Whiteboy Slim

Our blues pal Slim has outdone himself this time – no QUESTION. Definitely a box full-o-blooz that will turn you on your head! The opener on Volume 1 (this is a two-volume set), “Undercover Blonde“, pits Whiteboy’s gravel-laden voice against some rippin’ guitar licks that make this song alone worth the purchase price of the set. If you don’t get on that train to Chi-town, “Baby Took The Train“, you’ll be missin’ out for sure. It was the jumpin’ “Down By The River” on Volume 1 that got my vote for favorite of all 24 tracks, though… absolutely gittin’ DOWN on this one! For rabid blues fans everywhere, this one gets my MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.98. Get more information at Slim’s official website. Rotcod Zzaj - Improvijazzation Nation

Whiteboy Slim "Box? What Box? Vol 1 Bluesification" & "Box? What Box? Vol 2 Transgenred" (Canada)

It is certainly a rarity nowadays to be treated to a double album and it is equally a rarity to be treated to a double album as diversified as Whiteboy Slim's great new release, ""Box? What Box? Vol 1 Bluesification" & Vol 2 Transgenred", two amazing little masterpieces, together covering over a half a dozen distinct genres, which included Blues, Jazz, and Funk via Vol 1 and Ska, Reggae, Americana, and Ambient grooves via Vol 2. Together Whiteboy Slim has no problem showing us all how amazingly unique and creative he is as an artist.

""Box? What Box? Vol 1 Bluesification" & Vol 2 Transgenred", together consisted of 24 Tracks of which all are Originals, written by Whiteboy Slim except for two Tracks on Vol 1, "Killing Floor" (the Howlin Wolf ), and "Messin With The Kid" (First performed by Junior Wells, with writing credits going to Mel London).

In addition to Whiteboy Slim (Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals), the other great performers were Dustin Bowyer (Bass), Michael Libby & Greg Schatkowsky (Drums), and Cynthia Wells (Vocals on Vol. 2).

Both of these CD's were quite enjoyable, which is certainly saying a lot for Vol 2, since I am not that much of a Ska or Rap fan, but never the less, the way those particular Genres were performed, I really enjoyed listening to them.

With 24 great Tracks to choose from it wasn't as easy as you might imagine to choose three Favorites, never the less I chose Track 1 "Undercover Blonde" & Track 5 "Killing Floor", from Vol 1 and Track 11 "Homestead" off of Vol 2.

More than often, I choose the opening Track as one of my Favorites and this time is no exception. "Undercover Blonde" was a great opening Track, which more than stirred me up and got me wanting a whole lot more. Lots of great stuff on this opener, including Whiteboy Slim's great gravely Vocals, and super Guitar work.

Any album that contains a decent Cover of "Killing Floor" is certainly going to have that song picked as one of my favorites, with this offering from Whiteboy Slim being an especially tasty one. In addition to more great Vocals and Guitar, Whiteboy Slim also steps in with some really fine Harp work. Howlin Wolf, I am sure, would of certainly liked what Whiteboy Slim did with this classic.

Craig Hughes is a no nonsense straight forward musician, as many of his songs are simply him and his Guitar, with Rhythm Stomps thrown in for good measure. He is also one of my very favorite Blues artists out of Britain, of which "Homestead" really reminded me of Craig Hughes style, a style I really love listening to and a style that I really believe is at the heart and foundation of what makes Whiteboy Slim's music so good. "Homestead" is music at it's rawest, just an artist Singing and playing Guitar and doing nothing else but honestly putting his heart and soul into his song. A masterful end to a couple of really fine Albums.

As with the previous albums of Whiteboy Slim's, he continues to show me a very unique artist whom continually rides "the cusp of new musical discovery ".

