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WHAT DO DEY SAY?

♫ Mark Hackett: I just wanted to say how pleased we were with you guys.  You were awesome!  EVERYONE was blown away.  We've had numerous compliments on what a great band we had [for our event].  Some guests have asked for your name and contact info, so don't be surprised if you get some calls for some other parties down here.  I hope you guys had a good time and didn't mind the trek down here too much.  If this becomes an annual event, which several people want, then you'll be first on our list to call.  Thanks again, and if you ever need us as a reference, we'll be happy to sing your praises. 

♫ From the 5/17/06 music picks of The Tennessean: Zydeco-spiced groove mavens Delicious Blues Stew.

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♫ Mark Smith,  KJLU 88.9, Jefferson City, MO: "Had me a big ol' helpin' of Blues Stew and felt so good i had to let my listeners have some. Couldn't keep it all to my self 'cause this ear candy satisfies the most."

♫ Graham Clarke, www.BluesBytes.com: "As their name might indicate, Delicious Blues Stew, are not just a straight blues band, but a mixture of several potent ingredients. Throw in some blues, a little rock, a bit of Cajun and zydeco, a little second-line, a smattering of swamp pop and country, and a healthy dose of humor, and you've got a savory gumbo that should please all that should sample it. Their latest effort, 2Stew (Nightfly Music), should satisfy their loyal fan base as well as anyone else who might give it a try. Based in the Nashville area, the Stew is known for its wild live gigs where no one is safe from the groove. 2Stew attempts to capture the feeling of being at a live show. From the opener, "Trouble," which sounds like it could have been an outtake from a Little Feat album, to the Cajun beat of "Maw Maw Paw Paw," to the goofy "De Con," which must be heard to be believed, to the funky "I'm the Man," it's obvious that the Stew is comfortable in several different arenas. They can also display a softer side, as on the ballads "House Built on Love," and "Place We Fell In Love," and even a serious side with the moving "Star Spangled Lady," about a mother waiting on a call from her son who disappeared in Vietnam years before (which strikes a little closer to home now, in light of recent events). Also covered is Jimmy Davis' "You Are My Sunshine," with guest star Larry Garner (who also appears on the bonus cut, "Mardi Gras Women") and lead singer/harp man/frottoir player Shannon "Bayou" Williford's 4-year-old daughter Julia Bee, who sings the opening verse. "Bayou" and the other lead vocalist, Scott "Paddio Daddio" Achord, are both solid vocalists who fit the band's sound like a glove, and the band itself is top notch. Fans of good music and a good time should check out this disc. It's available on their website, which is pretty entertaining by itself.

♫ Eric Bove, WMFO 91.5, Tufts University: "2Stew slipped into my top-ten today. Top10 CDs of 2001."

♫ John Larson, The Phoenix, Nashville: "With 2Stew, the band effortlessly bridges the gap between blues and pop and Cajun and rock, with little surprises in each track. The Stew pulls all this off with savvy, good humor, and, like good gumbo, about every kind of spice I can think of."

♫ Wildman Steve, WAUD, Auburn, AL: "Got 2Stew and it absolutely ROCKS!! Love it. My wife loves it. My kid loves it. It's a hit!! I'll play it regularly on my radio show and feature it on my website."

♫ Ron Wynn, The City Paper, Nashville: "Longtime local favorites, Delicious Blues Stew’s music reflects the band’s identity.  They explore and perform a wealth of styles — from wailing blues to joyous Cajun, urgent country, soul and rock.
     "Their latest entry includes some whirling, fierce harmonica solos from Shannon "Bayou" Williford, plus fine guitar assistance from Terry "Goose" Downing and Brian "Picnic" Fechino.  The settings sometimes utilize horn arrangements, and other times mix bustling rhythms with swaying vocals.  Other than an unusual cover of "You Are My Sunshine," the repertoire favors numbers their fans should immediately recognize, among them "Trouble," the somber "House Built On Love," and fun numbers like "De Con," "Maw Maw, Paw Paw" and "Wiggin’."
     "The sorely underrated guitarist and vocalist Larry Garner joins the party on two tracks, but otherwise the core band gets the spotlight.  Those who prefer only one type of music, or who chafe at having to hear a country number followed by a comedy routine then a blues romp, should ignore this release.  Everyone else is strongly urged to check out the concoctions delivered by the Delicious Blues Stew."

