Press & CD Reviews:
Root Doctor: Change Our Ways (Big O 2457; 52:58)
This blues-soul-funk quintet from Lansing, Mich., holds one's attention. Delta-born and raised Freddie Cunningham has texture and depth to his singing voice, and the other players (plus guests, like the Motor City Horns) exhibit a smooth, passionate resolve. The cause is further served by six built-to-last songs from keyboardist Jim Alfredson and makeovers of the Temptations' "I Wish It Would Rain" (quietly dignified with cello and violin) and Warren Haynes' "Soul Shine" (uplifted with background vocals fit for Sunday morning worship and a fine Greg Nagy guitar solo). 3 1/2 stars
Frank-John Hadley
Downbeat April 2008
If your feeling down, Root Doctor certainly has the "blues for what ails ya!" The
band's latest release, Change Our Ways, has six original songs, and four excellently chosen covers that become addictive fast. With bluesy vocals by Freddie Cunningham, some jazzy Hammond B-3 by Jim Alfredson, the funky bass of James Williams, forceful and precise guitar licks from Greg Nagy and Rick Bole on the pumped-up drums, this Lansing, Michigan-based band is blazing a steady path through the blues scene.
"Blues Will Take Good Care of You" sets the tone with exceptional roots-based blues. The band's namesake song, a Roy Hytower favorite, is surreptitiously provocative, while "Give Me Love" - with its catchy beat and enthralling harmonica - has a more swing-blues sound. The Motor City Horns help take the Meters' "People Say" to a funky new level, while the Warren Haynes classic "Soulshine" climbs up the spiritual hill - the mixture of a slow Hammond introduction, the developed, soulful vocals and the background choir makes this song a religious experience. Bringing you back down to earth, the title track has a real street feel to go with poignant lyrics and a rockin' beat. The Temptations' masterpiece "I Wish It Would Rain" closes out Change Our Ways and it calms the mind and solidifies the incomparable talents of the doctors involved.
When your soul aches, just take what the doctor gives ya.
Emily Parks - Hittin The Note - Issue 56
Root Doctor
Change Our Ways
Big-O (2007) 2407
10 tracks, 53 minutes. Recommended. If you haven't yet been diagnosed and treated by Root Doctor, you're overdue for a dose of musical medication, and Change Our Ways is a stirring remedy. With a half-dozen originals and four well-chosen covers, they prove themselves to be potent once again on a great mix of soul-inspired blues. The Temptations' I Wish It Would Rain, Roy Hightower's Root Doctor and Warren Haynes' Soulshine are all sizzling reworkings with Freddie Cunningham's powerful voice leading the charge as the band provides stellar support behind. Of the self-penned tracks, Blues Will Take Good Care Of You, Keep Our Business Off The Streets and Lucky One are solid barnburners. The title track, Change Our Ways, is a monstrous original offering gritty, real-world lyrics and a masterful, tension-filled arrangement. Greg Nagy's guitar work throughout is inspired, tasteful and confident, with Jim Alfredson's keyboard efforts bubbling over, under and around, adding lots of spice. The rhythm section of James Williams and Rick Bole delivers the hefty grooves with plenty of authority, and The Motor City Horns step in for a few, including a crackling version of The Meters' People Say. Peter 'Madcat' Ruth hands in harmonica on one and the vocal harmonies from front to back (whether by the band members or backing vocalists) are superb. The quintet's maiden voyage from 2006 was a standout, but they've managed to raise the bar with Change Our Ways. Let's just hope the title of their new disc isn't about changing their direction in music. A top-shelf piece of work deserving attention from anyone claiming to enjoy blues.
© 2008 by Craig Ruskey
Root Doctor has a sterling soul-blues entry with Change Our Ways (Big O 2407).
Freddie Cunningham's faultless vocals are at the center of the songs awash
in Jim Alfredson's piano and Hammond Organ, seasoned with Greg Nagy's crisp
guitar, and buoyed by the right-on rhythms of James Williams and Rick Bole.
The band energizes well-selected material by the Meters, the Allman Brothers Band,
the Temptations, and Roy Hytower ("Root Doctor"), and pens excellent originals
such as "Big Blue Cadillac," the funky, upbeat "Blues Will Take Good Care Of You,"
the Delbert McClinton-esque "Give Me Love," and the deep soul ballad "Lucky One."
Terrific performances and production bring it all to life.
Tom Hyslop Blues Revue Feb/Mar 2008
Root Doctor is finally starting to be recognized as one of the hottest bands on the international blues landscape. They've gotten solid press from the UK to France and Italy, to Wyoming, New York and Detroit -- and the accolades are all well earned.