Review by John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
http://www.bluesundergroundnetwork.com/ - The Blues Underground Network

oose Jaw based bluesman Whiteboy Slim aka Maurice Richard Libby put his own stamp on the blues and
WHITEBOY SLIM BLOWS SOME BEAUTIFUL HARP SOLOS. PHOTO BY RICHARD AMERY

revisited his old punk days, Aug. 17 at Average Joes for an attentive audience of about 75 people. I arrived mid-way through his second of three long sets of of gritty blues and extended jams between him and bassist Dustin Boyer, who grooved, hidden behind a mop of long blonde hair.
They covered everything from classic blues to brand new Whiteboy Slim material to appear on a new upcoming double CD. He also played a few blues influenced and a couple of straight ahead reggae songs from his old punk band the Dirty Movies.


He had a gritty, raw Hound Dog Taylor guitar sound and a gruff and gravelly Howlin’ Wolf type of voice.
He belted out a gruff version of blues classic “Route 66” as well as an excellent version of “Walking Blues,” which many a blues picker has covered.


For something different, he followed that up with “Blood On the Streets,” one of the reggae songs from his old punk band. He prefaced it with a story about how “Dirty Movies” always drew lots of guys in trench-coats to their shows.


He played a lot of hot guitar playing seamlessly switching between slide, wah wah pedal and plain old fingers. But his harp playing was almost as impressive as he blew solos that would give Carlos Del Junco a run for his money and which would have made Little Walter proud.
He showed keen lyrical sensibility on the entertaining “Krispy Kreame Girl” about a couple of girls from Nashville he got to chatting with online about donuts along with a couple of songs from his Whiteboy Slim, aka Whiteboy Slim from a few years back. He ended his set with “Hey, Hold On Stop,” form that CD.


His Third set began with more classic blues including BB King’s “ I Woke Up This Morning,” as well as some of his own older songs. He put his own stamp on Howlin’ Wolf’s “ Who’s Been Talking (My Baby Caught The Train)” as well as switched around John Lee Hooker’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch One Beer,” by reversing the lyrics to “One Scotch, One Beer, One Bourbon and adding a touch of reggae to it.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor - LA Beat

This canadian musician is also known among his friends as ‘Whiteboy Slim’. His musical influences can be found on Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters tradition. What I have immediately realized is he is a passionate blues lover and he enthousiastically gives the best of himself on what he plays. He sings lyrics with an ironical sense of humor and he gives a powerful straight swinging slide guitar playing. The cd gathers eleven songs Maurice recorded about two years ago as a tribute to the ‘Year Of The Blues’ and he tied to cover the most wide range of blues styles from Delta blues to ‘grunge-rockin’-blues’. This cd opens a new door to explore different roads of this kind of music. VERY GOOD. - La Hora del Blues (Spring 2005)

Digging way down in the dirt and coming up with a fresh take on traditional blues, and then some, has always been what Whiteboy Slim is all about. Now with his new release "I'm Still Here", he digs even deeper and offers us yet another side of his many talents via acoustic tracks, for the first time, on this CD.

Music captured Whiteboy Slim (Maurice Richard Libby) at a young age, sparked in part because of the love of music by Ray Charles and Louis Armstrong. In fact you can almost hear a bit of Louis Armstrong in his uniquely delivered vocals.

At a young age Whiteboy Slim loved to experiment with various musical instruments and even "winning awards with his first band". Still a teenager, he played in a blues band called Red Meat, along with his brother Michael and Guitar Extraodinaire Ray Montana. Ray "went on to back up Sawyer Brown, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Paycheck". Throughout his various experiences both as a studier of Music Composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he got to hang out with some of the greats such as, "jazz great Gary Burton, pianist Al Copley (co-founder of Roomful of Blues), and bassist Ron McClure", and his musical tour of duties, especially in the group Automatic Slim, Whiteboy Slim has managed to weave himself and his music into a comfortable place.

"I'm Still Here" was not one of those projects that happened overnight, in fact it was a musical journey of nearly two years in the making. It is also an Album that stays true to Whiteboy Slim's philosophy of combining Traditional and Experimental elements together.

