Cheryl Arena - The Buzz
CD Reviews
"Cheryl Arena’s new album Blues Got Me showcases her
impressive blues harp virtuosity accented by her relaxed vocal style and
considerable song writing skills."
-Duke Robillard
"I think Cheryl is one of the most gifted harmonica
players I've ever met and in no way is she a novelty" - Andrew Jr. Boy
Jones
'Cheryl sounds better than ever on her new record
Blues Got Me, great harp tone and she doesn't overplay which is
refreshing."- Charlie Musselwhite
"Cheryl is the real deal, great tone and lots of soul
in her playing.. I know because I played with the best of them."-Tyler
Pedersen (former bassist with William Clarke)
"She may be from Boston, but her heart's from
Mississippi"- Johnny Rawls
"Cheryl Arena’s blues have got me good. "
-Art Tripaldi
"Straight-up Blues…. Rich, tasty harmonica work by
Arena."
-Blues Revue
"This band is one of the strongest draws on the New
England Blues Club Circuit."
-Boston Blues Society
"She has the talent to take her wherever she wants to
go…"
-Bnois King - Smokin’ Joe Kubek Band
"No B.S. Just night after night delivering the goods in
clubs, winning over audiences from Beantown to Florida."
-Frank John Hadley -Boston Phoenix
"Harmonica mastery keeps Cheryl Arena in the Blues
Spotlight… She’s a musical standout."
-New Hampshire Sunday News
"Cheryl Arena… the blues harmonica queen. She’s
cool, she’s hot, she’s the baddest harp player - male or female - I’ve
heard in many a year."
-Rock Bottom - Godfather of Gator Country Blues
"Watching Arena’s energetic performance for one set
is enough to exhaust you."
-Blues Beat
CD REVIEWS
Cheryl Arena and Aaron Burton
Good Old Wagon
Close
your eyes and listen to this CD. The feeling is akin to sitting on the back
porch of a long time friend, swinging in a hammock on the warm Texas summer
night, while your two best friends play the blues on the steps not more than a
few feet away. The new release from Aaron Burton & Cheryl Arena "Good
Old Wagon", is comforting and comfortable, both hypnotic and peaceful.
Nothing forced, nothing fake, a natural pairing of two extremely talented blues
musicians hand crafting introspective originals and reassuring covers.
This
is the kind of CD that blues purist worship and yet has the power to make blues
fans out of those teetering on the edge, taking their first dip into that big
blues ocean. With so much debate about what is blues and what is not, it's a joy
to listen to a project where there is no question, this IS the blues. It's so
real, so honest, so soul baring. What else could it be?
Kudos
to Engineer Pat Boyack and also to Roger Burton, who mastered the disc. Too many
times songs with this kind sparse phrasing yet voluptuous weight are battered
about unmercifully by the technicians in the studio. Not here. The subtle timbre
of the guitar, harmonica and that most beautiful and complicated of instruments,
the human voice, are all here, with a lovely round, rich sound. It almost
breathes in your ear!
Chemistry
in a musical relationship is a tricky thing, you either have it or you don't. It
can't be forced, and that's why "super groups" rarely work -
technically it's okay, but there's just something missing. Nothing is missing
here - the pairing of Burton's warm rich guitar tone is the perfect match for
Arena's emotional and heartfelt harmonica lines. They both take turns at the
vocals - again, in the best of natural interplay that musicians have when they
respect each others talents. The musical connection is so complete; it's hard to
believe they have only been playing together about a year. It's obvious, Aaron
Burton and Cheryl Arena have come to this point from their own musical journeys,
but it was meant for them to join forces. It was destiny that "Good Old
Wagon" be born.
BLUE LISA
KNON 89.3 FM
Southwest Blues Magazine
Cheryl Arena
Blues Got Me
The
music world should be very happy that the blues got Cheryl. Her harp
has been on the Boston blues scene for years. If you dig out your old Kat
in the Hat recordings from 1996 and follow her blows and draws through the
Woodburn/Arena band days and her most recent band gigs, it is obvious she's paid
her necessary woodsheddin' dues. Though she and her husband, guitar ace Matt
Woodburn are Boston's own, I've found them through the years touring in Florida
and on Beale St. in Memphis. In fact on one such occasion, Cheryl excitedly told
me in the Black Diamond she was off to Junior's Juke Joint in Holly Springs, MS.
to play. Proof she let the blues take her on the road to the right places. And,
it shows. The CD opens with one of the strongest songs I've heard so far in this
Year of the Blues. The gentle swing of the acoustic guitar and harmonica
compliment the winter wishes of every New Englander, to go South. But when the
electricity kicks in, Arena wants her trip South to be for the blues life. Her
personal photo album offers pics of catfish, cotton, Beale and jukes.
