, who was activ in the Cadillac Blues Band and the Rockabilly Trio Rockin`Carbonara don`t only play the necessary licks very good, no, he is playing a lot of thrilling, intelligent and funny ideas, that makes him very unique in the crowd of the good guitar players. Why this band is not in the line up of european festivals is one of the big mysteries only the music business can answer. Who wants to proove if the words I say here are right, just hear the new CD of this german-american 4 man band ! " - Bluesnews Germany 2012

Blues Revue 2012



Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze hits a career peak
on the tough Live In Germany. On this largely
uptempo set, Wally “Sweet Daddy” Greaney is
singing better than ever; the lone slow number,
Casey Bill Weldon’s blues ballad “Outskirts Of
Town,” reveals no vocal deficiencies beyond a
questionable instinct to leap at random into
falsetto. His harmonica breaks are generally strong
in tone and dramatic construction. The band –
Thomas Lipps (bass), Peter Perfido (drums), and
Uwe Herr (guitar) – is rock-solid, playing with a
clear awareness of dynamics and taste. Herr
deserves special mention for his fine, clean Fender
tones, crafty note choice, fresh phrasing, and,
especially, for his solo choruses in “Driving
Wheel,” played via tuning peg manipulation - Blues Revue

Review - Back For More
Art Tapalti 2004

If you live in Western Mass., your very familiar with harmonica ace Wally Greaney, AKA Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze. Whether it was his work as singer and harp-master in the local blues band King Cod and the Blues Sharks decades ago or his spirited Chicago styled blues from his current band Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze, Greaney is one player you should not miss. He’ll be quick to tell you that he began playing harmonica in high school way back in the early 1970s, not the most popular instrument choice in the days of heavy metal. But Greaney persevered and gracefully outlasted every musical trend by playing pure blues. The CD opens with Big Sea Of The Blues, his personal acceptance of 30 years on the blues road. Wally will tell ya, Ain’t nothing wrong with being a small fish in the big sea of the blues. That foot tappin shuffle turns into the hard blues on Come Love Me Shoes. Immediately these two opening cuts spotlight the 18 year partnership between Greaney and guitarist Mark Easton. Most notable is how sympathetic each listens. Easton lays understated Delta chording while Greaney sings or plays. When Easton solos, Greaney underlines the musical story with a cool harmonica groove. Greaney also plays tenor sax on the jazz-blues Doin What We Choose. Within these 13 original songs, Greaney also included a timeless piece of his personal history, Frank G. Rohan Blues. This was the first song Greaney wrote as a freshman way back in Holyoke High School and it’s vice principal, Rohan. From cutting classes to smoking in the parking lot to drinking, Greaney recalls everyone’s high school experience. Easton pulls out his dark electric slide on the Delta bluesy Likin Stick, a song you might want to listen to with the teenagers in the car because they’ll quickly figure out that this likin stik is his harmonica. By the end of the disc, Greaney and the band are ready to boogie and Boogie Time is a perfect fit. A quality recording by a quality guy.

Art Tipaldi - Boston Blues Society

- Art Tipaldi

Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze: Live In France

Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze is a Blues quartet out of the Northeastern region of the United States, that has a strong European following. Led by Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney (harp, sax, and vocals), the band covers a variety of blues ranging from tough Albert Collins style, to funky numbers with a jazzy feel.

The music on this disc was recording in 1997 in France, and is amazingly well recorded for a live album. It has a studio-like clarity and punch, and even more impressively, the band edited out as much crowd noise as possible. That would rarely happen in a rock record.

Choosing to record live was also a good idea as it plays to the band's main strength, which is that they are a very professional and tough touring band, and are at their best when stretching out. The whole set is a series of fine performances and intelligent (yet loose and funky) solos. It's music that is confident, and doesn't resort to cheap dynamics.