This is a fantastic band. On their new disc, Change Our Ways (Big O Records), from the spectacular Albert King-inspired opener, "Blues Will Take Care Of You," to the funky "Keep Our Business Off the Streets" to the gospel and soul drenched "Lucky One," lead vocalist Freddie Cunningham and his mates don't just impress, they knock this listener right over.
"People Say" reminds more than a dab of the Meters, the original source of this killer funk tune, with a dash of Sly & The Family Stone thrown in the mix. Guitarist Greg Nagy shines on "Big Blue Cadillac," with bassist supreme James Williams and rock steady drummer Rick Bole laying a foundation thick enough to support a Mack truck. Keyboardist Jim Alfredson, who serves as the musical director of the band, serves up some sizzling B-3 here, too, and the guesting Motor City Horns burn it up on this track and elsewhere.
This one will definitely make my year-end Top 10 list. Whew!
--- Mark E. Gallo Blues Bytes Jan 2008
www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/wn0108.html
Root Doctor
Change Our Ways
Big O Records 2407
Root Doctor has it down cold. Name it: blues, funk, soul, they have it locked down tight with their latest release, Change Our Ways . The Lansing , Michigan based quintet has been knocking around the blues circuit for the better part of 15 years and has gone through several incarnations, but the driving force remains the group's two founding members, vocalist Freddie Cunningham and James Williams on bass. The band may have its strongest lineup for this outing, especially with Jim Alfredson's keyboard mastery driving nearly every track.
From the opening cut, Blues Will Take Care Of You , a funky hip-shaking nod to the blues masters (invoking greats like Muddy Waters and Freddy King), Alfredson's keyboard work melds flawlessly with the band's tight rhythm, while guitarist Greg Nagy knows when to fly with a solo and when to kick back.
Change Our Ways features six originals among its ten cuts, and the band shifts gears easily from the dangerous undertones of Roy Hytower's Root Doctor to the punchy, beat laden original cut, Keep Our Business Off The Streets (which is punctuated by the swinging contribution of the Motor City Horns). Even the band's version of the oft-covered Soul Shine gets fresh life from the Root Doctor.
Add [Rick Bole's] understated drum work - check out the original cut Big Blue Cadillac and the album's cover track - and Change Our Ways stands out as the best recording to date from Root Doctor.
-Dave Ruthenberg
Living Blues Dec 2007
No sophomore jinx here. "Change Our Ways" is every bit as soulful as
the band's debut release "Been a Long Time Coming" with a little funk
thrown in for good measure. Once again Freddie Cunningham's vocals
take center stage with solid backing from the band, especially Greg
Nagy on guitar who knows how to work a groove without overworking it,
a rare thing in today's "blooz rock" saturated music scene. Special
guests The Motor City Horns add just the right touch of R&B to keep
feet tapping and heads swaying.
The big surprise this time out is the prominence given to Jim
Alfredson on Hammond B3. Alfredson, who has two releases to his own
credit, can play Saturday night funky on the Meters classic "People
Say" and moments later take you to Sunday morning services on the
band's cover of the Warren Haynes penned "Soul Shine," a version so
soulful it makes you want to drop an extra dollar in the collection
plate!
But the real story here is Freddie Cunningham. Anyone who thinks old
school soul died with Otis Redding need only give a listen to
Freddie's cover of the Temptation's "I Wish it Would Rain." Freddie's
vocals, combined with Jim Alfredson's arrangement, discover the
despairing emotional content of the lyrics only hinted at in the
original. Feeling bad never sounded so good.
"Change Our Ways" is one of my favorite releases of 2007 and should go
a long way toward bringing Root Doctor the national recognition the
band so richly deserves.
Mark Hillsman
Host of the Blues Blowout
Pirate Radio WIVI 96.1 FM
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Root Doctor cuts loose with a string of original songs on 'Change our Ways'
Trying to break new ground in a well-populated genre like the blues can be a dead end. But to inhabit a well-established style and really, really get it right - you can go a long way down that road, if you're up to the task.
This is how a band like Lansing's Root Doctor, despite the rural Southern world its name conjures up, finds itself moving forward in the 21st century and northward into a more citified, soulful and - especially with "Change Our Ways," just released - funk-laden sound.
Singer Freddie Cunningham and bassist James Williams are charter members of this long-lived outfit. But with drummer Rick Bole, a lean, in-the-pocket guitar stylist like Greg Nagy, and especially with the world-class Jim Alfredson on Hammond organ - turbo-charging the band's rhythm and melody chops - Root Doctor is like a new band.
They've got an airtight, punchy ensemble sound that's simply never been there before, and with "Change" - just as in their breakout "Long Time Coming" from last year - there's a new band's excited urgency.
