Little Rachel: Press/Reviews

LITTLE RACHEL

There's A New Miss Rhythm In Town

El Toro

This fifteen track album was recorded and released in Spain , covering mainly '50s style rock'n'roll tunes although there are some nice Blues touches dotted around. Rachel Fenton masquerades as Little Rachel and gives a sparkling performance throughout, her vocals are clear and precise and she is supported by the Lazy Jumpers, who provide a sound rhythm section, guitarist Mario Cobo is worthy of a special mention. The majority of tracks have been written by Rachel and two slow Blues tracks are clear standouts; 'I May Be Trouble' benefits from a couple of stylish harmonica solos, while 'Broken' has some stylish lead guitar touches from Mario. The final bonus track 'Mr Advice' is taken from a forthcoming album by the Lady Jumpers called 'Coming On Like Gangsters' and includes some subtle saxophone and piano from guest players but includes a much heavier sound than the Rachel tracks, definitely worth looking out for. I found this CD very refreshing and there are enough Blues touches to interest our readers, the main strength though is the vocal performance of Little Rachel!

Swing, western swing e rhythm ‘n’ blues ai massimi livelli il 18 agosto grazie al “Summer Jamboree - # 9” a Corinaldo (Marche – AN), borgo più bello d’Italia e quest’anno anche destinazione europea d’eccellenza. Si rinnova infatti per il terzo anno la collaborazione tra Associazione Culturale Summer Jamboree, Comune di Senigallia e Comune di Corinaldo coadiuvato dall’Associazione Turistica Pro Loco di Corinaldo, grazie alla quale il Festival di musica e cultura dell’America anni ’40 e ’50 fa tappa anche nel bellissimo borgo marchigiano.

Una trasferta ormai attesa dal pubblico internazionale che può così scoprire oltre alla spiaggia di velluto anche un emblema delle bellezze dell’entroterra marchigiano. Un chilometro di mura del Quattrocento perfettamente conservate, torri e bastioni, porte, camminamenti e tanti angoli deliziosi con un panorama a perdita d’occhio verso il mare e la campagna. Il centro si trova infatti a pochi chilometri da Senigallia risalendo sulle colline dalla tipica dolce morfologia marchigiana. Già borgo riconosciuto tra i più belli d’Italia, quest’anno si fregia anche del riconoscimento europeo di destinazione d’eccellenza. Eccellente il contesto, eccellenti gli ospiti internazionali scelti per accendere il palco del “Summer Jamboree” in piazza Il Terreno nella notte del 18 agosto. Prosegue il filone rhythm and blues già apprezzato l’anno scorso e il primo set live della serata alle 21.30, sarà aperto da una fenomenale cantante con autentico sound anni Cinquanta, detta “the little girl with the BIG voice”, la piccola ragazza dalla grande voce: Lil’ Rachel. Il dj che si occuperà di mantenere alto il gradiente del divertimento per tutta la serata tra un set live e l’altro, è l’espertissimo dj Terry Elliot, un vero guru della consolle rock and roll che inizierà a scaldare l’atmosfera alle 21 per poi lasciare il palco a Lil’ Rachel. Un metro e mezzo di potenza vocale e un concentrato di energia Rhythm and Blues che farà tremare i presenti, specie se è affiancata da una band che in quanto a energia e potenza sul palco è incontenibile. E provate a dire il contrario ai bravi ragazzi dello swing, gli inimitabili Good Fellas ormai accreditati anche in contesti come Umbriajazz e richiestissimi dovunque si faccia musica ad alto tasso di swing e divertimento. Con loro sul palco la voglia di ballare sarà certamente soddisfatta e con la voce di Little Rachel il coinvolgimento sarà inevitabile. Lil’ Rachel fa il suo esordio nella scena rockabilly ad Austin, Texas, nel 2000. In coppia con la sorella nel duo The Casey Sisters, si guadagna rapidamente i favori degli appassionati del genere grazie a due album usciti dall’etichetta svedese Tail Records e a numerose partecipazioni dal vivo in festival rockabilly tra cui "Viva Las Vegas" (Las Vegas, NV), "Rockabilly Rebel Weekender" (Indianapolis, IN), "Oneida Rockin’ 50’s Fest I" (Green Bay, WI), "Rockabilly Rave" (Camber Sands, UK) e lo "Screamin’ Festival" (Calella, Spain). Dopo anni di live, Lil’ Rachel decide di tornare alla musica blues e incide il suo primo album da solista nel 2005, dal titolo “Cause I Feel Good”. Un album che contiene 11 brani originali scritti da Little Rachel stessa o dalla autrice svedese Eva Eastwood e tre cover di pezzi anni Cinquanta. Di fatto un omaggio ai grandi del Rhythm and Blues anni Cinquanta tra cui Little Richard, Etta James, Wynona Carr, Little Willie John e Big Mama Thornton. Il pubblico del “Summer Jamboree” a Corinaldo potrà apprezzare la versatilità delle sue doti tra ballate blues e scatenati classici rock and roll fino a esclamare “Wow! This little girl has a big voice!”. Altrettanto scatenato e imperdibile è il protagonista del secondo set della serata, affidato a Dave Stuckey’s Rhtythm Gang. Personaggio eclettico della scena rockabilly, produttore, cantante, autore ma soprattutto batterista di formazioni statunitensi di assoluto riferimento per la scena rock and roll attuale (tra cui i grandiosi Lucky Stars), Dave Stuckey è un professionista della musica delle origini, dell’autentico rock and roll e del divertimento. Dopo aver prodotto il miglior album dei The Hot Club Of Cowtown “Tall Tales” (oltre a essere il coautore di “When I Lost You” e “Sleep”), dichiara lui stesso con piglio scanzonato nel suo sito. Scrive invece il critico Rick Anderson di “All Music Guide”: . A Corinaldo saranno inoltre presenti scintillanti auto e moto d’epoca rigorosamente pre 1965, pronte a farsi ammirare nel park apposito a disposizione dalle 20 all’01. In caso di cattivo tempo, i concerti si terranno al Mamamia di Senigallia. Sarà disponibile un servizio navetta a pagamento dal Foro Annonario di Senigallia a Corinaldo e per il ritorno da Corinaldo alla Rotonda di Senigallia, dove la notte proseguirà con il dopofestival dall’01 alle 04. Ideato dall’Associazione Summer Jamboree (diretta da Angelo Di Liberto, Andrea Celidoni, Alessandro Piccinini), il “Summer Jamboree” è promosso dal Comune di Senigallia.