Outstanding cuts include a fine shuffle, "Hey Baby," which moves along with a nice edge provided by the fine rhythm section of Joe Fonda on bass and Peter Perfido on drums. Uwe Herr provides a very cool and funky guitar workout on "In Love With A Musician," and "Sweet Daddy" shows a truly superior sense of tone and dymanics in "Sweet Tooth Mama" and "Routine Blues."

It's easy to see why the Europeans have already discovered this outfit. Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze delivers their hot Blues chops with a jazz musician's sense of cool, and the sound is Grade A Prime Blues Club music. Sure to make your espresso taste better, believe me. - Al Handa

Sweet, Cool, Breeze, just the feeling I was looking for on this warm Florida night. On vacation with my wife, I was itchy to hear some blues. I'd recently heard about this harp player and to my surprise found that he was appearing close to us. With little pleading, (she knows my obsession), we ventured to check these guys out. What I got was a SMOKING band from western Massachusetts, heating the night up even more. Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney and his tight band just lit the place up, opening with an uptempo "Chicken Shack" and rolling into an original called "Bark." The packed house on this Sunday night sat up and took notice immediately.
I spied a saxophone on stage and on the next song, "Sweet Daddy" showed he can play both the "Mississippi saxophone" and the real thing equally as well. Opening "Teeny Weeny Bit of Your Love " on harp, he soloed and brought it home on the sax. Nice touch.

A little history on "Sweet Daddy."
He's been playing professionally since the mid 70's, has recorded or worked with Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells.
Opened for Taj Mahal, Koko Taylor, James Cotton and Buddy Guy. Has toured internationally for a number of years, recording a CD "Live in France," which has received much acclaim in the blues periodicals.
Did I mention his vocals? Moving from straight ahead Chicago to slow blues to swing, this guy captures the feeling. On the Ray Charles song "Green Back Dollar Bill," "Sweet Daddy" shows his storytelling ability as well.
I particularly liked the Louis Jordan tune, "Outskirts of Town," with the slow, haunting harmonica and oh so soulful vocals. The band kicked through several more songs in this long first set, including "Somebody" (Rod Piazza), an original song about a devoted "Sweet Daddy" fan called "He Loved the Blues," a swing tune called "I Love the Blues," Freddy King's "Boogie Man" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Cross My Heart" (the last two done real funky). They closed the set out with an extended boogie instrumental showcasing "Sweet Daddy's" harp proficiency, changing tempo (he even inserted a couple of lines from Amazing Grace) and literally blowin' himself blue!
The band:
Mark Easton on guitar. He's been working with "Sweet Daddy" since 1999 and recorded on "Blowing Down the House," the newest S.D.C.B. CD. This guy just attacks like it's his last show. Given plenty of room to play, Mark threw killer solos one after another at the crowd, only to have them cry for more. And he obliged, even trading solos with "S.D." on "Cross My Heart." With his shaven head and husky physique, one might expect a raw sound, but what comes at you is masterful phrasing and a really nice touch.
The rhythm section consisted of Eddie Humber on bass and Patrick Levery on drums. I don't know much about either of these guys, except that the drummer came on for this Florida tour. They set the groove very well, hitting all of the stops, (Wally loves stops), as if they'd been together for a while. This is a tight band, and having caught them at the end of their tour, anything unfamiliar to the rhythm section had been worked out.
My wife loves sax and wanted to hear more so I mentioned that to "S.D." He opened the set with two numbers on sax, "Sissy Strut" and "Doing What I Choose"(another original), blowing with such intensity that it moved a group of vacationing women to throw money into his sax while he was playing!
It was getting late and we had to drive a little ways through unfamiliar territory so we didn't see the end of the show.
The last songs we heard were Kim Wilson's "Don't Bite the Hand that Feeds You" and a real down in the alley version of "The Sky is Crying," with S.D. using his chromatic to express the passion of the song.
"Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze" is one of those "must see" bands. Hopefully he'll book a tour through the Midwest and stop on bye. Sure added to my vacation. He has 3 CD's out and you can look them up on his website at: http://come.to/sweetdaddy .

