When one sees the words ‘Chicago’ and ‘blues’ the natural tendency is to think of electric 12-bar Chicago blues but veteran singer-songwriter Mike Felten brings a more eclectic mix that owes to folk and rock as well. In fact, most of Felten’s blues are acoustically based, rather than electric, but yes, he employs many standard blues structures, nonetheless. Felten has long been one of the city’s troubadours, having played on open mics and in small venues alongside John Prine and Steve Goodman in the late ‘60s and into the ‘70s. Aside from a dozen years spent in Michigan after he got married, Felten is a lifelong Chicagoan who owned the Record Emporium on the North Side for 30 years, a place where music was also played live and several movies were filmed. As such, Felten has a strong network of musicians to call on in the Windy City for his sixth studio album, Fast Mikey Blue Eyes.
High profile guests include harmonica legend Corky Siegel and pianist Barry Goldberg, both of whom hearken back to the cross pollination of blues to white audiences in the late ‘60s. Another top Chicago blues harp master, Mervyn “Harmonica” Hinds, graces four tracks. Siegel has the opening notes on the album as he and Goldberg both appear on the rowdy boogie “Three Drinks In.” Goldberg pounds the keys on “Detroit Woman,” and Siegel returns on “A Girl Walks Into a Bar.” Hinds, a frequent performer at Felten’s store, appears on four tracks. Two other keyboardists share the other tracks, Jamie Wagner and Bob Long. Bassist Pete Mazzeri and drummer Gary Landess are the constant rhythm tandem throughout.
Now some of you are likely curious about the album title. Like most of the songs, it traces to personal experience. “Fast Mike came form the pool halls, because when I was shooting pool at Roscoe Billiards Academy over at Roscoe and Seeley, that was time with The Hustler, Fast Eddie Felson,” says Felten. “I had blue eyes, and people would comment about that. And Mikey’s been my nickname for awhile.”
All the tunes are originals excepting his solo up tempo acoustic interpretation of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” that at times sounds like Rev. Robert Wilkins’ “Prodigal Son.” It follows the bluntly titled “Dead Old Girlfriend,” which is actually a fond remembrance of a friend who passed. “2302” is the street address on Roscoe Avenue where he grew up. “Where the White Lady Lives” chronicles the changing neighborhoods of the city due to segregation practices. The shuffle “Homan Avenue” speaks to the unsavory history of Chicago’s police lore, specifically Jon Burge and Two Gun Pete, who were the headliners when Felten was growing up. “Y’all Are Guilty” takes the more contemporary tact by addressing the Black Live Matter movement. “Chasing A Rumor” is the strongest example of Felten’s acoustic guitar technique, marrying fingerpicking and slide, while blowing a harmonica-in-the-rack.
The piano- driven (Jamie Wagner) “Godzilla Jones” is an antidote to bad times – “out there dancing with Godzilla Jones.” The album closer, “Like Listening to Charlie Parker,” is an outlier of sorts, an almost seven-minute stream-of-consciousness dissertation over light guitar and piano riffing on how listening to Charlie Parker in the afternoon takes the blues away. Felten’s Fast Mikey Blue Eyes bears all the hallmarks of a veteran, grizzled troubadour who lives through his songs. The emphasis is on realism and feel with an acknowledgement that if the music is a little rough around the edges, then that’s simply fine.
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A living legend. We love you Mike and honored that you play at our Pub.
Rock on, Boss!