Having already reviewed Steve Arvey and Kraig Kenning's joint CD titled "Pass the Hat", I am already hungry to listen to Steve's talent on this latest release, which is a best of compilation, spanning years of recording in the blues scene. "Best From The Vault" is an independant release, which will give you an indication of the talent and musicianship that this man is blessed with.

The album rocks from the opening track, enough to grab you, compelling you to lsiten to the entire CD. Track 2 is a great cover of Chester Burnett's classic, followed by a cut from the above mentioned Kenning/Arvey album which is distributed in Australia via Full Moon Records. An awesome version of Little Red Rooster with mind grabbing guitar licks, stands out here followed by the rockin' jivin' classic 'Set a Date'.

If you havent been captivated by this recording so far, then I suggest you visit the doctor for a checkup, because the quality and high standard continues in the ever powerful 'Youve Got To Move' which is a prime example of the strength,range and emotion of Steve Arvey's voice. The CD simply rocks, rolls, jives, croons, and sizzles through the remaing tracks. You may get tired of me saying this is a "Must Have" but hey!!!! Truth is truth and this is definately one to add to the have to buy ASAP list.

Steve Arvey's latest release, "Best From The Vault," is a compilation of material recorded by Arvey between 1986-1998. According to the liner notes, the material on this disc represents the best of the material that Arvey has recorded over his 20+ years in the music business.

Steve Arvey is a Chicago-based singer, songwriter and bluesman who has worked with a number of Chicago blues legends including Jimmy Rogers, Carey Bell, Junior Wells and Homesick James, just to name a few. Much of Arvey's work as a sideman has been on drums and bass guitar. At this year's Chicago Blues Festival, Arvey performed with Homesick James, playing bass guitar behind James on the Juke Joint Stage which featured a number of well known acoustic blues performers.

On "Best From The Vault," Arvey handles most of the guitar and vocals on the fourteen songs. Ten of the fourteen selections are performed by Arvey's former band, Westside Heat, which disbanded in 1991. Two of the songs, Howlin' Wolf's "Red Rooster" and Robert Johnson's "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day," were recorded with Kraig Kenning, an acoustic bluesman who Arvey has worked with in recent years. This disc features four songs co-written by Arvey and various members of Westside Heat. The remaining songs are covers of songs written by a host of blues luminaries, including the aforementioned Howlin' Wolf and Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, Homesick James and Jimmy McCracklin.

While the covers are entertaining (I especially enjoyed Arvey and Kenning's version of "Red Rooster"), the strength of this CD is represented by the songs recorded by Arvey's old band, Westside Heat. These tracks offer some well played guitar by Arvey and includes some fine efforts by Mark Hokestra on harp and slide guitar. Hokestra also provides lead vocals on "You've Got To Move," "Love Ain't Easy" and "He Knows The Rules." The other members of Westside Heat change during the CD, but the band remains tight throughout. The best song of the Westside Heat "era" is "Chains," a song written by Arvey, Hokestra and Heat bassist, John Baker. Recorded in 1990, this song is very different from the rest of the tunes on the CD, but very entertaining. In the liner notes, Arvey indicates that "Chains" was the band's most requested song and it is easy to see why.

Since Arvey seems to be better known in recent times for his acoustic work, this CD may be a surprise to people who are not as familiar with Arvey's past efforts. However, all in all, this CD offers some excellent Chicago blues that will please anyone who is partial to the "Windy City" sound. "Best From The Vault" was a pleasant surprise to me and a recording well worth a listen.

This review is copyright © 1999 by Dave "Doc"Piltz, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved.

CD REVIEW STEVE ARVEY - BEST FROM THE VAULT

Steve Arvey is a name you probably haven't heard before, unless you're familiar with his collaboration with Kraig Kenning on the album "Pass the Hat". Steve has been playing Blues for around twenty years in Chicago in his own bands as well as working as a sideman playing bass guitar,drums and guitar with Blues legends like Jimmy Rogers, Sam Carr, Eddie Taylor, Homesick James, Junior Wells and many more.

Steve's album "Best from the Vault" contains the best music he has recorded in the past fourteen years. The album kicks off with a high energy rockin' version of When I Get Drunk followed by Howlin' Wolf's How Many More Years, both of these songs were recorded last year. Next are two tracks from the Pass the Hat sessions, If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day and the unissued Red Rooster.

The rest of this album is made up of ten songs from Steve's band West Side Heat, which I consider to be the best part of this album. These songs were recorded between 1986 and 1990, and not only do they show how good West Side Heat were at covering classic blues, but also how good they were at writing their own material. The musicianship displayed here is outstanding with Steve Arvey providing some beautiful and blistering guitar playing coupled with his powerful vocals, along with Mark Hoekstra who also shares the vocals, plays the meanest slide and he'll blow you away with his harp playing.