This review is copyright © 2001 by Harold Tremblay, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved. - Harold Tremblay "Blues On Stage"

DVD SPOTLIGHT

John Kay and Friends, "Live at the Renaissance Center" (Rainman) FOUR STARS

He's best known as the lead singer of Steppenwolf, the '60s outfit that has sold more than 30 million albums and scored hits like "Magic Carpet Ride," "Monster" and, of course, "Born to Be Wild."

Though it has gone through plenty of personnel changes since the old days, Steppenwolf's still a very successful touring act with Kay out front, and in fact the band is just winding down yet another lengthy summer road trek. But Kay's got a more intimate, bluesy side that he reveals on this non-Steppenwolf DVD, recorded live in November 2002 at the Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tenn.

Here, the singer's blues roots shine brightly, on tracks like "Corina, Corina," Willie Dixon's "Hoochie Coochie Man" and Kay originals like the nostalgic "My Sportin' Life," the upbeat "For the Women in My Life" and "Feed the Fire," the latter sung as a duet with Renee Amand.

Longtime fans will be pleased to see Kay and company reel back the years with a few Steppenwolf hit toward the end of the show, including "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Born to Be Wild."

Kay's got a first-rate band with him throughout, sparked by Ron Hurst on drums, Guy DeVito on bass, Michael Wilk on keyboards and Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney on harmonica.

For purchasing information on the Internet go to www.steppenwolf.com.



LOAD-DATE: September 20, 2004






- John Kay & Friends

God has smiled on Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze
Thursday, June 22, 2006

The 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 is long and red. It is missing a rear hubcap. There are 170,000 or so miles on its odometer, a bed behind the first row of passenger seats. It has traveled to destinations that would challenge MapQuest. It gets 15 miles to a gallon and has a 35-gallon gas tank.

"Which means," Wally Greaney says, "it costs me more than a C-note every time I fill it to the brim. What kind of gas do I use?" He laughs.

"The cheapest," he says. "I prefer to pay $3 to, let's say, $3.19." Wally's not exactly crying the blues. He's just stating a fact.

This year, a winter tour of Florida cost $1,000 in fuel.

Last year: $600.

The cost of a life on the road. When you are a musician.

What does he call his van?

His answer is as direct as the blues music he plays.

"Reliable," Wally says. He's 51. A Holyoke guy his whole life. A bluesman, with Irish and French heritage. Yet there is more purr in his voice than growl. But when he says that he could listen to a shuffle all day long, it is almost like he is putting his hand on the Bible and swearing an oath. The day we talk, he is working on the details of a September tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Saturday at 6 p.m., Wally and his band, Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze, will be playing the third annual John J. Philpott Road Race post-run party at the Elks in Holyoke.

The following week, they'll entertain at Szot Park before the Chicopee fireworks.

This is Wally Greaney's life.

One he is most grateful for.

He's married to Catherine Lyons and is the father of two teenage girls, Elizabeth and Jillian.

The youngest of four, Wally grew up in the Springdale neighborhood of Holyoke, on the fourth floor of a five-story tenement, or "block" as he calls it. One of the biggest events of his childhood was when someone moved out of the first floor, and his family got to move three flights down.

"That was a beautiful thing," he says 40 years later.

Before Wally turned 13, he met a kid named Mike Dabinski. He's not sure if he can even spell that last name right of his late influential friend. He feels bad about that. But he still thinks, he hopes, he's getting the spirit right of those old street-corner serenades.

"But you know, I wanted to be just like Mike," Wally says. Mike played the harp.

"I just wanted to blow the hell out of it," Wally says. "No grand plan. No other ambition. Just play."

And back then you could go down to Shirl's Record World on High Street and buy yourself a harmonica with leftover first communion money. The Stones and Led Zeppelin dominated the airwaves.

"I wasn't the best student," Wally says. "But I figured out they didn't invent the blues."

Not long after that, Wally discovered the music of blues giant James Cotton.