Little Rachel and Britt Savage Kick the Gong Around
by Chuck Eddy





A couple months back, I noted a strange historical truce that’s taken place between rockabilly and the sort of supper-club blues-ballad approximations that, over the years, have come to be known as “lounge music.” One artist I mentioned in passing, Little Rachel, wrote to say that she thought her music wasn’t rockabilly at all, but rather R&B. An interesting thought, though what her album – and another I’d mentioned by Britt Savage, for that matter – bear out is that it depends how you define your terms.


So, while I won’t deny that Little Rachel With the Lazy Jumpers’ There's a New Miss Rhythm in Town has its R&B-based jump-blues quotient, my favorite tracks strike me as more rural: “Bull Ridin’ Mama” is dirty-minded country boogie, and "Panic Attack" is crazy-legged wild-gal hillbilly rock with Jerry Lee piano runs, Little Richard screams, Hasil Adkins cigar-box guitar clank and a lyrical diagnosis Tony Soprano could appreciate. And at least for the duration of those two songs and "It's Always a Blonde" and the saxified-if-cornball "Bartender Baby,” Little Rachel is also considerably more engaging and less offensive than, say, supposed ‘90s “swing” revivalists Cherry Poppin Daddies and their ilk ever were, if only for the fact that dames (especially little ones from Kansas with big voices and fishnets and leopardskin tops) getting raunchy like the bad old days beat guys doing so by definition. Still, I gotta say Little Rachel’s kitsch needle inches into the red more than I wish: when her music slows down to get torchy and snap its fingers, I’m as nonplussed as when Amy Winehouse pretends to be Billie Holiday. All of which leaves me flip-flopping on the flat-foot floozy like a floy floy.

Britt Savage is knee-deep in kitsch, too – her miniskirts are retro-styled enough to get her booked at “Mod Nights” in Nashville. But as homemade releases go, the production on Fingerprints feels commendably professional and non-anorexic. Ballads like "Broken" (belted almost Laura Branigan-style) and "Truce" come off nearly countrypolitan, and her faster Carlene Carter-style pub-rockabilly cuts (especially "Last Flight to Vegas" and the funny and frantic Pop-Up Book of Phobias facsimile "Fearless") are even better. She also does the best "Secret Agent Man" I've heard since Devo's in the early '80s; it’s cool how "I Found Love" progresses from rockabilly guitars to gospel backup choruses; “Lonely Town” twangs big enough for a Gretchen Wilson album; and instrumental title opener "Fingerprints" is basically Duane Eddy at the Space Age Bachelor Pad. And while the nostalgic trappings undeniably contribute a distanced air that can cut into emotional effectiveness, I've never bought the line that current styles are more affecting simply by virtue of being more current. Hey, I like mini-skirts and fishnets and leopardskin tops. It’s not like history suddenly turned them stodgy.

