Charles Tiner

Good Soul

Independent

Charles Tiner, a.k.a. N’Treble, is a soulful, Chicago-born blues artist with deep roots in gospel music. Tiner’s father was a Baptist pastor, and music played a central role in family life. When his father relocated the family to Springfield, Illinois, Charles and his older brother became the musicians at their church. Educated in Springfield’s public school system, Tiner participated in musicals, plays, and community arts programs, sparking a lifelong passion for performance. He later earned an associate degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in theology.

Singing and playing piano, Tiner launched himself into several bands as a lead singer, frontman, and keyboardist. His gospel foundation naturally transitioned into a deep connection with the blues. Good Soul is the follow-up to his self-produced debut album N’Treble, which earned him finalist status at the 2022 International Blues Challenge. Tiner’s songwriting is rich with imagery, delivered through soulful vocals and polished, vibrant arrangements. Eleven of the twelve tracks are originals, with one inventive cover rounding out the album.

The opening track, “Be a Man,” is a fierce statement of survival driven by Tiner’s rousing organ riffs. He plays piano, organ, and percussion while also contributing the horn arrangements. Joined by lead guitarist John Virgin, bassist Charles Fox, and drummer Jamahl Patterson, Tiner sings, “I watched the sun go down and laid awake all night. I seen trouble in my way, it didn’t seem very bright.”

On “Bad Woman,” guitarist Clipton Smith joins Virgin for fiery solos, while saxophonist Theodore Fisher stretches out over Tiner’s sassy horn arrangement. Tiner warns, “If she ain’t a bad woman, I’m not gonna spend one dime. Come on girl, don’t make me waste my time.”

“Blue Moon” features Travis Aldridge on sharp lead and rhythm guitar, Keagan Cunningham on drums, and backing vocalists Sandra Chappel and Regina Stewart-Byrd. Tiner settles into a down-home blues groove as he sings, “I can’t miss having a silver spoon, I was born under a blue moon.”

“Don’t Bau Me Nun” is a front-porch blues lament with Chris Camp on harmonica and washboard and Eddie Smith adding countrified acoustic guitar. Tiner chants, “You can cut me like a fish, easy as butter… but it don’t bau me none,” shrugging off betrayal with grit and resolve.

“Night Rider” is an anthemic ode to a mysterious nocturnal traveler, featuring Eddie Smith on lead and rhythm guitar, William “Chilly” Bryant on bass, and Mike Wallace on drums. Tiner belts, “Night rider alone in the dark, riding in the moonlight… the street is home, he’ll ride through midnight.”

“Peace by the River” reunites Smith, Bryant, Wallace, and Fisher, with Tiner adding a sweeping string arrangement. The song builds emotional tension before releasing into calm as he cries, “Thunder can roar, shake the land… no matter what it looks like, there’s peace by the river.”

“Stick Around” delivers elegant soul, featuring guitar and bass work from the late Conrad Lee, enriched by warm horn lines. Tiner declares his devotion to the music itself, singing, “The blues has been consistent, the blues has been real sound… the blues will always stick around.” “She Made a Move on Me” follows with a jazzy piano interlude and an unanswered question hanging in the air.

Tiner’s sensuous organ introduces the torchy slow blues “Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Right,” highlighted by a soaring vocal and a fierce guitar solo from Smith. Tiner howls, “We played on each other all day and all night, but one thing is for sure, two wrongs don’t make it right.”

“Don’t Be a Fool Too Long” features more guitar, rhythm, and bass from the late Conrad Lee, along with a background vocal from Johnetta Jay Williams. Tiner pleads, “I got a message for you… don’t be a fool too long.”

“Don’t Let the Devil Ride,” a gospel classic written by Rev. Orvis Mays in 1968, is reimagined as a funky blues sermon. Tiner brings the fire as he shouts, “Don’t let the devil ride. If you let him ride, he’ll want to drive.”

The album closes with the lighthearted optimism of “Put Your Money on Me,” featuring Tiner’s melodic piano, Camp’s harmonica, Fox’s upright bass, and backing vocals from Chappel and Stewart-Byrd. Tiner’s playful falsetto seals the deal as he croons, “Sometimes the day seems dark and cold… but if you ever have a doubt, put your money on me.”

That’s a good bet from a regular guy with a whole lot of Good Soul.

Richard Ludmerer

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