♫ Eric Black, Australia Blue Country 101FM: "Can’t get to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans? Then grab a copy of 2Stew the latest CD from Delicious Blues Stew, and you can have a Mardi Gras every day of the week. Founded in 1996 by Shannon Williford and based in Nashville this band brings together some of the hottest players from Music City and veteran Baton Rogue bluesmen for a good time celebration, Louisiana style.
     "2Stew is a very refreshing album with good arrangements and interesting songs, the bulk of which were written by Scott Achord and Shannon Williford, who both handle most of the lead vocals as well. Some of my favourite tracks are 'Pirogue,' a fast up-tempo tune that’ll have your whole body moving to the zydeco groove, and the bluesy hip-hopish 'Just Like Her Dog' with its witty lyrics.  I also liked the two tracks they cover, Bardwell/Veitch’s 'Bayou Country' and Jimmy Davis’ 'You Are My Sunshine,' with young Julia Bee Williford singing the intro and guest artist Larry Garner on lead vocal and guitar. Garner also sings lead on the bonus track 'Mardi Gras Women.'
     "All in all the musicianship on the entire album is excellent and you can’t help but have a party when 2Stew is playing. The CD is available from their website and while you’re there check out their first CD Stewed Alive."

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♫ Nashville Scene: "Funky groove quintet... gumbolicious."

♫  Rick De Yampert, The Tennessean, Nashville: "The band whips up funky blues with a swampy, good-time Nawlins feel. That's true on such songs as 'The Levee's Gone Dry', and a harp-fueled, funky take on 'When The Saints Go Marching In.' Check out the latter if you thought you were tired of that Big Easy staple. The band also takes a trip to the islands with the Caribbean rhythms of 'Communicate,' and delves into roadhouse rowdiness on 'Chicken,' a silly, fun tune about -- what else? -- eating chicken."

♫Cookie Holley, Riding the Rider: "Just had the pleasure of my first, but not very likely to be my last, experience with Delicious Blues Stew! I loved this CD more than any I have received in quite some time!
     "And yes, they have been stewed alive, but we get the joy of eating it.  Man, this is not your average blues CD; if you've been looking for something different, buy this one! Great music, wonderful humor! It's the kind of CD you love more each time you play it. And each time, you hear something you missed the time before.
     "Now being a West Coast girl myself, I'm used to seeing spacey looking acts, but these guys took me aback with their beads and tie-dye, strange hair, and air of ....of.....of......well.....anyway, I love them!
     "'Kleptomaniac' has a bouncy tune with a flavor of blues/jazz/shuffle/swing/and just about anything else you can toss in. The words had me rolling on the floor crackin' up. I KNOW this woman!
     "'Communicate' is a whole different thang.  It has a world island flare in the Calypso tradition. The beat is snappy, bouncy, something that keeps you moving,"
     "Those are my two favorites, but to my ears, there are noNo duds here!
     "I have only one question........after hearing 'Chicken,' must I come to dinner??!!
     "This CD is a must have."

♫ Bluegill, The Blues Groove, Knoxville: "Captures the fun of this party band.  My favorite version of 'Saints Go Marching In.'  'San Antonio' is a silky-smooth, almost sinister song that could have come from the soundtrack to a David Lynch movie. Serves up a gumbo of blues, funk, a chunk of calypso, a pinch of jazz, and some other ingredients I'm not real sure of." -

♫ Tom Carter, Music City Blues: "Stewed Alive is a most delightful departure from the usual straight blues groove. Taste Delicious Blues Stew once and you'll find yourself wanting more and more."

