Album Notes

After a year of hard work in the studio, Howlin' Dan and the Riondelics is proud to present 5 Lb. Hammer, an energetic slightly naughty romp through blues laced with funk, and world music. You'll be tapping your feet - moving your body - pressing that gas pedal a little closer to the floor!

It's blues with a twist. The music's roots are in the Delta (you can feel it), but it's branches reach far and wide into the musical sky!

From the straight ahead blues of Bottleneck Blues, Wallet and Wheels & Hussy in the Kitchen, to the full throttle rock of Girl Named Jimmy, to the sick funk of Open Road and Whole Crazy Thing, to the tango feel of Hey Cinderella (yeah, TANGO!), you'll find the Riondelics' style brings all these interesting elements into a fun, catchy, listenable package you'll want to hear again and again.

It's music born in the B.C. mountain wilderness, distilled (or trimmed and dried if you prefer) in the back woods, and bottled with love and care to get you going and maybe make your head spin slightly!

THE KEY TO THE SOUND

These 12 sizzling songs feature the guitar wizardry of John "Woody" Woroschuk, super talented, and super sweet. You know and love him as a dobro player on his solo albums Slight Of Hand and Woodshed as well as his work with Robin Hunter and the Six Foot Bullies. But his electric chops are also formidable; he knows how to crank it up and plays a mean stratocaster and a tasty tele on all of the tunes.

The other main members are Ben Johnson on drums (formerly of Rembetica Hipster from Calgary) and Wailin' Ted Wallace on harp.

A LEGEND IN OUR MIDST

Writing the horn arrangements and playing incredible trumpet on Open Road, 5 Lb. Hammer and Whole Crazy Thing is jazz legend Donny Clark. A friendly and incredibly generous and talented man, with great trumpet chops. In his long career he's played with everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Wayne Newton; Donny has been a shining jewel in the crown of Canada's pro jazz scene for decades and it's an honour to have him on this CD.