"He's the king, brother," he says. "He's the king."

By the mid-1980s, Wally met the late Kenny Johnson, James Cotton's drummer. Kenny had moved to Greenfield. A friendship was struck.

Up until then, Wally had played in a series of cover bands. He sang, played harp, taught himself saxophone. He knew all the words to probably as many Eagle songs as an Eagle.

Wally also worked for a dozen years at H.B. Smith in Westfield. He started making boilers. He ended up in the packing room. It was there he met a trucker, a harmonica player with a cowboy hat and a story to tell. It didn't matter the story, they all ended with a punch line and the words: "Lord, have mercy, Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze is in town."

"When it came time to name a band, my vote was for Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze," Wally says. "It just sounded like the blues."

His vote counted. The band now consists of Mark Easton on guitar and vocals, Eddy Humber on bass, Jimmy McNamara on drums. Joe Elliott sometimes sits in on keyboards.

Wally and Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze have recorded four albums, two of them live. One in France and the other at Theodore's in downtown Springfield. He is also featured in a DVD with his friend, John Kay of Steppenwolf. Wally has an endorsement deal for Hohner, the famous harmonica maker. When not on tour, he hosts his own Sunday evening blues show on WRNX. He has even shared the stage with his hero James Cotton. He and his band play upwards of 150 shows a year.

The blues have been very good to Wally Greaney. Lord have mercy.

Tom Shea can be reached at tshea@repub.com - Tommy Shea

Wally “Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze” Greaney is a fairly important figure out there in the real music world. A humble scribe hasn’t much idea who and what the readership here-abouts might be, but we owe it to the musically-inclined mind to share about this feller. He stays mostly close to home these days, having made the choice in honor of his family and a pretty great entertainment-related position- just as the economy was tanking.
But Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze is of a level far beyond the local. He’ll still step on out when any of his globe-trotting comperes, like say, Jaimoe, the precursor of all things Allman, comes within a hundred miles or so; and he has spent some productive hours in the recording studio with the likes of Matt “Guitar” Murphy and John Kay (Steppenwolf)… and he’s been out on tour with some o’ them heavy-hitters, all around Europe and such any number of times over the last two-and-a-half decades. “Twenty Five years,” he says, “that’s crazy… first tour was in ’93- wow!” This is the voice of a man who knows his good fortune and doesn’t take such things for granted.
As it happens, Uncle Wally just got back from one such tour, all in good time for his CD Release show at Theodore’s- which turns out to be a mighty hot night, a great one to see him with the band. Having applied the five-finger discount to a copy of the new SDCB release, Twenty-Eight Years With the Blues (at the artist’s behest, of course), I came armed to the party. I’d had a number of listens in the week or two leading up to this event. It took no effort nor caused any discomfort whatsoever to keep this disc in the player for repeated spins.
The living referece to old-school Blues is truly apparent all through this record, and the record is nicely produced; clear and clean every exciting moment. Each instrument comes through perfectly articulated and balanced in the mix, with the guitar somewhat more prominent than in the live experiece, which comes as a bit of a refreshing and revealing treat to these ears.