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♫ Stacy Smith Segovia, The Leaf-Chronicle: When you go to your refrigerator searching for something good to eat, you don't choose pasteurized, processed, American cheese singles every time. Today, maybe tangy. Tomorrow, zippy. On Sunday you might round it out with something cool and creamy.
     Just as variety tantalizes the tongue, new sounds excite the mind. Saturday, hear a sound common to the Delta but seldom heard in these parts -- the Bluesiana Party Band stylings of Delicious Blues Stew.
     The Cajun band's show at the Warehouse is part of the bar's Pre-Hot August Blues Festival Fish Fry. For 8 bucks, get all the fried catfish you can stand and a heapin' helpin' of the Stew.
     Shannon "D'Bayou" Williford, named 2001 Blues Harmonica Player of the the Year at last fall's Music City Blues Awards, says the choice of cuisine is appropriate.
     "Catfish are good," the homegrown Louisiana boy says. "We used to fish in the Mississippi River and catch the great big ones way down under the bridges. They ate whatever floated by, and we ate them."
     Starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, Chris Byard will fry up catfish on the Warehouse deck, manager Jeff Heggie says. Coleslaw and white beans finish out the Southern fried yum fest, and Heggie promises it will be oooooie! good. "Chris Byard's supposed to be one of the best cooks around here," Heggie says. "We'll cook it all night until it runs out." With a couple hundred pounds of catfish in the cooler, that won't be anytime soon. Williford says eating bottom feeders is apropos, seeing that Louisiana is the colon of America.
     "You just have to adapt to a funky way of life. It shows up in the music," he says.
     And the music Delicious Blues Stew dishes out is spectacular. It's bluesy and spicy with dashes of Scott "Patio Daddio" Achord's Swamp Pop influences. The scratchy zing of a washboard and Williford's gorgeous harmonica distinguish the band's sound. "It's closer to Mississippi Delta Blues -- raw like the Delta, funky like New Orleans and driving like zydeco," Williford says.
     A cadre of excellent musicians ensures that the Stew has talent and technical quality beneath the flair. Achord was named Blues Bass Player of the Year. Every other member of the band has won honors or has been nominated as well. Brannan Lane, among them, is an admired Clarksville musician who played for a dozen years with Skeeter Davis and is the author of several eclectic solo projects. The band plays mostly originals, like the newly-developed "Blues World," but throws in stewed-up versions of time-honored classics as well.
     "A Stew cover is not going to be like any version of the song you've ever heard before," Williford laughs.   Along with great music, the Stew has stage gusto that makes devoted fans of many first-timers.  "Not only are they good, they're entertaining," Heggie says. "They interact with the audience."  Charisma is part of the Stew's philosophy.
     "In Louisiana, the music is part of the people," Williford says. "There's not such a defined line between the band and the audience. It's important to make people feel I'm not here to see a show as much as I'm part of the party." The Stew has that dynamic down to slip-and-slide science, with musicians wandering through the audience, occasionally using what may have been your table or chair as a percussion instrument.
     Despite its near-constant gig schedule, Williford jokes about the band's lack of teen-market sex appeal. "I wish we weren't so fat and bald and ugly," he says. "If we were 21 and pretty, we'd make a bazillion dollars." The comment is all the funnier coming from Williford. OK, so the Stew isn't going to be the next boy band, but Williford, who is probably 40, has the energy of any 20-year-old, plus beautiful eyes that will blaze right through you. The Stew is just about as hot as you can take it.

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♫ Matt Gleason, Scene Writer, Tulsa World: There’s a saying that Shannon "Shan de Bayou" Williford picked up from "old Blues Cats" in Louisiana juke joints; "It goes that way, too."
     It’s a simple expression that says everything about the importance of spontaneity in Cajun music.
     "Those guys would just start playing and if somebody really messed up one of them would say, ‘Well, it goes that way too,’" said the Delicious Blues Stew singer in a recent telephone conversation.
     The band will perform during Tulsa’s Cajun Music and Food Festival, Saturday on Tulsa’s Downtown Pedestrian Mall.
     The festival features live music and Cajun Cuisine, such as an authentic crawfish boil, alligator on a stick and fresh gulf shrimp.
     Williford said Delicious Blues Stew, which he describes as a "bluesiana party band," revels in its spontaneity.
     In fact, he’s proud to say that the last time his band rehearsed was about two years ago.
     "It’s kind of a point of honor that we don’t rehearse," Williford said about his band that plays about 150 gigs a year.
     "A lot of our songs get written on stage. We’ll sometimes start a new song a night. Somebody will say, ‘OK, somebody get something going and we’re all going to jump on and ride.’"
     To Williford, that’s the joy of playing live music.
     "If you want it to sound just like the record, well, go buy the record," he said.
     "If you want to hear live music, you’re hopefully going to hear a one-moment-in-time experience at our show. That’s why you go hear live music."
     Williford said he and his musical cohorts didn’t set out "to work real hard to be great Cajun players." They just play.
     "If you play a bunch of times and you get old doing it," he said. "Well, you’re going to play pretty good."
     Delicious Blues Stew plays original music along with Louisiana standards, such as "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "You Are My Sunshine," but one of its best known tunes is "Wiggin":
                                I’m wiggin’ from my head down to my toes
                                I’m wiggin’ with folks I don’t even know
                                I’m wiggin’ I’m ‘bout to lose my mind.
     During the song, Williford’s band mate Scott "Patio Daddio" Achord lets his body shake like a man possessed by the music. The dance is hard to describe but – if the crowd is willing – Achord will teach them how to do it, Williford said.
     "That song is one that only comes out when the moment is right," Williford said.
     Other Delicious Blues Stew tunes beloved by their fans include one simply referred to as the chicken song.  "I was famous in Louisiana for writing it," he said.
     "On that, we go to the barn yard. If you’re at the show, we’ll allow you to go to the barn yard, too. There’s a lot of crowd participatory stuff in it.
     "We like to blur the line between the band and the audience."

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