Six of the album's 10 tracks were penned by band members, the first time originals have dominated a Root Doctor album. The propulsive "Blues Will Take Care of You" has become their set opener and something of a theme song; "Keep Our Business Off the Streets" is brightened by the Motor City Horns and a surprisingly churchy bit of vocal harmony.
The covers are choice, too: from the affable lechery of Roy Hytower's "Root Doctor" (a second theme song?) to the 180-proof funk of the Meters' "People Say," the luscious, sanctified vibe of Warren Haynes' "Soul Shine" to the CD's final cut - the Temptation's "I Wish It Would Rain," hushed down with twin cellos and Alfredson's switch to piano.
Alfredson's penetrating keyboard tone is like a high- voltage current running through "Change," reminiscent of the streak of street funk in Organissimo, his jazz trio. Cunningham sings as if somebody's cut him loose - whether he's exhorting us in the title track, winking in "Big Blue Cadillac" or simply singing his heart out in "Rain," you can almost hear the smile in his eyes.
Chris Rietz, Lansing State Journal
"...I really like it [Change Our Ways]. The musical setting is really tasty and better than just solid, a sweet churchy/bluesy R & B sound. I especially like the title tune...It's an excellent CD..."
Dick Shurman
Producer and Historian
(Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Robert Cray, etc..)
Change Our Ways, the new CD from Root Doctor showed up in my mailbox yesterday afternoon. I've had a chance to listen to it twice, and I'm knocked out.
On paper, Root Doctor shouldn't really flip my switch. I prefer down home blues, and these guys are clearly more "uptown." My taste in R&B leans toward southern soul, while these guys clearly draw a lot from their Michigan predecessors. When it comes to jazz, I prefer the kind that borders on avant garde, while Root Doctor clearly has a fondness for the smoky, blues-based jazz of Jimmy Smith and Big John Patton.
So why do I like this record so much? Because it absolutely bristles with energy and intelligence. The band clearly has huge chops, and they're not afraid to show them off – but never at the expense of the music. The songwriting is strong and varied and the performances are polished but never sterile. There are hints of Albert King and the aforementioned Jimmy Smith, but also Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge and even Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels!
Highlights abound on this beautifully produced and brilliantly programmed record. I'm particularly fond of "Give Me Love," which plays like a rousing R&B barnburner, but has a huge dose of country swagger to it. It's not hard to imagine Willie Nelson and his classic seventies band tackling this one. Another favorite is "Lucky One," co-written by our own Greg Nagy. This beautiful, gospel-drenched ballad would fit perfectly on one of Solomon Burke's recent comeback records. "Big Blue Cadillac" is a slab of deep funk featuring Greg's searing, Funkadelic-inspired guitar work and bruising horn work from the Motor City Horns.
Six of the ten tracks on Change Our Ways are originals, but the four covers are no mere filler. Warren Haynes' beautiful "Soul Shine" is given an anthemic arrangement, complete with an Allman-esque intro by Greg. You can practically see the lighters waving in the dark during this one. But to me, the most stunning cover on the record is Root Doctor's goose bump-inducing take on the Temptations classic "I Wish It Would Rain." Its spare, piano-led arrangement is tastefully augmented by mournful cello and violin, while lead singer Freddie Cunningham delivers one of the most soulful vocals this side of Muscle Shoals. Absolutely stunning.
Very highly recommended. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna give this thing a third spin . . .
Jeff Konkel, Broke & Hungry Records
Root Doctor, "Been a Long Time Coming" (Big-0)
Rating 3 1/2
The Lansing, Mich.-based Root Doctor will probably never place anyone on any fan polls of all-star artists, but the quintet fits together hand in glove. Their soul-blues sound is powered by the booming voice of Mississippi-born Freddie Cunningham and the Hammond B-3 wizardry of Jim Alfredson, with a rock-solid rhythm section. Guitarist Greg Nagy is a welcome non-spotlight-hogging presence as well.
The five originals among the dozen tunes on "Been a Long Time Coming" show a solid appreciation for R&B tunesmanship. Among the covers, Root Doctor shines with the old Johnnie Taylor hit "Last Two Dollars" and the Staple Singers favorite "Respect Yourself." The addition of horns on three tracks makes for an even more authentic Southern-soul-drenched experience.
