NAPTOWN BLUES - Press and Reviews

written by Russell Trunk...
…Christopher Wyze & the Tellers take you on a musical journey to their hometown (and Leroy and Scrapper’s too!)
Supremely honoring two major prewar blues artists
…we are gifted with their new album, Naptown Blues
… current-day Indianapolis blues musicians returning to the music of two often-forgotten bluesmen…whose work helped shape American blues
…opens on the languishing beauty of I’m Going Back to Tennessee
…rhythmically magical Kokomo Blues
…harmonica-fueled You Got to Reap What You Sow
…stripped down acoustic tribute to the historic 1929 recordings of these Indianapolis blues pioneers…
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interview and story exclusive by Matt Bailey...
Naptown Blues highlights the significance of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell’s pioneering works.
More than just a blues artist, Wyze is a dedicated blues historian.
Christopher Wyze & The Tellers blend the grit of traditional blues with the storytelling spirit...raw, soulful, and unmistakably their own. (They) are redefining what modern blues can be…
These guys are amazing.
I am so excited about this record. I absolutely love it. (this) is music as archaeology.
…go and buy this album. And I mean buy it. Normally I say stream. You want the whole thing. This booklet is beautiful. These are beautiful illustrations. You want the album. It's really, really incredible.
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written by Patti McClintic...
This is for serious blues fans, history fans, those with ties to Indianapolis...
...most of all, I’d like to think it’s for the “blues curious” people.
I listened to the single (Naptown Blues) an
…recorded at Postal Recording in Indianapolis, about two miles south of where Carr and Blackwell first met and recorded.
They recorded on tape because they all loved the sound of it.
If you didn't feel the fire Wyze has for the blues, his band and of course, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, I suggest you start over and read this interview again.
… trust me, this guy is a go-getter and he's so excited to share his music and his knowledge about the genre.
He's constantly trying to learn more and that says all you need to know.
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written by Judy Shields...
…with Naptown Blues (the album) Wyze and The Tellers honor that legacy while bringing their own voice and perspective to the music.
Naptown Blues…the song sets the tone for the 11-track project
…pays tribute to the rich blues history of Indianapolis and the groundbreaking music of Carr and Blackwell.
Each one of these 11 tracks will bring you joy, calm and peace
The history booklet contained inside the CD is so worth it!
Definitely the album to add to your music collection.
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written by Richard Ludermer...
This is a great historical album.
Following the success of Christopher Wyze & the Tellers’ debut album, Stuck in the Mud…
…listeners enjoyed (Wyze’s) vivid narratives about the universal emotions of love, struggle, disappointment, hope, and perseverance.
(Wyze has) gradually evolved into an acclaimed songwriter whose storytelling has become the hallmark of his music.
…(Naptown Blues) pays tribute to two of Indianapolis’ greatest blues pioneers, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell
“Kokomo Blues” (the original) was written and sung by guitarist Blackwell. The song, later re-envisioned in lyrics and styling by Robert Johnson, became Johnson’s now classic 1937 “Sweet Home Chicago.”
“Birthday in Jail”...inspired by Carr and Blackwell’s “Christmas in Jail – Ain’t That a Pain” and “Prison Cell Blues”
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