Less pronounced upon first listen is that these tracks came from a live performance. This wasn’t immediately apparent, at least not til the very last track, where the Blues Maestro recalls his late great band-mate Kenny Johnson (who found a home and planted his drum stool right down with Greaney & Co after his long-term time with James Cotton). Subsequent passes reveal some bits of applause trailing off at the end of a track or two (and no harm done there). Otherwise, any little bits of banter sound just like so much fun in the studio, and the odd hoot isn’t odd at all; rather, it simply sounds spontaneous and authentic- just like these guys are having a blast!
Now, while we’re on the subject of live energy, there’s no better place around to catch some than Theodore’s Blues, Brews and Bar-be-que on Worthington Street in Springfield. This is true ‘most any night, but this particular evening is a particularly prime picture of joyful panache, joyfully presented. Uncle Wally is in super-fine form this Friday, which is saying a lot- he is never any less than ‘fine,’ supremely so, fronting any band or taking turns with Tommy Whalen and the Ragged Edge at their Tuesday residency, easily the longest-running weekly event in the area. Here with his own Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze ensemble, longtime players all, and each the personal pick of a man who knows what’s best, what we get for the price of admission (naught, by the way; never a cover at Theo’s) is a show that is energized, ebullient, engaging and exciting for every individual fortunate enough to have come in tonight.
A good number of folks here are friends and fans and fam, of course, but at least as many are who-knows-who, come in for dinner or a hang. And ya can’t tell either bunch from the other; they’re all every bit as enthusiastic and supportive as all the others. This is a fine sign of a top-notch performer, one who draws from and reciprocates warmth and positive energy with his audience, and Wally does this seemingly without even trying- we haven’t used the word ‘effortless’ here; the ol’ bugger is working hard for his little bit of money… but the supportive, appreciative, and communal atmosphere in here is just what comes naturally when one person, the rightly and righteous center of activity, has so much genuine fun it bubbles out, bounces off the band, and circulates all around the room. Everybody knows how the next part goes: EVERYone gets caught up and pulled in. Good ole ‘palpable.’
This same vibe flows around the stage from whence it emanates and circulates. You can see these guys are having fun. Wally dashes and sasses each of the players in turn, with all of ’em interacting just the same as if they were hangin’ in the garage and jamming. Mighty Joe Elliott sitting at the keys is especially fun to watch, and always awesome to hear. Mark Easton also sits these days, cradling his axe and coaxing some pretty powerful -and always expert- sounds from the Telly. Bass-man Eddy Humber, who can also be found singing and playing guitar at other times, is one of those who plays that much better bass for his rounded experience as applied to the instrument. The drummer was not the regular Cool Breeze tub-tapper, and there was no loss or denigration to the sound and performance. Liviu Pop is THE drummer all up and down the Hartford-Springfield corridor and far beyond- this guy is so busy, it goes to show just how top-most Wally Greaney is in the tiers- and fun! -always grinning as he’s slappin’ the skins. Sweet Daddy is so into it, sometimes it seems we get as good a look at his back-side as any other aspect- he is almost always in motion, cavorting around and cajoling the band, switching harps or swapping for a sax. This is serious fun, and well worth the tiny bit of trouble it might be to find a parking place.
Wally’s actions are quick and sharp, like a very young jack-rabbit skipping around an imaginary mine-field, but happily; his banter is hilarious even when he ain’t neccessarily kidding around, just because the vibe is whatcha call infectious (again, ‘palpable’)- it’s one of ‘those’ nights. And the sweat on his brow is really just pearls of joy popping out the top-end after pumping up from the genuine heart of a real Blues Man. Confusing? Not at all- it takes one to know just how good a life spent celebratin’ the Blues really can be.
To submit a story or to just say hello, email us at lmnandr@gmail.com
Check out the Live Music News and Review.com Facebook page for updates and announcements. - Jimm Odonnal

Harmonicist Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney talks about John Kay, Kenny Johnson & Matt “Guitar” Murphy
Posted by Michael Limnios Blues Network on April 20, 2013 at 1:12pm
View Blog
“Less is more” was the best advice given to me. Blues is a feeling, not a competition. I don’t want to hear every chop you know in 10 seconds.
Wally Greaney: Sweet Blues Daddy
Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze a Chicago-style boogie and blues band was formed by Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney in 1990. Through the years Sweet Daddy has developed a loyal European following in Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria. Touring overseas for the past eightteen years. Back home, the band tours regularly up and down the East Coast and the Mid West.
Sweet Daddy looks forward to continuing to work at a successful Blues career which has already spanned over twenty five years. He's recorded with the likes of Matt Guitar Murphy from the Blues Brothers, Jaimoe, drummer for the Allman Brothers, Ken Johnson drummer for James Cotton. Wally has also worked with John Kay (founder & lead singer of Steppenwolf ) recording a DVD that was released in June of 2004 titled John Kay & Friends Live at The Renaissance Center. "Sweet Daddy" is Endorsed by Hohner Harmonicas. He's shared the stage with blues legends Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, KoKo Taylor, Junior Wells, Taj Mahal, BO Diddlie Debbie Davies, to name just a few.
Sweet Daddy's smoking lead vocals, full-bodied harmonica, and soulful saxophone along with Mark Easton smoking Guitar add up to an unprecedented high energy Blues show that few bands can match. It's only a matter of time until people in cities and towns across America repeat the words spoken by the eighty-year-old trucker whose phrase gave rise to the bands name: Lawd have mercy, Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze is in town!