Posted by Chuck Eddy on 21 July 2008 | Permalink

Kort op de bal spelen ....het is voor de jongens van Rootstime een (gezonde) obsessie aan het worden. In april 2006 ging "onze Freddy " nog lichtjes uit de bol voor Little Rachel's album "Cause I Feel Good" of de opvolger "There's a New Miss Rhythm in Town" werd nog voor de officiêle release in the U.S. tenhuize rootsrocker afgeleverd. Mijn hartelijke dank aan Mario (Promotion Dept. El Toro Records). "The little girl (only five foot tall) with the big voice" mocht voor dit album beroep doen op The Lazy Jumpers (www.lazyjumpers.com), een van Spanje's beste jump blues combo's die destijds uitvoerig onder de loepe werden genomen bij het verschijnen van het album "Bad Luck-Turn My Back on You" (Rev: sept. '05). De opnames vonden plaats in de Sentir studio's (12/13/14 december 05) en het was Carlos Diaz, de supervisor van El Toro Records, die een extra oogje in het zeil hield. Little Rachel heeft een fulltime job in haar thuishaven Kansas City en offert al haar verlofdagen op om tweemaal per jaar een Europese toer te ondernemen. Voornamelijk uit noodzaak want de verplaatsingen zijn aan deze kant van de oceaan in vergelijking met toeren door Amerika maar peanuts en bovendien, niet onbelangrijk, vallen er hier nu eenmaal meer dollars te rapen. Mocht Rachel door haar bijdrage aan the Casey Sisters (www.myspace.com/caseysisters) voornamelijk rekenen op de sympathie van de rockabilly fans onder ons dan verlegt zij met de hulp van Blas Picon (drums & harmonica), Mario Cobo (guitar), Ivan Kovacevic (stand upp bass) haar grenzen ietsiepitsie naar het jump blues gebeuren. Een logische evolutie lijkt mij want "Cause I Feel Good" ging ook al die richting uit. Opener "Bartender Baby", "Hey, Big Boy", "Bull Ridin' Mama" en "It's Always a (dom?) Blond" passen perfect in dat kraampje. "I May Be Trouble" en "Keep on Movin" kunnen rekenen op een smoelschuiver van de bovenste plank en zijn de voorbode van het aangename nieuws ... "There's a New Miss Rhythm in Town"! Voldoende gelegenheid om guest musicians David Giorcelli (piano) en Dani Perez (sax) in het zonnetje te plaatsen en beide heren schakelen nog een tandje bij in de rockertjes "Panic Attack", "Give up Honey" en mogen dan net als wij eventjes verpozen bij het jazzy "Talk to Me" of de soulsleper "Please Quit Me Baby". Als extraatje voor hun prima geleverde arbeid mochten the Lazy Jumpers hun album "Coming on like Gangbusters" met de bonustrack "Mr. Advice" eventjes promoten. Eventueel interesse in onze bescheiden mening ... Little Rachel with the Lazy Jumpers op menig festival in de Lage Landen... het lijkt mij een aangename jump/blues/rockabilly belevenis.