Chicago Sun Times
...you boys be playin’ da blues mighty fine! Good luck in all and stay in the groove! Chuck Leavell, Keyboardist for Allman Brothers, Sea Level, Eric Clapton,
Rolling Stones
12 tracks, 56 minutes - excellent. Root Doctor has your prescription at hand - it's about an hour's worth of funky blues, R&B, soul, and even a downhome track that recalls Mississippi's rich blues history. Freddie Cunningham fronts the quintet with the voice of a serious blues belter with Greg Nagy's taut guitar work featured prominently throughout the CD. Jim Alfredson handles the keyboards and Hammond B3 offering a solid vocal on the disc's title track while the rhythms and grooves are anchored by James Williams and Matt Hayes on bass and drums. The two vintage Southern Soul classics, Rainy Night In Georgia and The Turning Point get great readings and the band's version of Respect Yourself bristles with funk and could easily be the sleeper. Whether they're shuffling out a driving blues, taking it in the alley, or dishing up steamy soul, Root Doctor should be able to cure your ills. Some serious stuff here!
Craig Ruskey
... an amazing Michigan talent...
Muskegon Chronicle, after opening for Macy Gray
Every once in awhile a recording will come out of nowhere, grab hold of you and not let go. That's exactly what happened with this release from a band based out of Lansing, Michigan. Root Doctor includes Jim Alfredson on keyboards and Hammond B3 organ, Greg Nagy on guitar, James Williams on bass, and Matt Hayes on drums. Freddie Cunningham handles the lead vocals on ten tracks. There is a real four piece horn section on three cuts.
Cunningham is one of the strengths of the group. He has one of those lived-in voices that ooze soul, belting out the lyrics on the up-tempo blues track “Me And My Wife” or tenderly caressing his way through an outstanding cover of “Rainy Night In Georgia”. He is able to project the world-weary resignation found in “Last Two Dollars”, a classic hit by Johnnie Taylor.
Alfredson is the band's secret weapon. His Hammond organ anchors many of the arrangements, playing inventive lines that push the band or fill spaces. Listen to his pumping opening to “Love Bones” or high energy solo on a cover of the Staple Singers' “Respect Yourself”. He handles the lead vocal on the title track, a piece he wrote that sports a trombone solo.
And you certainly can't overlook the contributions of guitarist Greg Nagy. He has an old school style – play what the song needs and not a note more. This point is clearly demonstrated on “Too Late To Try To Do Right” when, in the middle of his solo, Nagy bends and holds a note for five seconds as the band drops out except for drummer Hayes. In that brief sequence, Nagy creates and releases tension while lifting the cut to a higher level.
This is one disc I keep coming back to even with all the other discs I have to listen to. Root Doctor is a collection of quality musicians who work to support the songs and each other, not to show off their individual talents with endless solos. The powerhouse vocal talent of Freddie Cunningham elevates them out of the mainstream. And with a solid package of five originals and seven well-chosen covers, their latest release should bring them plenty of national attention. I already bought another copy to give to a good friend on his birthday. Don't let this one slip by – check it out at www.cdbaby.com .
Mark Thompson, Rockford IL
Crossroads Blues Society Newsletter, Sept. – Oct. 2006
What a great band...you guys were smokin...
Frank Malfitano, Detroit International Jazz Festival (Root Doctor shared the bill with Taj Mahal and James Cotton)
Michigan based Root Doctor has been a crowd favorite for more years than they care to admit to. With a pleasant mix of original and cover songs, the CD will enlarge an already expanding fan base. Kicking things off with the spirited originals “Me And My Wife” and “Michigan Roads”, Root Doctor showcases the velvet smooth vocal talents of Mississippi native Freddie Cunningham. But one man does not make a band. Root Doctor is full of talented musicians that share a common goal of creating heartfelt music to move your soul. With covers of such classics as “The Turning Point”, “Respect Yourself”, and “Rainy Night In Georgia”, Root Doctor treat them with the respect they deserve, then add their own personal touches which only serve to enhance the experience. With the talents of James Williams (bass, backing vocals), Jim Alfredson (keyboards, lead and backing vocals), Greg Nagy (guitar, lead and backing vocals), and Matt Hayes (drums), Root Doctor has produced a perfect copy of a live performance. To spice things up they bring in The Sofa King Horns on several selections to add a one-two knockout punch to these classic songs. While an R&B based band, guitarst Greg Nagy shows his blues chops on the acoustic “Mississippi Blues” which provides a nice change of pace and keyboardist Jim Alfredson takes over lead vocals on the title track “Been A Long Time Coming”. Recorded at the GBP Studios on the Neve 8068 board bought from the now defunct Muscle Shoals studios, it gives the CD a warm feeling and engineer Glenn Brown has added his touch to make this a fun, entertaining CD well worth owning.