"I'm Still Here" as with his previous release "Aka Whiteboy Slim", consists of 14 Tracks, of which 11 are Originals written solely by Whiteboy Slim. Also on "I'm Still Here" are 3 great Covers, "Death Letter" (Eddie J. "Son" House Jr.), "Hear Me Talkin' To Ya" (Louis Armstrong), and "Route 66" (Bobby Troup). Besides Whiteboy Slim on all guitars, vocals, and harmonicas, the other musicians on "I'm Still Here", included Jim Mitchell on all Basses, and Whiteboy Slim's brother Michael Libby, on Drums.

The first thing you will notice right off the bat with "I'm Still Here", is the realization that this Album has a great live feel to it. Whiteboy Slim explains, "The rhythm tracks on this one were recorded live off-the-floor, giving it a very live feel". Recording music in that way really gives you the feel that you are right there in the room with those guys. It is the style of recording I have really come to enjoy and wish more artists would adopt that style of recording more often.

"I'm Still Here" is fairly well rounded production with quite a few Tracks that I really enjoyed, especially the opening Track "Death Letter", which was done with just Whiteboy Slim singing and playing acoustic. A great start to this Album.

The next highlight for me was Track 4 "I Got The Blues", which I particularly enjoyed when Whiteboy Slim broke off and did a nice nearly 1 minute long guitar solo.

Nearing the end of the Album is a virtual treasure of a Track with "Route 66", done just right with just enough guitar twang and the get down gravelly vocals of Whiteboy Slim. Once again we have the Guitar stepping to the forefront showing us just how talented of player Whiteboy Slim is.

Throughout "I'm Still Here" one really gets a great raw blues feel, thanks in part to the way this Album was recorded, which really brought out the instruments used throughout. Adding the icing to the cake though, had to be the unique deep vocal bluesy delivery of Whiteboy Slim, which brought everything together for an extraordinary listening experience. That coupled with an excellent choice of Covers and very well written Originals made for an immensely enjoyable Traditional Style Blues Album.

We no doubt have our share of Artists out there today that really bring something special to the world of Blues, and Whiteboy Slim is certainly no exception to that fact.

For those that like their music, especially the Blues, served up Raw, Whiteboy Slim and "I'm Still Here", is just the ticket.

"I'm Still Here" is a great follow-up to his previous award winning Album, "Aka Whiteboy Slim", and shows us an Artist that enjoys continually riding the cusp of new musical discovery.

Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) - Blues Underground Network

Down home blues from the Whiteboy Slim! This guy has a great vocal delivery wrapped in soothing southern blues music. Great recordings and blues licks give these tracks a real southern soul flow! Blues hasn't been lost on this boy, indeed! "Krispy Kreme Woman" is a great play on doughnuts coffee cream and beautiful women that could only be found in the south. Whiteboy Slim is onto something here. From the first musical lick to the deep vocal stylings, Whiteboy Slim had me in the deep south enjoying the heat the greasy food and of course the haunting guitar and harp licks. A great listen, check him out folks!!!

Standout Tracks: Krispy Kreme Woman, She's Into Something
Genre: Blues/Urban R&B
Artist Site: www.whiteboy-slim.com
EPK: www.sonicbids.com/whiteboyslim
Rating: 3.5 out of 4
- Catsask Music and Entertainment

