Alabama Slim - The Parlor (2021)

On June 7th, 2019, when the world was still like we remember it, Slim, Little Freddie King, and drummer Ardie Dean entered a recording studio called The Parlor in their hometown of New Orleans. The session took merely four hours with Reginald Nicholas at the board and Dean in the producer's chair. What was tracked is a master class on deep soulful blues. Slim and King's guitars interweave between Dean's mastery of the drum kit to create a driving boogie with Slim's soothing vocals sprawled out on top, reminiscent of John Lee Hooker. And yes, he sings as well as he dressesimpeccably.

Cornelius Chapel Records teamed up with the Music Maker Relief Foundation for this record, lovingly titled "The Parlor" to immortalize where it was initially captured. The album was tracked in one-take for a straight-to-tape feel but was captured digitally. Cornelius Chapel brought in Dial Back Sound's Matt Patton of the Drive-By Truckers and the Dexateens for post-production. He and Jimbo Mathus (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Mississippi Blues Legend) sequenced the record and added the perfect amount of bass, organ, and piano so that the other half of DBS, Bronson Tew, could work his audio magic.

The final product is an instant classic with Little Freddie King even taking over lead vocals on "Freddie's VooDoo Boogie." This is a lesson of perseverance and true grit. One never knows when the proper team can come together to leave their cumulative mark on an age-old genre. Whether retooling old classics or stomping out new masterpieces, Slim and company deliver the goods. Pearl Rachinsky Moreland (Pearl JR) provided the album artwork.