Interview by Michael Limnios

When was your first desire to become involved in the Blues music and what does offer?
I first became interested in the Blues in the late sixties. The British rock that was coming over was very blues based. I had picked up the harmonica and was then turned on to Paul Butterfield and James Cotton.
The Blues in my region was popular with the college kids so we would get to see these guys touring 3 to 4 times a year.
In the 70’s and early 80’s I brought the Blues in to the Rock & Roll I was doing with my local bands. It was in 1986 that I joined the Kenny Johnson Band and committed myself and my music career to the Blues. Kenny was the drummer for the James Cotton’s band for thirteen years before coming to Massachusetts.



How do you describe "Sweet Daddy" sound and progress and what characterize your music philosophy?
The band sound is a little Chicago, West Coast, and Rock. We play with feeling for the music.
Myself, I’m always trying to get better. I have to work at it and I feel I’m getting better after 40 years.
My music philosophy is that I’m just trying to make my own little nitch in the world. There is so much great music out there by unknown artists. I love the Blues and I love entertaining.

From whom have you have learned the most secrets about the blues? What is the best advice ever given you?
I learned a lot about the Blues from Kenny Johnson. When I was playing with him I kept my ears open. He was so musical and soulful. He could take a 3 cord blues and turn it in an arrangement that sounded like an orchestra. Breaks, dynamics sodalities the real feeling to the music.
“Less is more” was the best advice given to me. Blues is a feeling, not a competition. I don’t want to hear every chop you know in 10 seconds.

What is the “feeling” you miss most nowadays from the Blues of past?
I don’t really miss the Blues from the past. I miss not being able to see the older Blues guys anymore. Thanks to YouTube for being able to see these innovators of the music.
I look forward not backwards. The Blues are in good hands moving forward.

Are there any memories from Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Jaimoe, Ken Johnson, and Kenny Neal which you’d like to share with us?
Matt Guitar Murphy is a legend in the Blues. When he called me to go to the studio and record with him it was unbelievable. I did a lot of shows with Matt and every one of them was a memory.
Jaimoe is a great guy and we have fun every time we play. I especially liked the first gig he did with me in my home town, Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was a real treat.
I cannot say enough about Kenny Johnson. Joining his band in 1986 change my life.
In 1990/1991 Kenny Johnson moved south and joined Kenny Neal’s band. That’s when I took over our band and we became “Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze”.
I sat in with Kenny Neal’s band a few times when they came through Massachusetts.

Tell me about the road’s life from coast to coast and Europe. From the musical point of view what are the difference between the local scenes?
I’ve only toured the East coast, Mid Atlantic states and Europe - not the West coast.
It’s hard on the road here. You have so much good music and everyone is looking for gigs.
The thing for me about Europe is every show, no matter how many people there are, it’s a concert. They are paying attention to the band. It’s a great feeling when you’re doing what you spent your life doing and people show the love.

Are there any memories from John Kay & Steppenwolf’s Live at The Renaissance Center?
What a great experience. One memory was at the Bottom Line in New York City. This was my first gig with John. He sent me the tapes for the songs he wanted me to play. I took the time to listen and learn every song not just the one’s he asked for. At sound check before the show, the guitar player was showing the bass man a part for a song and I jumped right in with the harp doing a part that was done by a mandolin on the tape. John heard it and turn right around and smiled and said “That’s sounds great. You can play on anything you want.” That was a great memory. It was after that when he asks me to be part of his Friends band and DVD.