AKA WHITEBOY SLIM
Whiteboy Slim
Indie
7.5-out-of-10
Any regular reader will know I am a blues fan, and have been for a fair while now. Given that I thought I was pretty well aware of the top blues players in Saskatchewan, the likes of BC Read, Jordan Cook, and Jack Semple. Then the CD AKA Whiteboy Slim comes across the desk, and I learned pretty quickly there are always gems out there still to be found.
Whiteboy Slim is the blues persona of Maurice Richard Libby who cut his blues teeth in Regina as a teen, then headed to Toronto where he transformed into Whiteboy Slim. Now back in Saskatchewan, this guy has a sound like he should be from Georgia, and southern Georgia at that.
As I put the CD back on the player today, as background to writing this review – it's just one of those little rituals I do – my wife commented that Slim sounded a bit like the famous 'Wolfman Jack'. She is right in that Slim has a definite growl to his voice, and that makes it just perfect for the blues.
It does surprise me this guy isn't better known, in-part because of his voice. It really is well-suited for the genre, and to Slim's credit he appears to understand that, and writes material that fits the voice. Songs such as Too Many drivers and 20% Alcohol are perfect fits with the Slim growl.
It's also to Slim's credit that he has written 10 of the 14-cuts on this extensive CD. I always appreciate when an artist writes his own material, and I tend to believe in the case of the blues one gets a truer 'feeling' from music which comes from within. In particular I like Slim's I've Been Down So Long, and Tears On My Pillow.
Slim's website www.whiteboy-slim.com suggests his earliest influences were Ray Charles and Louis Armstrong, the second of which he shares a somewhat similar voice. In the world of blues these guys are pretty good performers to desire to follow, and Slim does a creditable job of honouring such roots.
The voice is the key, but he plays solid guitar, and adds some harp work, and that is always a plus in my books too.
This is a very enjoyable blues effort, and the fact Slim is now back in Saskatchewan makes it a tad more special too. Now if he would only catch a gig in Yorkton.
-- CALVIN DANIELS - Yorkton This Week newspaper May 23, 2007

Curiously enough, Whiteboy Slim appears to be the only white boy in his current band lineup. Whiteboy hails from my old hometown of Moose Jaw. What with all of the hype these days of billing Moose Jaw as Saskatchewan’s little Chicago, maybe it’s about time we started seeing more blues musicians coming out of there (south hill of course). It was obvious that Whiteboy Slim owes much of his incredible stage sound to his current lineup. As he said: “Every time I come out on stage these guys amaze me!” Whiteboy (some people called him Maurice) anchors the band with some solid songwriting and guitar work and it just takes off from there. Charles ‘L.O.R.D. Funk’ Taylor produced one of the most dynamic sounds I’ve ever heard coming from a bass guitar. This cat picks a snappin bass lead, often with thumbed bass counterpoint (where does he stash that pick?). I can’t even begin to describe the overall effect - you really gotta take in this show to appreciate it. On the other side of the stage, Gregory Edmunds on sax really rocked, taking the band into a whole new dimension that an additional guitar or a keyboard could never touch. C.C. McGhee on drums held it together with impeccable rhythm. Highlights: Robert Johnson’s ‘Walkin’ Blues’ and Whiteboy Slim’s own song, ‘You’re Perfect, I love you, Now Change’. I bought Whiteboy Slim’s CD: A.K.A Whiteboy Slim (autographed no less). It was my one CD purchase of the Jazz Festival and after several listens, I really recommend it. You can check out the website at www.whiteboy-slim.com and follow the media link to listen to some of Whiteboy Slim’s tunes (free downloads - wow). If you ever get a chance to take in a live show - I would highly recommend it. This was one of the best shows at the festival when stacked against a lot of great imported and homegrown talent. You rock Whiteboy!

Dale Budd
http://borealperformer.wordpress.com/tag/sask-jazz-festival/ - Boreal Connections Magazine 2007/07/03/

Maurice Richard Libby, [aka]Whiteboy Slim, creates a gutsy, throwback version of the blues by incorporating pieces of jazz, hip-hop and DIY recording techniques that feel wholly original. His unique take on the American institution of the blues is memorable. --Music-Tech.com

- Music-Tech.Net Indie Artist Showcase Review

Whiteboy Slim knows the Blues. With a voice that channels the spirit of outsized legend, Howlin’ Wolf, the harp skills (and tone) to rival Little Walter, the confidence to stretch the blues lexicon without betraying its artistic center, and a crack band that could’ve cut its teeth on the west side of Chicago, his CD, “aka Whiteboy Slim,” is a living testament to the enduring legacy of the Chicago blues style. “It Ain’t Art,” opens the album with a defiant declaration of the bluesman’s credo, funkifying the blues with roots-deep soul. Other standouts include “Cards on the Table,” a terrific minor-key jam with fine Santana-like guitar work; “20% Alcohol,” which impeccably mines an Howlin’ Wolf-style groove; the jazz-inflected “It’s Strange out There;” and the updated Muddy Waters nugget, “She’s Into Something.” Loud, gritty, raucus and down-&-dirty, “aka Whiteboy Slim” is a flat-out 14-track blues gem. And like fellow Canadian blues trailblazer, King Biscuit Boy, Whiteboy Slim’s CD proves the blues ain’t about where you’re from, it’s about who you are. -Rice B. and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer TeamCheck out Whiteboy Slim's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites - radioindy --13 Jan 2010