There's a lot of good music on this album, but two tracks that really stood out for me are Mr.Nobody's Somebody from 1986 and Want Ad Blues from 1990.

Best from the Vault is the best independent release I've heard this year.

Steve Arvey's latest output, Best From The Vault, is a mix of tracks laid down over the past 13 years - spanning from 1986 to 1998. The fact that some of the tracks are over 10 years old definitely does not detract from the enjoyment of this CD. There is a great mixture of styles, tempos and flavors. Kraig Kenning pops up on two tracks, one of which was included on the album Pass The Hat. The other was recorded at the same session, but unissued previously. These are covers of the Robert Johnson number "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day" (some fantastic harmonica from Scott Dirks on this one) and Willie Dixon's "Red Rooster" (credited on the CD cover to Chester Burnett). Both are the sort of tracks that you will listen to over and over again. There are also several tracks featuring the band Westside Heat; these are mostly the tracks recorded back in the 80s, and they are primarily penned by Steve Arvey and the band - some good original stuff here. I fell in love with track seven, "Want Ad Blues" - the old John Lee Hooker number. The guitar work sounds as though it carries a lot of Hound Dog Taylor influence, and it fits in perfectly.

Steve Arvey   -    Best from the Vault

Steve Arvey's "Best from the Vault" has some great material and a lot of talented musicians from the Chicago area on it. Over the past fourteen years Steve has recorded material with different artists and now has put together all of the best on one CD. This CD is truly a work of art and offers a diverse selection of blues material. Steve Arvey is a talented musician and this CD should be listened too by all who enjoy the blues. The commander gives two thumbs up on this one.

The Commander   -   The Blue Zone

Arvey has compiled his legacy on this CD entitled "Best from the Vault." He leaves no doubt in my mind that this is a best of collection. There are fourteen great tracks reaching into every area of the blues. Blues-rock is his forte, yet he doesn't stretch himself thin by venturing into the classic Chicago blues style and Mississippi Delta blues. Arvey sites his influences as Bo Diddley, Robert Hunter, Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin and many others. All of these artists helped Arvey to mold and shape his style. He was fortunate to have played with those influences. Unlike many great players that were inspired by others whom had to listen to their heroes on a record player or on a CD, Arvey played with the some of greats and gleaned his chops from an eclectic group of blues players. His sound and style reflect that apprenticeship.

When playing a rock oriented tune, namely the Chicago blues, his voice is strong and fits that particular style. Then switching to the Delta style, which employs a moaning acoustic slide guitar, Arvey changes his vocal style to give it a down in the gutter heavy Wolfman Jack inflection. His earthy delivery puts the song over with an extra ounce of soul, right from the belly. The kicker is the last track"Chains," which takes you on an amazing ride through rock-blues. It's a fitting end to a great CD. Get to know Steve Arvey, you'll be glad you did.

Twenty years of playing the blues with many accomplished ledgends has led to this exceptional CD. From Bo Diddley, Robert Hunter, Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Smith, Homesick James, Spike Ravenswood and many others Steve Arvey created his hard stompin', rockin', let it rip kind of blues. He has included many of his friends with back up acoustic harmonica by Billy Wildman, slide guitar player Homesick James Williamson, and Marty Binder on drums. To have this much talent and creative genius on one album is a real treat. Hear the slow moving, wailing "Holding On" and then jump into the live fast paced "He Knows The Rules" which showcase's the songwriting of "West Side Heat", a Chicago band Arvey played with in the 80's. One of the best for hard rockin and feelin good is "When I Get Drunk" and "Chains". Just buy this CD, and if you're a blues fan, you won't be disappointed. I guarantee it!

This is a compilation of "Best of" work of Chicagoland's Steve Arvey, a tried and true veteran who just keeps plugging along. Arvey's love of the Blues is very deep and is conveyed strongly on this disk. Steve rocks things pretty hard throughout the record with his Howlin' Wolf style of delivery. From the get-go, this record takes off and despite the different combos Steve is playing with, it's all consistently Arvey. Steve's a pretty straight-forward Blues guitar player who's not prone to pyrotechnics which is fairly refreshing given the current state of contemporary 'pop' Blues. However, his guitar playing tends to go off some deep end of a cliff and'll have you clinging for your life if you're not careful.