Thanks for reminding us why we love those who love the
blues and understand it's a Southern essence. This is no one song recording.
Through the 13 songs, recorded in Duke Robillard's Mood Room and
produced by Duke, Arena displays expertise in all areas, song writing,
singing, harp playing, and song choice. The title cut is a gritty display.
As Duke underlines the song wiht a Howlin' Wolf style guitar voice, Arena
confesses the hold blues got on her. Robert Johnson sang about blues "is a
low down, shakin' chill". Arena sings that blues " found me in the
dark....came round and fixed my broken heart." This alone may exemplify the
change in perception of the blues over the years. Vocally, Cheryl is no Susan
Tedeschi or Shemekia, and thankfully, she doesn't try to be. Instead, her vocal
style relies on staying within her range and letting her individualistic nuances
deliver the lesson. " Love Gone Wrong," a Jimmie Vaughan styled Texas
R&B offering, lets Arena voice heartbreak through her voice and harmonica
while Woodburn tears up the fretboard. Arena's versatility as a
singer/songwriter is evident on her second line beat on "Listen To What I
Say" and her big band jazz take on two from the Buddy Johnson songbook,
" Any Day Now" and "About To Break My Heart". Both
bring in some of Boston's finest brass, Sax Beadle, Scott Shetler, and Scott
Aruda. After years of ridin' to places and absorbin' the blues, Cheryl Arena's
blues have got me good.
-Art Tripaldi
USA – CHERYL ARENA “Blues Got Me”, No label/no. 13 tracks, 49:50 mins.
As a reader of BM you will know Boston is one of the Blues
hotbeds, you may well be aware it is the stomping ground of one of if not the
best female harpists, Annie Raines – now add CHERYL ARENA! Like Little Annie,
Cheryl is no one trick pony with country to swing styles in a great tone &
delivery. The gal sings real good too, and though the disc is credited to Cheryl
only they usually go by the names of herself, and guitarist Matt Woodburn
(Woodburn-Arena band). Their CD is a mix of vaudeville blues, West Coast blues,
Texas swing, country, lounge jazz, boogie swing and 50’s pop. The overall feel
you get is – a band with a difference, Cheryl and the boys are no wallpaper
band. Let’s spin the disc, and listen up! First comes a romantic yearning for
the bluesy South in a country way, lovely melody and Duke Robillard the albums
producer on Dobro. Cheryl then goes from acoustic to bullet harp, and her
co-bandleader Matt Woodburn starts to show his chops. Then we are transported
back to the Charleston period for a real bouncy and remarkably un-smutty shavin’
song. The albums horns kick in (well it is a Robillard/Mood Room recording) with
the great Gordon beadle amongst the cheek bulges. This band has your body moving
in an unconscious luring. The title track is a dirty Hooker-ish easy rockin’
tune, where the smashing groove is punctuated with lovely leads by Robillard
& Arena. Apart from the seven tracks Cheryl has a hand in two lovely Little
Walter covers sit in with four other uncommon re-runs. This album comes without
promotional fanfares, and decent distribution, but that’s part of what makes a
Blues gem…
Billy Hutchinson - Blues Matters Magazine UK
HOOT (Harmonica organization of Texas) Newsletter Feb. 2006
"WOW" Cheryl, thank you for coming to Texas. What a great album. I
first met Cheryl about a year ago at a local open mic jam in Addison Tx. hosted
by Mike Morgan. She had just moved here from here native Boston due to the
thriving local blues scene in the DFW Metroplex. Johnny Rawls has said "She
may be from Boston but her heart's from Mississippi." She visited our club
a few months ago with Aaron Burton and put on a wonderful concert for us. The
last time I saw her perform was at the KNON annual "Blues Fest" at
Poor David's Pub in Dallas. She was exceptional again and earned the unofficial
"MVP" (most valuable player) honors from KNON's Don O. Our own beloved
Sam Myers seemed to be giving her his special "mojo" back rub blessing
before her stellar performances. Cheryl, you surely are an asset to our local
blues scene.
Her 13 track album is superbly produced and mixed. It shows an incredible
range of harp techniques, musical styles, relaxed vocals and song writing
skills. Her Chicago Blues,
Mississippi Delta Blues and Dixie Land Jazz music styles are all well executed.
Steve Sullivan- Hoot Newsletter