Another kick-butt submission from one of my internet scans (on www.soundclick.com ). I fired off an e-mail as soon as I heard this guys' .mp3's... yeah, th' energy sounded that good. & now, listening to his CD, it's just as impressive. some wicked harp playin', & high-energy blues (in many different styles) that will rock yer' sockzoff!

All th' way from delta to uptown "jump". "I Found A Woman", track 3, is heavy & hot.. my favorite track on th' CD. . . . if you like blues that gets yer' blood pumpin', your ears deserve it... this album is a KEEPER.

He's been giggin' all around Canada, but you might be able to catch him on th' site at www.whiteboyslim.com/ This is one of th' best blues albums I've heard this year, & gets a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from our ears! Mighty fine blues, good sound & definitely HOMEMADE! Rotcod zzaj - Improvijazzation Nation

WHITEBOY SLIM - Reach-down-into-the-pit-of-all-the-crap-you've-ever-had-to-deal-with blues, infused with a little jazz and anti-war rhetoric. - Now Magazine (Toronto, ON.)

Sunday, March 02, 2008
Whiteboy Slim - (2006) Aka Whiteboy Slim

Here is the latest release from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan native Whiteboy Slim titled aka Whiteboy Slim. Slim has produced a set of music that you will either love it or hate it. That is true with much of his music, and the verdict so far has been people love it… If you enjoy lots of original material and a few covers thrown in but performed in a way that makes them his own, you should enjoy this release.
He opens with It Ain’t Art, a neat song written by slim that pokes at the politically correct and out to impress types. Next is another original titled Hey, Hold On Stop. It features some nice harp from Slim and neat lyrics. This is a nice slow shuffle style song. The first of four cover songs is next and is 20% Alcohol written by J.B. Hutto. This song describes an alcoholic woman and the problems her drinking creates. Next is another cover, Too Many Drivers penned by Dave Bartholomew. This is a classic song and receives a slowed new treatment by Slim as he has slowed the tempo of an already slow tune which tends to make it a whole different sound. Blue Murder follows and is another Whiteboy Slim original. It features some neat lyrics and great slide guitar by Slim. Cards On The Table is another original, this was a favorite of mine for the lyrics and music. He offers some nice guitar on this song. Next is I’ve Been Down So Long and was written by Slim. This is a classic blues subject tune. It has some very nice harpwork and a guitar solo that really fit the song well. It’s Strange Out There is another original and couldn’t be more truthful in light of society today. Next is one that has already been very popular with Radio Dj’s and fans I have shared it with, Krispy Kreme Woman. This shuffle has resulted in many comments when I shared it with radio personalities, all positive. Next up is She’s Into Something written by Carl Wright. This song has been covered many times by a whole host of great artists and each has given it a personal touch, Slim is no exception. He has done a fine job on a truly great song. Be Cool Baby is next and is another Slim penned song. He gives a more funky sound on this with an intro on synthesizer. He has employed some neat sound effects to change things up a bit throughout the song. He follows with another original called Tears On My Pillow. I really enjoy this song as it has a beat that just isn’t meant for sitting still. The funniest track he has included is next in You’re Perfect, I Love You, Now Change. The title says it all… He closes with a great old song penned by Taj Mahal called She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride. He has provided a neat musical arrangement for it with song great harmonica to start it off.
Like it or hate it, this is a very solid effort from Whiteboy Slim. He is true to his signature style of pushing the limits of the music he plays. He is no cookie cutter blues artist, as he always manages to come up with a sound all his own whether the music is his or a cover he has chosen.
http://www.whiteboy-slim.com
Mp3 @320
** UPLOADED BY TOXXY, THANKS!!!