Tim Richards – West Michigan Blues Society Newsletter, September 2006
I have been explaining to people for a long time that there is a great big world out there and everywhere you go you're going to find musicians that'll just knock you out. This is a specific case in point of a band that everybody should be aware of. At least fans of great Blues music should be. Root Doctor plays no nonsense Blues filled with catchy guitar lines, a fat B-3 sound and so much soul that you'd swear they emerged from somewhere within the deep South. Forget that notion right now. This extraordinary band hails from Lansing, Michigan and if this release garners the respect it should, you can expect to see these guys become regular participants in major festivals and events that will take them a long way from the Midwest.
This is one tight outfit. Centered by the rich caress of Freddie Cunningham's expressively soulful vocals; a talent that climbs to sensational heights on selections such as covers of "Last Two Dollars" and "Turning Point" or the tear-evoking original "Hold On." Guitarist Greg Nagy delivers chops that work appropriately, setting the tone for each number. And he also presents a fine example of Delta sounds with his solo piece "Mississippi Blues." Armed with just his acoustic, Nagy pulls off a track that would be more expected from an artist such as John Hammond or Paul Geremia. Personally I could listen to a whole album of just this form of music. But I would miss out on the treat of listening to this band work as a unit. Adding that extra pizzazz to the recording is the very tasteful Hammond B3 playing of Jim Alfredsen. It's an instrument that just doesn't get focused upon as much anymore and it's a fresh breath complimenting this group. Topped off by the steady rhythms of Matt Hayes (drums) and James Williams (bass), plus the added power of the Sofa King Horns that truly bring the soulful numbers to a climax.
"Been A Long Time Coming" is a CD that you may not find going to just any of your local music outlets. But it is very much worth your time to find it on-line (it is listed on CDBaby.com for example). This is a band destined for success and you couldn't ask for a better showcase than this exceptional recording. Highly recommended!!
Gregory Johnson, President, Cascade Blues Association
Portland, OR - Aug 2006
An Old Soul with a Lime Twist, (08/02/06)
Hailing from Michigan, Root Doctor has quite a southern influence on their album. These guys have a tight sound with an amazing vocalist blazing down the path. Been a Long Time Coming has a mix of originals along with a few covers from the Malaco and Stax Record labels from Jackson, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee, respectively. There is also a cover of the old Willie Brown "Mississippi Blues." Root Doctor is a band that lets Freddie Cunningham lead with his voice while the band creates the dark night sky behind the shining star. The Doctors do use the roots of the music to blend their sound.
No matter how they put this album together it would sound good. Each song is so strong that you want to hear the next song. There are four songs on here that are covers that I would say are very hard to pull off for most bands: "Last Two Dollars," "The Turning Point," "Respect Yourself," and "Rainy Night in Georgia." Root Doctor holds their own on each song. They play each song with their own style while keeping the song to its original sound. The songs are also spread out through the album to keep a great flow throughout. These guys even place the only acoustic number, "Mississippi Blues," right smack in the middle of the album; while most albums save the acoustic number for the last track.
This album uses a good dose of organ very effectively. The horns are played in just the right spots. The guitar parts are added in only when needed, there are no guitar solos just for the sake of having a guitar solo. Root Doctor goes after an older Soul sound and does a good job of hittin' it. The originals on the album sound good and the covers prove that this band knows where it is coming from and where it wants to go. Hopefully this lineup stays together for a long time. This group has the focus to make the long haul and should hit the road often with their sound. There are still plenty of veterans of the Soul school around touring, but to hear other groups hit that sound and bring it to the audience is always a welcome addition. I'm looking forward to hearing more from these guys in the future.
Kyle M. Palarino is a contributing editor at BluesWax
You saved the festival! You were awesome. It's all anybody can talk about.
Reotown Festival chairperson Ronda Lisky (Root Doctor headlined)
Veteran Lansing, Michigan band Root Doctor ply contemporary electric blues and soul-blues: funky on "Michigan Roads," shuffling on "Me and My Wife," a little soulful on "My Foolish Pride," and downright Sam Cook-meets-'70's- R&B on "Been A Long Time Coming," among the originals, with fine covers of Willie Brown's "Mississippi Blues," Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night In Georgia," Johnnie Taylor's "Last Two Dollars," and Tyrone Davis' "Turning Point." The soulful slant to the set is testimony to the presence of the Sofa King Horns, Freddie Cunningham's powerfully lithe baritone, and the Doctor's refusal to submit to blues-rock pressures. Thumbs up on the the release of Been a Long Time Coming (Big O 2046)
Blues Revue Aug/Sep 2006
Their's is a good sound. Blues on the cusp of funky jazz, with plenty of soul on the side. The vocals (including the harmonies) and the individual players (listen for the B-3) make the arrangements so likable. At times this could be a "bluesed up" take on Motown -a little Stax anyone? Their home base of Lansing, Michigan is just 90 miles from the Motor City (the same distance that Key West is from Cuba), but Root Doctor could just as easily be from the Bay area, East St. Louis or Memphis.
