Ryan Lee Crosby

At The Blue Front

Crossnote Records

Bentonia Blues is a distinct style of blues music that originated in Bentonia, Mississippi. Bentonia Blues often uses a specific open guitar tuning, D minor, which contributes to it’s haunting sound. Notable musicians with this style include Skip James, and Jack Owens, who are known for their expressive vocals and intricate guitar. The lyrics often explore themes of sorrow, love and existential struggles. Bentonia Blues is an important part of the Mississippi Delta tradition and it’s authenticity and connection to the African American experience.

The Blue Front Cafe is a historic old juke joint made of  cinder block in Bentonia, Ms. on Highway 49, 30 miles northwest of Jackson. The cafe has been officially placed on the Mississippi Blues Trail, and is owned by musician Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, who took it over from his parents.  Located in Yazoo County, the field hands from the surrounding  cotton plantations gathered at the Blue Front, for relaxation  and entertainment. The style’s origin goes back to black  Bahamian soldiers in France during World War I.

The ensemble includes RL Crosby, twelve string guitar and vocals; Grant Smith, calabash and percussion; Jay Scheffler, harmonica; and Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, guitar and vocals on  Side B.

Holmes has been an invaluable mentor to Crosby, in terms of both musical technique, and sheer life-affirming fellowship. Crosby states that Holmes has a presence about him, a  strong energy and feeling, he reminds me of gurus I’ve met”.  Side A opens with “Going Away” a traditional song with new music and lyrics by Crosby and Holmes, “I know the way I get those going away blues, yeah mama, yeah poppa, you  know I hate to leave but I gotta’ go, I hate to leave”. On “I’m gonna’ change, I’m gonna’ change my ways…I know now I’m gonna’ change, two many things in my way”.

“I’ve Been Worried” is a second new song from Crosby as he sings “I’ve been worried, but I won’t be worried long, someone told them, don’t you worry, it won’t be long, then I’ll be gone”. “Mistreating People” is the third and final new song from Crosby as he reaches for those high notes, “yahoooyie, what goes around, gonna come back your way, when you mistreat people, it won’t be long ’til your gone”.

Side B includes traditional songs with new music and lyrics from Crosby and Holmes. On “Hard Times” Holmes chimes “Hard times, cause they gonna come, hard times, they may  be high, they may be low, but they gonna get you down…you may be rich, you may be poor, but hard times are gonna  bring you down”. On “Catfish” Holmes cries “Oh I wish, I  was a catfish, living down in the deep blue sea, and you  was fishin’ after me”…with more calabash and percussion.

“Slow Down (Part 2) features Holmes as he moans “Slow down, slow down…you’re goin’ too fast, you gonna change  some ways, I know they can’t last…if you don’t change your ways, it’ll be the end of you, I know what I wanna do, I want  to change your ways”. On the closer “Tell Me” Holmes croons “well, tell me how long, how long your good man gonna be gone, tell me how long your good man gonna’  be gone, you know it won’t take me long, tell me how long you goin’ to make me wait”.

Crosby’s music has already positioned him as a major new guitarist in the blues and American Primitive styles, earning spotlights in several publications. This new project from  Crosby and Holmes offers a haunting, hypnotic meld of  Bentonia and Hill Country Blues.

Richard Ludmerer

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