Tracks
1. It Ain't Art
2. Hey Hold On Stop
3. 20% Alcohol
4. Too Many Drivers
5. Blue Murder
6. Cards on the Table
7. I've Been Down So Long
8. It's Strange out There
9. Krispy Kreme Woman
10. She's Into Something
11. Be Cool baby
12. Tears on My Pillow
13. You're Perfect, I Love You. Now Change
14. She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule To Ride

- Bluestown: The City of Blues

In a time when so much "big name" music is put into neat little packages that are devoid of all emotion, passion and talent where do we turn?

How about to Canadian bluesman "Whiteboy Slim" (Maurice Richard Libby) who on Homemade, has found a way to convincingly combine elements of modern music with a more traditional blues sound, creating an inspiring piece of work that is honest, heartfelt and just a little insane. Produced in a "homemade" fashion, the album although recorded using modern techniques, instantly with the rough blues of Slow Down, reminded of the early Delta recordings. After the more traditional sound of the first track, Hey Babe and I Found A Woman leap into a 50's blast with catchy jump blues. Elvis is in the building with Flesh & Blood, a tongue in cheek look at love and relationships. Great lyrics too:

"We tried to talk it over, never heard a word I said, The only time we got along, Was in my double bed."

Out of the eleven original tracks on this album not one is lacking in raw unadulterated love for the blues. You can hear it in his voice; you can feel it in the music. Libby is simply enjoying what he does so much that you can't help but smile.

Most of the material on Homemade dates back to the band Automatic Slim which Maurice fronted in Toronto. I don't know why it took so long to get this stuff out there but it is long overdue. This CD is blues with an attitude, check out the ferocious gospel of Sing Hallelujah and the harmonica/slide frenzied Waiting For The Sun. Influences that come to mind are Alvin Lee on I found A Woman and Frank Zappa on the wonderfully raw Reasons You Need (To Sing The Blues) and the delightfully weird It's Strange, which features the best guitar work on the album. One thing about "Whiteboy Slim" is that he has no fear of adventure, in fact he seems to relish it. So, if you prefer your blues to follow a more standard format, and can only relate to the music when the sound quality is crystal clear, then there are plenty of other musicians out there who may satisfy your needs. What's important here, and what makes this one special is the way the music is conveyed as much as the material itself.

"Whiteboy Slim" plays all guitars and harmonicas. They are far more than mere instruments, however, they sing and play as if they are actual members of the band. He also programmed the synthesizers which for the most part are kept in the background. As with all fine art there are flaws; on some solos the intensity in which the instrument is played comes across with perhaps too much passion (how often do you hear that?). An example would be Bad Timing, a seven minute plus slow(er) blues. On this number, the guitar layering comes across as a little busy. Some restraint on the fret board, using one or two sustained notes between the vocals would have added more punctuation to the song, which was actually still my favorite track on the album.

Homemade is a very enjoyable work that left me with a good feeling. No doubt about it, "Whiteboy Slim" has left it all on the studio floor with this record and what is left is the real deal. There are still musicians out there that can feel the blues. Maurice Richard Libby is one of them.

Steve Landy


- The Black Cat Blues Emporium

Wow – it’s hard to believe it’s been six albums from Slim… super high-energy blues, with some excellent guitar lead work! For those concerned about “language”, this is on th’ salty side, but nothin’ too bad. Songs like “Narcissistic Blues” will make sure th’ thrill is still there (whether you’re a narcissist or not). The opening title track, “Queen Street Blues“, is about as down & phonk-ee as you’ll hear this year (or next, for that matter). From a “pure blues” standpoint, it is “New Rising Sun” that got my vote for personal favorite of the eleven tracks offered up… down, out & gut-throat, to be sure. If you’re lookin’ for sonics that will “turn your blues on”, you’ll hear (right away) why I declare this MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for blues lovers; “EQ” (energy quotient) rating is 4.98. Get more information at the Whiteboy Slim official pages. Rotcod Zzaj - improvijazznation.com