Phases and Stages

Walter T. Higgs

John McVey

Jeffrey P. Ross

With their third offering on the table, Jeffrey P. Ross' My Pleasure, the recently formed local label Doc Blues makes one thing clear: Blues may not be as hip as it once was, but it sounds as good as ever. The baby of a for-real M.D. named Dr. Jim Thompson, Doc Blues was born with the intention of perpetuating the native music of the fertile Texas-Louisiana cradle. That's no surprise, considering Thompson hails from Port Arthur, the real Diddy Wah Diddy. No surprise either that Walter T. Higgs was one of the label's first releases last year. A Port Arthur native himself, Higgs' wonderfully soulful vocals and harp dominate the 12 originals of Just a Few Miles to Go, which is packed with upbeat, honkin' tunes like "Shake Shuffle Shimmy," "Blues and the Gospel," the Otis Rush-influenced "Kiss Your Shoes," and the Little Milton-ish "Keep It Going On." Despite years of playing Sixth Street, Higgs is underrated and underheard in Austin. John McVey's righteous guitar dominates Gone to Texas, hearkening to his years of honing licks playing with Larry "Texas Flood" Davis and Lavelle White. Take to heart the album's notation that "No SRV licks were tested or injured during the making of this album." That tongue-in-cheek statement resonates through McVey's dozen tracks much like his style, heavily influenced by Earl Hooker and Magic Sam, and more than makes up for his so-so vocals. Django Reinhardt isn't a name often associated with the blues, but in the hands of Jeffrey P. Ross, the venerated guitarist is a natural. Variety is the name of Ross' style, and on My Pleasure, he dips into not only Reinhardt's well ("Blues Clair"), but Albert Collins ("Backstroke"), and once again, Earl Hooker ("Wah Wah Blues"). Ross' history is as vivid as his many shades of blue; he's played with Rank & File, Candye Kane, Asylum Street Spankers, and Rosie Flores, to name a few, and mastered the genres as well as penning more than his share of the album's 15 excellent tunes. The best thing about the blues? It's music you grow into, not out of.

(Just a Few Miles to Go; My Pleasure)

(Gone to Texas)