"Michigan Roads" (track 2) is a geography lesson for a state that has known better days. It was once a musican-friendly mecca for migrants with auto industy ambitions from the Delta and other points South. Where it's headed now is anybody's guess. But talent still clings to the terrain.
Top notch singing and playing make this album a contender, and the liner notes are an asset. Root Doctor is Freddie Cunningham (on lead vocals), James Williams (on bass guitar and backing vocals), Jim Alfredson (on Hammond organ, keys, and lead vocals on the title track), Greg Nagy (on guitar, backing vocals, and lead vocals on "Mississippi Blues"), and Matt Hayes on drums. The Sofa King Horns-all four of them-are flanked by three additional trombones, is that impressive or what?
High Points include the guitar work on "Me and My Wife" and "Michigan Roads", the Memphis-like groove that infects, "Love Bones" and "The Turning Point", and two fine covers-- "Respect Yourself" and "Rainy Night in Georgia", brim with soul. Been A Long Time Coming belongs on your Christmas in July shopping list.
George P. Seedorf
Big City Rhythm and Blues, June and July 2006
One of the best acts we've ever had...
Three Rivers Harmony Festival Chair Jon Rice (Root Doctor headlined)
Just what every good doctor should order: a solid, tasty and balanced program of well-sung blues and R&B originals and covers, fueled by guitar, organ and horns. The enthusiastic response BEEN A LONG TIME COMING has received is well deserved!
Dick Shurman , Producer and Historian
Lansing, Michigan-based Root Doctor recently made an excellent showing on the Living Blues radio charts with this record, and deservedly so: Been A Long Time Coming is a beautifully executed project, from the performances to the repertoire and production. Balancing traditional blues with soul and even prewar country blues material (Greg Nagy's John Hammond–inspired reading of Willie Brown's Mississippi Blues), Root Doctor emerges here as the consummate working band, worthy of any festival or club audiences' attention.
Freddie Cunningham is an authoritative blues singer whose voice wavers and perforates like a hard-nosed version of Bobby Bland. This is delightfully apparent during straight soul numbers like the Brook Benton hit Rainy Night In Georgia and a powerhouse read-through of Leo Graham's Turning Point, a strong composition made popular in 1975 by Tyrone Davis. On the latter track, as with most of the R&B material, the Sofa King Horns form a brass stronghold as robust as any performing traditional soul today.
Memorable original songs bookend the album, and the first two tracks are at once instrumentally savvy and lyrically inventive. Me And My Wife shuffles through a blues that celebrates marriage (rather than being heartbroken by it), and Michigan Roads cites new and unlikely blues highways over sly funk.
EH, Living Blues Magazine, June/July 2006
My first encounter with Root Doctor was infectious, the band dancing its way into my head. For three days I listened to the album; then I started listening again from the beginning. Root Doctor took me on a journey from their Michigan base to the Mississippi Delta, for a shuffle down the street of Chicago and even on a jaunt through Georgia, conjuring images and memories I am sure are not mine - but while submerged in the experience I am unable to decipher my reality from that of the songs. Root Doctor continually mixes it up from track to track, proving the flexibility of both the band and the genre.
The vocal stylings of Freddie Cunningham were a surprise, meaty and delicious from start to finish. Moved along by James Williams on bass and vocals, and Matt Hayes on drums, the rhythms provide a perfect place for Greg Nagy (guitar, vocals) and Jim Alfredson (Hammond B3, keyboards, vocals) to evolve and complete the sound. Fun, energetic, and soulful, their music is a promise to rhythm and blues that what is past is as close as the present: traditional does not have to be complacent.
Pip McKay - Elmore Magazine, May 2006
As soon as I heard Last Two Dollars on another radio station I couldn't wait to hear who was doing it. When I heard the rest of the album I was knocked out. What a great sound, Me And My Wife , Michigan Roads , excellent cover of Respect Yourself plus the complete contrast of Mississippi Blues , not a bad track on the CD. Root Doctor are a class act, I hope they include the UK if they tour Europe.