The little girl with the big voice is back and she’s going to teach you what rhythm’n’blues really is She went to Barcelona, Spain to record and found the perfect match to her astounding voice: The Lazy Jumpers. They get along so fine it seems they were made to be together like butter and bread, Abbott and Costello or Lady Day and Prez. On one side you have a girl with a voice as good and powerful as Big Mama Thornton, Wynona Carr or Ruth Brown. On the other side The Lazy Jumpers (who believe me are not lazy at all). Mario Cobo delivers some fine licks in the vein of Johnny “Guitar” Watson , or Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown while Blas Picon and Ivan Kovacevic provide the perfect rhythm section, tight and swinging in the same time.
Eight tracks are from the pen of Little Rachel, two by Eva Eastwood (who was already present on her debut album) and the Lazy Jumpers wrote the rest (including a song from one of their own album). The music ranges from groovy Rhythm’n’Blues (Bartender Baby; Hey, Big Boy; Please Quit Me Baby) some with juicy saxes and piano to straight blues (I May Be Trouble) which sees drummer Blas Picon taking some mean harmonica solo. And in between you have some pre-rock’n’roll that fits Rachel’s voice so well (Panic Attack), a Chuck Berry-esque rocker (Give-Up Honey), a boogie (Bull Ridin’ Mama) and a Fever inspired song (Take This Love And Bury It) full of soul and seduction. A couple of tunes have a more modern sound (well, everything is relative) and you could easily imagine “Broken” sung by Candy Kane and “Keep On Movin’” by Little Charlie And The Nightcats.
There’s a lot more I could rave about (Get On The Right Track is a killer!) but it’s better to let you some surprises. In 2006 Ruth Brown has left the building, it sure is sad and we’ll always cherish her music but in 2007 we can say : “There’s a new Miss Rhythm In Town”.
Buy it at Cdbaby or at El Toro.
Fred "Virgil" Turgis

la chavalilla del vozarrón
OSCAR CUBILLO/

MUJER FATAL. La cantante Little Rachel.

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Sí, la escena rockabilly ha medrado. Se ha desarrollado gracias a unas novedosas vías de comunicación que permiten actuar a los grupos por todo el mundo, conseguir su música favorita a los aficionados más aislados, e incluso comprar ropa y accesorios. Todo gracias a Internet. Sin embargo, el circuito rockabilly permanece hermético para el gran público y eso que hoy día en él campan combos de diversos estilos retros, por ejemplo de proto rock and roll negro, de ritmo y blues tabernario, de swing patibulario, de boogie crápula o de hillbilly paleto.Exceptuando el hillbilly blanco, la vocalista Little Rachel mama de todas esas fuentes mentadas. Es diminuta (mide 5 pies, o sea metro y medio, y de ahí su apodo: La Pequeña Raquel), viste cual mujer fatal con escotes descocados, piel de leopardo, sombreritos coloristas, medias de rejilla y tacones, y quienes la han visto en vivo aseguran que se crece sobre un tablado.Parece la novia perfecta para un marino en combate y se abrió hueco en la escena tuperiana en el año 2000 desde Austin, Texas. Con su hermana Caroline montó el dúo rockabilly The Casey Sisters, que editó dos CD en la escudería sueca Tail Records. Cuatro años después, Little Rachel volvió a su ciudad, Kansas City, Misuri, cuna de un estilo acendrado y elegante de jazz al que se rindió en su primer disco en solitario, 'Cause I Feel Good' (Tail), autoeditado por ella misma.

En él hacía gala de su apodo 'la chavalita del vozarrón', pues entre sus influencias se imponen blueswomen descarnadas como Ruth Brown e incluso soulwomen desesperadas tipo Etta James. Su reválida se titula 'There's A New Miss Rhythm In Town', o sea 'Hay una nueva Señorita Ritmo en la ciudad'. La ha registrado con el combo barcelonés de jump blues The Lazy Jumpers y sale en el sello español El Toro. Con amor por la serie B invoca al deslizante ritmo y blues de la Costa Oeste, al R&R escuela Chuck Berry, al Chicago. blues de Koko Taylor, al soul a lo Johnny Guitar Watson y a los lentos en plan sugerente.

Those of you who know her as one half of the Casey Sisters will be wowed beyond belief when you hear Little Rachel's new solo album, "'Cause I Feel Good".

This raw and rockin', down, dirty, killin' original R&B album will leave you haunted by its stellar vocals and lyrics, as well as a cracker-jack backing band featuring well-known stars of the roots genre such as Tjarko Jeen (Ronnie Dawson), Beau Sample (Cave Catt Sammy), and Damien Llanes (Sir Finks, Nick & the Nitelifes).

Blue Suede News has always wanted to be supportive of Rockabilly artists when they do a little genre hopping, as Big Sandy and Nick Curran have done for example. As with Nick's jump to the Blues, in Little Rachel's case it feels like coming home. Not that there were any flies on her Rockabilly recordings with the Casey Sisters of course- I know as well as anybody that a person can be versed in several types of roots music. But anyhow, there's nothing tentative about this new CD of full bore R&B... When she sings "I'm What You Need" Rachel hits the nail on the head- what the Rockabilly scene needs is both variety and its own root. Rockabilly was always a permutation of R&B, colored by the Hillbilly, Western Swing, Honky Tonk and Bluegrass Roots of it's founders. But all of them revered and were inspired by R&B. This is an excellent CD by a bright new light on the scene! She does feel good- to my ears! Don't get the idea that because it features slow tunes this doesn't jump- it ends on "Your Baby's My Baby Now", and is very well rounded, as is Little Rachel herself! See the interview this issue! -MB

