Gaye Todd
b. March 21st, 1944 in Fredericksburg (Virginia)
BITTER SWEET BLUES
Alligator
April - July 1999
Ses parents Clarence et Gladys Todd sont des amateurs de jazz et des défenseurs des droits civiques. Après des études de biologie, elle fait partie des Black Panthers. Gaye se marie à la fin des années 60 mais divorce rapidement. Elle apprend la flûte et la guitare tout en exerçant son métier de professeur. Entre 1984 et 2009, elle fait partie de l'excellent groupe Saffire (plusieurs albums notamment chez Alligator). En 1999, elle démarre une carrière solo avec ce premier album joliment produit par Rory Block. Gaye y démontre ses talents d'écriture et de composition, capable aussi bien de textes aux résonnances sociales que de textes plein d'humour. Le programme s'avère très diversifié : entre blues électrique, pièces acoustiques et influence Gospel. On peut retenir "You don't have to take it", "Big ovaries baby", "Nothing's changed", "The dog was here first", "Only one truth", "Jail house blues", "Images", "Nightmare".
His parents Clarence and Gladys Todd are jazz fans and civil rights activists. After studying biology, she becomes part of the Black Panthers. Gaye gets married at the end of the 60's but divorces quickly. She learns flute and guitar while practicing her job as a teacher. Between 1984 and 2009, she is part of the excellent group Saffire (several albums most notably for Alligator). In 1999, she started a solo career with this first album beautifully produced by Rory Block. Gaye demonstrates his writing and composition skills, capable of texts with social resonance as well as humorous ones. The program is very diverse : between electric blues, acoustic pieces and Gospel influence. We can point out "You don't have to take it", "Big ovaries baby", "Nothing's changed", "The dog was here first", "Only one truth", "Jail house blues", "Images", "Nightmare".
NEO CLASSIC BLUES
Hot Toddy
June 2003 - March 2004
BLUES GONE BLACK
Hot Toddy
2006
GAYE WITHOUT SHAME
Hot Toddy
May 2007 - January 2008
Gaye Adegbalola consacre cet album à la revendication de l'homosexualité. Encore une fois, elle fait preuve d'intelligence et de discernement dans le contenu des textes. Plusieurs pistes remarquables sont à signaler : "Queer blues", "Hungry woman's blues", "The great pretender" (avec un magnifique poème de Cleome), "Boy in the boat", "Lying preacher blues", "Hetero twinges", "Deja vu blues". Il faut noter la superbe participation de Bob Margolin à la guitare (également co-producteur).
Gaye Adegbalola devotes this album to the claim of homosexuality. Once again, she demonstrates intelligence and discernment in the content of texts. Several remarkable tracks must be mentioned : "Queer blues", "Hungry woman's blues", "The great pretender" (with a beautiful poem of Cleome), "Boy in the boat", "Lying preacher blues", "Hetero twinges", "Deja vu blues". Note the superb participation of Bob Margolin on guitar (also co-producer).
BLUES IN ALL FLAVORS
Hot Toddy
2012
Comme noté dans les notes de pochette, on passe d'un genre à l'autre : Chicago blues, Piedmont blues, New Orleans, Funk, Rock & Roll, ... Un programme intéressant mais hétérogène. "Blues for the greens", "The cleanest kid", "The thank you song", "Grandma & grandpa's house", "Hand jivin'" méritent l'écoute.
As noted in the sleeve notes, we move from one genre to another : Chicago blues, Piedmont blues, New Orleans, Funk, Rock & Roll, ... An interesting but heterogeneous program. "Blues for the greens", "The cleanest kid", "The thank you song", "Grandma & grandpa's house", "Hand jivin'" are worth listening to.
IS IT STILL GOOD TO YA
Hot Toddy
2015
Hormis quelques percussions et guitares, cet album est presqu'entièrement vocal (c'est à dire avec du chant a capella). Il regroupe Gaye Adegbalola avec Tanyah Cotton, Gloria Jackson et Maria Fuentes. Un répertoire profond et émouvant entre Blues, Rhythm & Blues et Gospel : "Is it still good to ya", "Giving you my mojo", "Fireballin'", "Sick leave blues", "The skittles blues", "You don't have to take it". Un disque superbement original et bien réalisé, son meilleur à ce jour.
Apart from a few percussions and guitars, this album is almost entirely vocal (that is to say with a capella song). It gathers Gaye Adegbalola with Tanyah Cotton, Gloria Jackson and Maria Fuentes. A deep and moving repertoire between Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Gospel : "Is it still good to ya", "Giving you my mojo", "Fireballin'", "Sick leave blues", "The skittles blues", "You don't have to take it". A superbly original and well made record, her best to date.
THE GRIOT
Vizztone
2018
Gaye aborde ici plusieurs sujets de société (pauvreté, pollution, hypocrisie) qu'elle traite avec discernement et intelligence. Elle est accompagnée du multi-instrumentiste Jeff Covert qui co-produit cet excellent album avec elle et quelques autres musiciens. Un album engagé donc, tantôt sombre, tantôt drôle mais toujours inspiré. Il y a de nombreux sommets qu'il faut écouter comme "Nothing's changed", "Liearrhea", "FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)", "Flint water", "Gon' be alright", "Nothing left", "3 hour shoes". Une réussite admirable.
Gaye tackles here several topics of society (poverty, pollution, hypocrisy) that she deals with discernment and intelligence. She is accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Jeff Covert who co-produced this excellent album with her and some other musicians. An engaged album, sometimes dark, sometimes funny but always inspired. There are many summits to be listened to like "Nothing's changed", "Liearrhea", "FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)", "Flint water", "Gon' be alright", "Nothing left", "3 hour shoes". An admirable achievement.