Reviews

Blues In Britain Magazine (June 2011)
Donna Herula – The Moon Is Rising

DHR-02016

Like one of her major influences, Rory Block, Donna Herula has dedicated her second CD to one of the acknowledged masters of the blues – Block having honoured Mississippi Fred McDowell, Son House and Robert Johnson whilst Herula pays tribute to slide guitar maestro Robert Nighthawk.

 

Herula accompanies herself on a 1930’s National Steel Triolian on all tracks, a National Steel Tricone on two tracks, and a PorchBoard Bass (foot stomp) with tambourine attachment, whilst husband Tony Nardiello adds Collings guitar on five tracks with John Jochem playing harp on five tracks.

 

Herula chooses her tracks to reflect Nighthawk’s full musical legacy – culling them from Bluebird and Decca when he was simply known as Robert Lee McCoy through his highly influential United Records recordings and on to Chicago and Chess.

 

Herula has a powerful blues voice that still retains the wistfulness necessary to carry Nighthawk’s songs, but permeating it with a trace of menace.  She doesn’t try to copy Nighthawk’s slide style but still retains his characteristically earthy beauty, unique phrasing and wistfulness of tone, ensuring that this set is a fine tribute to a wonderful and influential artist, but most importantly is imbued with her own talents and reflects her own personality.

 

Herula opens with “Take It Easy Baby”, her evocative slide complemented by Jochem’s warbling harp, and it has to be said that each track on which Jochem appears is imbued with a distinctive Nighthawk inspired ChiTown feel – the classic “Bricks In My Pillow” particularly benefiting from this approach as harp and slide intertwine evocatively.

 

“The Moon Is Rising” is permeated with a sense of menace which is complemented by the addition of melancholy electric violin – “Crying Won’t Help You” and “Gonna Move To Kansas City” are the nearest Herula comes to pure Nighthawk – whilst “Friar’s Point” is updated from it’s Bluebird origins and given a United Records styled reading.

 

This is the first time I have heard Donna Herula and I have to say I am highly impressed by her work, and fervently hope this tribute will bring more attention to the work of Nghthawk – and – I would love to hear her perform a similar tribute to another great “slide-meister”, Johnny Littlejohn.

(www.donnaherula.com)

Rating 9

Mick Rainsford

Blues Blast Magazine Donna was one of the three artists featured in the Chicago Blues Guitar Women article that Blues Blast Magazine published on April 5, 2018. Click here to read the article.

Radio Shows

 Donna enjoys performing and being interviewed on radio shows.  She has been on numerous radio shows including on the legendary King Biscuit Time radio show with Sonny Payne numerous times.  Listen to her first show with Sonny on June 5, 2009.