"Keeps It In The Family/Dave Kelly" by DAVE KELLY - July 1969 and September 1971 UK Debut and Second Studio Albums featuring Jo An Kelly and more (December 2021 UK Beats Goes On Compilation - 2LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

"...Mean Old Levee...Caused Me To Weep And Moan..." 

 

I had to dig deep into my record company catalogues of some half-century vintage to find the actual release dates for both of these uber-obscurities.

 

UK Blues Man Dave Kelly released his debut album "Keeps It In The Family" in July 1969 - while the second self-titled set "Dave Kelly" (recorded between June 1970 and January 1971 in England) would have to wait until September 1971 – both issued in Blighty on Mercury Records.

 

But of course the real reason they have been clocking in at prices between £150 and £350 on original vinyl is the association on both albums with his sister - the legendary and much revered JO ANN KELLY (she is featured prominently on each). That, and there is a cool list of other period luminaries bolstering up proceedings - Keith Tillman of John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Bob Hall and Bob Brunning of Brunning Sunflower Blues Band, Adrian Pietryga of The John Dummer Band (went by the name of Putty Ryga), John Altman, Kenny Wheeler, Alan Parker, Herbie Flowers and Alan Hawkshaw (of The Mohawks). And more (see details).

 

The listen is Mississippi Delta-influenced Acoustic Blues for the magnificent debut (most tracks with minimalist accompaniment) to a Blues Rock Band feel on the second album that actually seemed like a good idea at the time and a natural progression from the debut - but actually does for the record oddly enough. The second platter is disappointing after the rattling strings Robert Johnson Blues gutsy debut  – to a point where when I listen, I program out at least four of its twelve cuts (I play 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12). 

 

But do not let that put you off. I have to say that I am seriously impressed with BGO and their smarts on this reissue – two hugely desirable albums Remastered onto 2 separate CDs to genuine clarity perfection by ANDREW THOMPSON in 2021. The audience may be small, but I would say expand your horizons and dig in. To the moaning levee details...

 

UK released December 2021 - "Keeps It In The Family/Dave Kelly" by DAVE KELLY (featuring Jo Ann Kelly) on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1463 (Barcode 5017261214638) offers 2LPs from 1969 and 1971 Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 "Keeps It In The Family" (45:14 minutes):

1. When The Levee Breaks [Side 1]

2. Fingerprint Blues

3. Travellin' Blues Part II

4.  Hard Times 

5. Hitch Hike Blues 

6. I've got My Mojo Working 

7. Fixin' To Die Blues [Side 2]

8. Treat Me Right 

9. Where's My Good Man At 

10. Fred's Worried Life Blues 

11. Double Time Night-Time 

12. Money & Fame 

13. Lock Your Door 

Tracks 1 to 13 are his Debut Album "Keeps It In The Family" - released July 1969 in the UK on Mercury SMCL 20151. Produced by BRIAN SHEPHERD - it didn't chart. Tracks 3, 5 8, 11 and 13 are Dave Kelly originals - Track 12 is a Putty Ryga original - the rest are Blues and R&B covers - "When The Levee Breaks" and "Where's My Good Man At" by Memphis Minnie, "Hard Times" by Skip James (originally as Hard Times Filling Floor Blues), "I've Got My Mojo Working" by Muddy Waters, "Fixin' To Die Blues" by Bukka White and "Fred's Worried Life Blues" by Mississippi Fred McDowell.

 

Band: 

DAVE KELLY - Guitar and Vocal 

(All Tracks except "Fingerprint Blues" and "Where's My Good Man At")

JO ANN KELLY - Guitar and Vocal (Lead Vocals on Tracks 2 and 9 only)

PUTTY RYGA [real name Adrian Pietryga] - Guitar (Vocal on Track 12 only)

KEITH TILLMAN - Bass 

BOB HALL - Piano

 

CD2 "Dave Kelly" (43:53 minutes):

1. Gotta Keep Running [Side 1]

2. No Fun For Me 

3. Fair Theme 

4. You Got It 

5. Way I Feel Today 

6. The Fields Of Night 

7. Poor Old Bill [Side 2]

8. Hello L.A. Bye Bye Birmingham 

9. It's You 

10. Green Winter 

11. Brooklyn Bridge

12. Get Right Church 

Tracks 1 to 12 are his second studio album "Dave Kelly" - released September 1971 in the Uk on Mercury Records 6310 001. Produced and Arranged by DAVE KELLY with Brass Arrangements by JAMES CLARKE - it didn't chart. 