Cliff, Nothing But The Blues, LCR 1350 United Kingdom
This CD immediatly starts by aiming right at the middle of the target with an almost jump blues shuffle in which, from the very first notes, Greg Nagy's guitar causes your jaw to drop. Not only because of the man's dexterity, but also because of his "controlled" imagination. Indeed, neither a uselessly logorreic guitar hero nor a servile emulate with no personal input, Greg isn't the kind who delivers the same licks heard over and over a thousand times everywhere else. On the contrary, his touch marries authority to originality, with just the required amount of delicacy it takes to make the whole thing even more fluid. And when you just have closed your mouth, it's Freddie Cunningham's voice that nails you to your seat. His singing can compare to the greatest blues and soul vocalists together! Hardly recovering from this mix of velvet and strength, you start to enjoy Freddie's vocal caress when Jim Alfredson knocks you down with a Hammond B3 solo as inspired as Nagy's one. Meanwhile, bassist James Williams and drummer Matt Hayes elaborate a rhythmic backup that turns the music into the alchemy of a perfectly tight band. As soon as the first song ends, you can only look forward to hear the following number. It arrives in the shape of a funky blues that could make the late Albert Collins himself rise from his grave, soon followed by a beautiful slow blues, then it's a great soul song you'd think good old Stax days are back. And it goes on for about an hour with a variety of sounds digging into blues and soul, including a real horn section featuring tenor, alto and barytone saxes, a trumpet, and three different trombones on three different songs, playing sharp shaped arrangements, the full monty! There even is a country blues track warmly sung by Greg Nagy who plays Mississippi Blues solo. You should have figured it out by now, Root Doctor is a band that's going to be heard of a lot in the near future, and their first album is a real gem. So, if your usual retailer doesn't have it, make shame of him and run to the closest computer to order it as soon as possible from www.rootdoctorband.com!
René Malines Paris, France (in Virus de Blues issue # 8, June 2006)
Soul/blues outfit out of Lansing, Michigan recording their tunes direct to 2" analog tape through a Neve 8068 mixing console purchased from Muscle Shoals Studios, the very one that handled sessions by the likes of Aretha, Skynyrd, Johnnie Taylor and James Brown. Jim Alfredson makes the stand out contribution with some gorgeous Hammond B3 as well as writing credits for the five originals. Freddie Cunningham is the man with the soulful voice showcased superbly on the bands cool rendition of Rainy Night In Georgia . A couple of exceptions to the general rule appear in the shape of Mississippi Blues giving guitarist Greg Nagy a solo acoustic/vocal outing before cranking up the old Strat for the straight ahead slowish blues Too Late To Try To Do Right with Jim doing all the right moves on that B3. If you like your soul/blues then there's something here worth checking out and if you're a fan of the Hammond sound then it's definitely worth a listen.
Al Tait, Blues Matters UK, April 2006
I was impressed with this disc the first time I heard it and my listeners apparently agree. Been getting calls for Last Two Dollars and Too Late to Try to do Right since the first time I played them on the air. Solid groove, soulful vocals and great songs. This disc has it all. Freddie Cunningham may be the best soul blues vocalist working today.
Mark Hillsman - Host of the Blues Blowout, Pirate Radio WIVI 96.1 FM
St. Thomas Virgin Islands
Been A Long Time Coming -- the New CD by Root Doctor was worth the wait!
Root Doctor propels the listener into that steamy realm of the Great Blues/Soul/Funk Sound of the 60's and 70's. It's drenched in Deep Groove and Inspiration.
Solid Vocals by Freddie Cunningham with Greg Nagy's fine guitarwork is propelled even further by the "funky as hell" Hammond and Keyboard work from Jim Alfredson. Greg even shows his vocal talent on one tune. Terrific voice, indeed.
Thick, Thumpin' Bass from James Williams with Matt Hayes workin' the Drumkit drives Root Doctor through 12 tracks of Smokey Soul-Blues & Flat Gettin' Down.
Pulling the Mojo from Root Doctor's bag ---- is just the right prescription for all your CD ills! Really Good CD! Great release!
Rockin' Ralph , Oldies Unlimited - Blues Rocket Music
Been a Long Time Coming is an apt title for the new CD by a longtime Lansing band Root Doctor. They're almost household names in these parts, yet they haven't made a recording in seven years. The CD mixes covers and originals in the infectious, joyful Root Doctor style, and this release party writes up the Doctor's prescription in person: the soul-furnace voice of founder Freddie Cunningham, the bass grooves of co-founder James Williams, the bluesy guitar of Greg Nagy, the much-funkier-than-he-looks Alfredson on piano, and a new drummer, Rick Bole.