Some music styles can be fads but the blues is always with us. Why do think that is? Give one wish for the BLUES
The Blues is a feeling and everyone feels the music whether they know it or not. The Blues is the foundation of Rock & Roll. I wish it would be treated by the industry with the respect it deserves and then maybe it would help with the trickledown effect of more CD sales and better pay for the real working Blues musicians.

What’s the difference between a good blues musician and a bluesman, who lives the experience through blues?
I don’t think there are many real Blues men left. By that I mean real Blues men like the Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon and on and on and on. They lived the blues and wrote and felt the blues.
The Blues guys today listen and learn the real stuff but don’t live the hard lives that some or most of these guys did. So for myself, I don’t think that I’m a Bluesman but rather that I’m a Blues entertainer and I really love the Blues music.

Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze - Home - Michalis Limnios BLUES @ GREECE

The magnificently monikered Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze are a Chicago-style blues band, originally formed by front man Wally “Sweet Daddy” Greaney back in 1990. 28 Years With The Blues is the band’s first release since 2004 and is a collection of live recordings. The press material states that the tracks are from a previously unreleased recording the band made during an East Coast tour, but while the tracks certainly sound like they were recorded live, there is sadly no information provided of where or when they were made.
The album opens with the funky swing of “He Loved The Blues”, in which Greaney recounts, almost in a sprechstimme style, the story of a late friend of his, who was particularly partial to the blues. It’s a tight band, with the rhythm section of Eddy Humber (bass) and Jimmy McNamara (drums) laying down a suitably taut groove, over which Greaney lays down some impressive harp and Mark Easton flails his guitar. The mix throughout 28 Years With The Blues reflects the fact that it is a live recording, with Easton’s guitar and Greaney’s vocal and harp very much to the fore, but with Joe Elliot’s keyboards and McNamara’s drums often buried very low in the mix.
The band follow up “He Loved The Blues” with a raucous version of Otis Rush’s “Keep On Loving Me” (curiously re-titled here as “I Want You To Love Me”) before launching into a tale that will be familiar to any touring musician, “Motel King For A Day” on which Greaney’s harmonica takes the solo. Unfortunately, there is no information provided about the songwriters for any of the tracks on the album, so it is difficult to know how many of the songs are self-written and which are covers.
The stuttering 12 bar “Jenny Brown” (not the The Smothers Brothers 1964 hit) and the Chicago shuffle of Sonny Boy Williamson’s “She’s My Baby” both allow Greaney and Easton some time to stretch out on the solos, while Greaney pulls out his saxophone on Ronnie Earl’s “Stickin'” (here called “Stickin’ It”), which also contains some lovely organ playing from Elliot.
The rapid shuffle of “Sweet Tooth Mama”, previously released on a Connecticut Blues Society sampler Local Flavor back in 2003, mines the wry lyrical theme of overindulgence and the resulting weight gain but features some neat interplay between sax and guitar before McNamara takes a series of mini-drum breaks that really raise the temperature.
Easton’s guitar showcase is a cover of Roy Buchanan’s “Sweet Dreams”, a potentially risky choice given Roy Buchanan’s hallowed treatment of the old Don Gibson song, but Easton holds his own even while acknowledging Buchanan’s influence in both the choice of notes and the use of techniques such as pinch harmonics.
The closing track on the album is James Cotton’s harmonica instrumental tour-de-force, “The Creeper”, a fitting tribute to one of Greaney’s primary influences as well as to original SDCB (and Cotton band) drummer, Kenny Johnson.
28 Years With The Blues is a relatively short but enjoyable album of modern Chicago blues and is a fine introduction to Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze. On the evidence of this release, they are clearly a fine act to see live. - Blues Blast Mag.