If you've ever seen Steve perform - I've been indirectly following his career since 1984 - he gets into character when he plays. He assumes the role of the anti-hero in each song and plays it consistently well. He gets lost in the role and looks as if he's in some kind of mystical trance. In fact, when he gets off of the stage and talks with you, you expect him to lunge at you or babble, instead of his coherent conversation. The good news is, is that his performance translates well to the record.

His original band, West Side Heat, is at the forefront of this compilation. This band featured some great Chicago players including 'Brother' John Kattke on keys, EG McDaniel on bass, and Kenny Smith on drums. Also on the CD, you hear some of the songs Arvey recorded with Fox Valley favorite Kraig Kenning. These two compliment each other well - Arvey playing more of the clown, and Kraig his straightman. Arvey's guitar is chunky, Kenning's is more refined and intellectual.

Arvey definitely has a good resume to his credit playing with and for Hubert Sumlin, Homesick James, and Bo Diddley. All of those influences are living and breathing in Arvey's 'vault'.

Overall, Steve Arvey should be very proud of this compilation. For all of his years playing the Chicago scene and more recently around the country, Steve should be commended for his pursuit in getting this record out. His songwriting is deliberate and his delivery purposeful - there's no insecurity here, as it should be. This one's definitely worth getting.

It's in French. Select the text and go to Alta Vista to translate

Steve ARVEY : "Best from the Vault" (Arvey) (59:16)

Steve Arvey est un musicien blanc basé à Chicago, il joue le blues depuis une vingtaine d'années, il a ainsi pu monter sur scène en compagnie de Bo Diddley, Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin, Homesick James, Smokey Smothers, Carey Bell, Lefty Dizz, du beau monde à vrai dire. Cet album regroupe des enregistrements qu'il a pu réaliser tout au long de ces 14 dernières années. Il apprécie Mike Henderson, il lui dédicace la plage d'ouverture prise en 1998, un superbe et tonique "When I get drunk" avec le piano de Paul Casio tout à fait explosé. La même équipe se lance dans le "How many more years" de Howlin' Wolf qui convient bien à la voix passablement ravagée d'Arvey. Sur ces 2 titres se trouve un second guitariste, Spike Ravenswood, de son vrai nom Uwe Gleich, l'album lui est dédié parce qu'entre-temps, Uwe a rejoint le paradis des musiciens. Nous avons ensuite droit à 2 titres très roots, acoustiques, pris en 97 avec le slide guitariste Kraig Kenning, "If I had possession over judgement day" et "Red Rooster". Une session très enthousiaste et crue, en 1990, encore une fois une excellent équipe avec un autre guitariste, Mark Hoekstra, à la slide électrique, un répertoire très Chicago 50s, 2 reprises de Homesick James "Set a date", un renversant "You got to move" et "Want Ad blues" de John Lee Hooker. Une toute belle tranche de blues bien gras! Le reste de l'album réunit des sessions de 86 et 88 avec le groupe Westside Heat, toujours avec le même Hoekstra, le niveau est très acceptable, le ton est franchement moins blues que la 1ère partie de l'album quoique "Love ain't easy" et surtout sur "Holding on", il y a à la fois de l'idée et de l'aventure. Bon album.

Contact : Bittersweet Records - 1472 Webster St - CHICAGO - IL 60614 - USA

Although I consider myself more than a casual blues fan, I must confess that until very recently I was ignorant of the work of guitarist/singer Steve Arvey. I guess I need to get out more, because Arvey has been an active part of the Chicago Music scene for over 20 years. After getting his first break as a bass player in Bo Diddley’s band, he has gone on to work with blues luminaries like Hubert Sumlin, Homesick James, and Jimmy Rogers. He also spent a decade as the leader of his own band, West Side Heat. Arvey’s latest release is Best From The Vault, which is a compilation of recordings he has done over the past 14 years. You might call it a "greatest hits" sort of package. The CD is an intriguing overview of a body of work that invites the listener to look closer and investigate more.

One of the most interesting things about Arvey is that he plays the blues as well acoustically as he does electrified. In a market like Chicago, which is overrun with electric blues guitarists, it is a refreshing treat to hear someone with real competence in country/acoustic blues. Arvey covers Robert Johnson’s "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day" and Howlin’ Wolf’s "Red Rooster" teamed with slide guitar ace Kraig Kenning and delivers a funky, down-home country sound. It’s too bad the acoustic side of the blues tradition isn’t seen more around town. Arvey does get electric, however, and much of the album is music he recorded with various lineups of West Side Heat. Five of the bands’ original blues/rock songs are included here and run from the good-time groove of "Stranded" to the heavy funk of "Love Ain’t Easy" to the straight-ahead "Right Place, Wrong Time". The grooves of the various tunes are rendered well and the song structures are varied enough to keep it lively.