Lansing City-Pulse - www.lansingcitypulse.com
The Blues is alive and well and Root Doctor has been carrying the torch in Lansing, Michigan. In fact they've been named "Best Blues Band" four years in a row there. Been A Long Time is an impressive showcase for Freddie Cunningham's rich baritone and a crack band that effortlessly swings from 12-bar blues shuffles ( Me And My Wife ) to horn-fueled soul ( The Turning Point ) to Staxy R&B ( Respect Yourself ) to acoustic Delta Blues ( Mississippi Blues ). There's even a Van Morrison-inspired number sung by keyboardist Jim Alfredson. Speaking of Alfredson, he also impresses on the Hammond B-3 during My Foolish Pride , one of 5 originals here. Though the band nails the 7 cover tunes (including Last Two Dollars, Rainy Night In Georgia , and Love Bones , featuring the Sofa King Horns), the new songs stand out best. On the soulful ballad Hold On , Cunningham delivers a vocal in the league of one Lou Pride and guitarist Greg Nagy shreds on the funky Michigan Roads . Hope these guys tour out West real soon.
Blue Critic Encinitas, CA - www.bluescritic.com
Been A Long Time Coming succeeds because the band has found its home in that tributary of the great blues river that became citified, wore evening apparel and got soulful, in the style of R&B greats Bobby "Blue" Bland or Jimmy Witherspoon. It's a classic style but with 21st-century pizzazz, and Root Doctor has never sounded better. "
Lansing State Journal - www.lsj.com
It's easy to get jaded as we regularly get inundated with dozens of blues records a month, most decidedly unmemorable. Root Doctor is a band that made us take notice, blending a powerful mix of R&B, soul, funk and hard blues delivered by terrific vocalist Freddie Cunningham.
Root Doctor's sound harks back to the 60's and 70's era that melded soul, blues and funk similar to band like Tower of Power, Blood, Sweat and Tears as well as drawing from soul factories like Muscle Shoals, Stax and Hi Studios. Interestingly the record was recorded through a mixing console purchased from the legendary Muscle Shoals Recording Studio. Custom-built and delivered to Muscle Shoals in 1978, the board was used on sessions by Aretha Franklin, Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Blue Bland, James Brown, and many many others. Underpinning Root Doctor's sound is a strong classic soul undercurrent delivered magnificently by front man Freddie Cunningham in a warm, rich baritone. The band has great chemistry, laying down a deep groove on soul drenched numbers like a steamy version of Johnnie Taylor's classic Last Two Dollars , the irresistibly funky, catchy Love Bones and a great R&B hook on Been A Long Time Coming featuring vocals by keyboardist Jim Alfredson. Root Doctor handles the blues with equal authority on numbers like the down home acoustic blues of Mississippi Blues , the tough Too Late To Try To Do Right or the chugging good time feel of Me And My Wife . Throughout the band is rock solid featuring stellar guitar from Greg Nagy, fabulous Hammond organ from Jim Alfredson who gets plenty of room to cook and batch of soulful horn players that give the whole project that classic soul/R&B feel.
Hopefully this new record will spread the word about this fine soulful outfit who certainly deserve wider recognition. Been A Long Time Coming is knockout disc from start to finish and fans of classic soul, R&B and blues should enjoy this one immensely.
Jeff Harris, WITR Rochester NY - www.baddogblues.com
The Root Doctor's CD, Been a Long Time Coming, is "Great Listening", Great Soul, R&B, and Blues, with a phat sound. Love the B-3. Cuts like Last Two Dollars, Michigan Roads, Love Bone s, are just a few of my favorites, but on Hold On , Freddie Cunningham's vocals comes across like a preacher Testify'in in Church on a Sunday Afternoon. What a message.
Ole Harv, Host of The Blues Revue 88.1 WVPE for 23 years Elkhart IN
Root Doctor's Been A Long Time Comin g is the easily one of the best discs I have heard for a long time. Wonderfully produced, written, and performed, this disc is the perfect soundtrack for your next party, or just the right element needed to enjoy your lazy sunday afternoon. Everyone's question nowadays is, where are the next great blues men?...why, Lansing Michigan, of course!
Travis "T-Roy" Royce, Program Director KWYY, KMGW, Host of Blues Buffet KRVK Casper WY
Been A Long Time Coming is one of the best albums to cross my doorstep in a long long time. To make an analogy, I'd have to say that listening to this album is like putting on that old favorite pair of shoes or those old Levis that always feel sooooooo good. This album has that type of a comfortable feel to it...this is one album you definetly must add to your cd collection!!
Dick Fairchild - www.citysounds.biz
The engaging blues repertoire of Root Doctor includes originals and covers. Eons of music experience displayed here, plus ear-pleasing soul and R&B textures.
John Sinkovecs, Grand Rapids Press
Been A Long Time Coming is a truely exceptional album of blues and rhythm'n'blues; it is in fact very well played and the selection of songs is immaculate...
Massimo Ferro, Radio Voce Spazio Italy