Ooh, she’s fine ! Rockabilly
girl Rachel, known formerly
of the Casey Sisters decided
to go rhythm’n’ blues. And
man, she was right! This
album is a killer. You’ve
got here all the ingredients to
make a good mixture : fine
and accomplished musicians
Tjarko (Tinstars, Ronnie
Dawson), Beau Sample
(Cave Catt Sammy), Damien
Llanes (Nick Curran, Deke
Dickerson), Matt Farrell
(Nick Curran); a producer
who knows his job (Billy
Horton) and most of all a
little girl with a powerful
voice. Half of the songs here
has been written by Rachel
herself and four has been
penned by ex Tail labelmate,
the swedish Eva Eastwood.
And this 11 compositions
can stand proudly near the
covers. Rachel’s voice is really
impressive, she can scream,
she can shout or she can
sing a soulful ballad (Spiderwoman
Blues or Is my
baby Happy now, two of
my faves), but the voice is
always on top. The musicians
fit perfectly the mood
of each songs, playing subtle
guitar licks or juicy saxophones
depending the tune.
Comparisons are not always
fair, but if you’re looking for
a female counterpart to Nick
Curran, don’t go any further,
she sings it perfectly, Little
Rachel is «What you need».

LITTLE RACHEL 'Cause I Feel Good

El Toro

The LITTLE girl with the BIG voice Little Rachael has a serious past and should look forward to a great future. 50's R'n'B is her thing taking her Kansas City roots down to Austin to work not only with some of Austin's finest musicians (Tjarko Jeen on guitar and Dan Torosian on saxes) but also the legendary retro sound specialist Billy Horton. Rachael's written half the tracks herself as well as providing the big voice and the album works on every level. Great singing and playing, modern but with all that 50's feel instantly recognizable, Billy Horton gets out all the energy even from a studio performance as well. It is an extraordinary album from the ballad's like "Is My Baby Happy Now" (one of three by Swedish writer Eva Eastwood) right down to Etta James "Tough Lover" finding Little Rachael in fine Little Richard voice and the band rocking the house in fine Little Richard style behind her each song has an eerie feel of the period that mixes well with it's modern day creation. More info is at her web site so get them orders in now. That's an order!

I recommend several songs on the CD- among them my favourites "I'm What You Need" (which you can't help but dance to), "Ooh, He's Fine", "Spiderwoman Blues", "Don't Jump (Rock the Boat)", "Is My Baby Happy Now" ... etc.
A formidable work, loaded with songs representative of the pure R&B classics of the 50's. A good CD you have to buy and enjoy, because it's going to make you dance!

Green Bay ramblings and fav new records part 3:
Little Rachel Casey had the dubious task of opening the festivities on the main stage at Green Bay.

This can be quite a chore, the sound isn’t dialed in, the crowd isn’t all in the hall yet, people waiting for Jerry Lee Lewis to not show up etc...

Well to her credit she did what she does best and walked out on stage and sang her heart out!

She does the same thing on her new release, "'Cause I Feel Good".

I've know of Rachel’s big talents for some time while her and Casey sister cohort Caroline were both living and gigging in Austin.
The great voice, the commanding stage pressence, and the fantastic song writing.
This new record really shows it as the spotlight shines on Rachel's aptitude for rhythm and blues.

Again the players on the record are a who's who's of hot Austin pickers.
Notables such as Tjarko Jeen, Beau Sample, and Damien Llanes lend there expertise, and this is another in the long line of great Fort Horton recordings produced by Billy Horton.

The Record swings and rocks with a solid groove through out.
I was very impressed with the batch of original songs penned by Rachel.

"I'm What You Need" includes great lyric hooks
"I'm not much to look at but I saw you look twice."
"Forget what you want and let me give you what you need."
and a moving shuffle beat that makes me wanna dance! (jive? I think it's a jiver. It aint full of jive I know that much!)

Good stuff, little R!

I really dug the biographical "Back to Kansas City" that shows Rachel’s facility to write tunes about real time experiences and puts her recent move home to KC from Austin in perspective.

This one’s a key purchase for all fans of Jumpin' Rnb and Rock and Roll!

here's a link to get your very own copy:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/littlerachel