 

Band: 

DAVE KELLY - Guitar and Vocals 

JO ANN KELLY - Vocals only on Tracks 1, 2, 6, 11 and 12

PETER GEE - Guitar on Tracks 1, 4 and 10

ALAN PARKER - Guitar on Track 6

ALAN HAWKSHAW - Piano and Organ on Tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8

BOB HALL - Piano on Tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 12 - Harpsichord on Track 3 

STEVE RYE - Harmonica on Tracks 5 and 12

PETER SNELL - Harp on Track 6

KENNY WHEELER – Flugelhorn on Track 6

JOHN ALTMAN – Flutes on Tracks 3, 5 and 7

BOB BRUNNING - Bass on Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12

HERBIE FLOWERS - Bass on Track 6

BARRY GUARD - Drums on Tracks 1, 4, 8, 10 and 12

RANDY JONES - Drums on Tracks 2, 5, 7 and 9

CLEM CATTINI - Drums on Track 6

JOHNNY DEAN – Percussion, Tambor, Bells on Tracks 3 and 12

 

The outer card slipcase and the 16-page booklet reproduced all the original artwork and credit details (I've provided a few more in the lists above) and the new ROY BAINTON liner notes from September 2021 do a lot to flesh out the details - stuff like Harmonica player Steve Rye being a regular with Tony McPhee's Blues Rock band The Groundhogs. But the big news here is a gorgeous transfer from original tapes by ANDREW THOMPSON - both albums in tremendous shape and sounding glorious - especially that debut. To the tunes...

 

I haven't been able to keep the debut off the CD player - utterly brilliant acoustic-based Blues from the Delta via Radio Luxembourg. Two stunners come on Side 1 of "Keeps It In The Family" - howling and moaning Killing Floor vocals on the Traditional "Hard Times" where for four minutes he just uses an Acoustic and his voice, itself followed by fantastic slide acoustic that feels like Buddy Guy or even Jeremy Spencer or Danny Kirwan from Fleetwood Mac having a wig-out on a National Steel (big-time impressive stuff taken as a duo). Oh lord, I'll be satisfied, he sings – well, I am.

 

Piano from Bob Hall comes a mojo rolling in for the Muddy Waters cover "I've Got My Mojo Working" where Dave and his small band sounds like Paul Jones and Manfred Mann or Alexis Korner and Friends having a ball as they sock it to you. Another rattling-strings slide weeper is Dave on Fred McDowell's "Fred's Worried Life Blues" - poor Fred having lady problems with a mistreater the whole neighbourhood knows about. Jo Ann Kelly knocks it out of the Judy Henske growling foot-stompin' park on her two vocal turns - "Fingerprint Blues" and getting down with Memhis Minnie and her chap-and-his-gear troubles on "Where's My Good Man At" - fantastic stuff and I can so hear why collectors go nuts for her. But Dave Kelly holds his own admirably on the rest - and as I say on that "Hard Times" cover - is superlative.

 

The second album starts out badly with a fairly plodding "Gotta Keep Running" (written by Kelly, Bob Hall and Dave Cotton) where the band feels like a tired Blues Band in a pub trying to squeeze life out of a format that is already overdone. But then Dave kelly's own "No Fun For Me" steps up as Track 2 whilst the short hippy blues of "Fair Theme" is an acoustic blues instrumental. Better is "Way I Feel Today" which comes on like Blodwyn Pig (in fact Kelly's voice is close to Mick Abrahams) and so on. And you gotta love those duet vocals from Jo Ann on "The Fields Of Night" and the sparse "Brooklyn Bridge" - the only tune on the LP that features only Dave and Jo Ann - him on Guitar and Vocals and she just dueting.  

 

For sure in my books, the second LP lets the side down a tad and stops this 2CD reissue of Dave Kelly's rare albums from being a solid 5-star barnstormer. But I can't stop playing both records with a programming list for CD2. Way to go boys...(and gal)...