REVIEW . Mountain to Climb

Tom Clarke writes . . . When a man can lay claim to being the one who taught Gregg Allman to sing the blues, then that man must be one incredible singer himself.  Floyd Miles is that man, and yes, he is a soul/blues vocalist of monumental stature. The problem is, it seems that only fans in the home state of Florida and followers of the Gregg Allman Band are aware of him.

Close friends for over forty years, Floyd has been prominently featured in Gregg's solo shows over the last several years, and as he's done on previous recordings, Gregg lends his extraordinary pipes and B-3 prowess to the Mountain to Climb, Floyd's new magnum opus on King Snake Records.

Perfectly timed for release in the middle of the steamy summer, the disc is brimming with down-home blues and contagious soul. The album bursts forth with "Canine Potential", one of two hunter songs in the program. A harmless set of lyrics are underlined by the ferocious playing of the King Snake house band. "Mountain to Climb" follows, and it's surely one of the album's high peaks. An insistent rhythm & blues pulse is maintained by the band while Floyd and Gregg trade verses about life's hurdles. Although co-written by Floyd with Bob Greenlee, the second verse, sung by Gregg, could be from a page torn directly out of an Allman biography.

On "Little Bit of You", Floyd sings with smooth sophistication over a sweeping, brass-supported bed of soul. Allman Brothers Band fans will especially embrace the hard blues of "Not Like I Been Hurt By You". Rendered here as a duet, and underscored with blistering slide maneuvers by Ace Morland, this grinding blues is superbly tailored to fit Gregg's patented growl. "Don't Need No Man", another mid tempo blues duet, is followed by "Swamp Rose", a bayou rocker on which Ace Morland once again steps to the forefront, whipping the slide up and down the frets.

"Going'Fishing" is the other tune written from an outdoorsman's perspective. It's about an obvious passion--albeit one that doesn't require a rod and a reel! This time, the mode of delivery is an assured hybrid of acoustic delta and Piedmont styles."Walked Out Slow" follows a similar path and both fit in comfortably, adding an extra degree of diversity to an  already fully satisfying album. The final track, "Spending Christmas with the Blues", is also the final duet between Greg and Floyd, and it's a festive close to a dazzling showcase of talent.

Mountain to Climb should afford Floyd Miles the wide-ranging recognition he so richly deserves. Needless to say, it's a must have for Peach Heads!

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Wednesday, October 06, 1999 _ Daytona Beach
Bluesman Floyd Miles Gets it Right Again
By RICK de YAMPERT, Entertainment Writer, Daytona Beach News Journal
FLOYD MILES and FRIENDS, "Mountain to Climb" (King Snake Records) ****

Like many great bluesmen and soul men, Floyd Miles is a liar. "I ain't got no feeling in my you-know-what," Miles sings on "Arthritis," a song on his new album, "Mountain to Climb." But Miles is fibbing big-time, whether he's speaking of his heart, soul, gut or some other part of his anatomy, because "Mountain to Climb" shows Miles has enough feeling to burst a few heart vessels.

As with his two previous albums, "Mountain to Climb" finds Miles, a Daytona Beach native and resident, once again plying his stock in trade: old-school soul, R&B and blues. And once again Miles gets it right, not only because he sings from the heart, but because he has the amazingly versatile pipes to do so.

The title track finds Miles trading verses with Gregg Allman, one of the "friends" cited in the album's attribution. With Miles' voice dipping into four parts honey and one part vinegar, Allman's voice displaying his trademark bark, and lazy horns providing a casual but assured backdrop, the song conjures that ol' gospel-ish soul feel of Sam Cooke or Brooke Benton.

For "Not Like I Been Hurt By You," another duet by the two buddies, it sounds as if Miles downed a few shots of bleach, the better to blues-up his voice like Gregg. But then you see the liner notes where Allman confesses that Miles "taught me how to sing the blues, and he deeply influenced my phrasing and delivery," and you realize you have to rethink who has affected whom.

"Goin' Fishin' " and "Walked Out Slow" are both stark, utterly convincing delta blues. While Ace Moreland's dobro oozes high lonesome wails, Miles takes on the craggy caterwaul of a delta bluesman, sounding as if he had just munched a mouthful of live crickets (that's a compliment in this case). On "Swamp Rose" Miles pumps up the velvety bass in his voice, the better to praise a spellbinding woman.

Forgive Miles if he tells the occasional lie. The reward for letting him do so is the truth of the heart and of the soul that he brings to "Mountain to Climb."

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FLOYD MILES AND FRIENDS
"MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB" **** 1/2
KING SNAKE RECORDS

Bill Harriman writes ... Floyd Miles is a gifted vocalist who favors a soul/blues sound. His "friends" on this new CD include many familiar names involved with King Snake Records. There's Ace Moreland and Warren King on guitars along with label owner Bob Greenlee on bass and acoustic guitar. And as is usually the case with King Snake releases, there's a full horn section. However, what really makes this disc something special indeed is the inclusion of Floyd's very special friend Gregg Allman. The recording is all original material written by different combinations of Miles, Allman, and Greenlee. The opening track on the disc is called "Canine Potential," and with all the dog references it's clear that Miles is having a good time with this one. However, the mood changes with the inspirational title song which follows. This is the first of several tunes that Miles and Allman duet on. They sound fabulous together. Most of the songs that follow can best be described as horn driven, southern soul music. There are some exceptions such as the acoustic tunes "Goin Fishin'" and "Walked Out Slow." Both of these cuts feature the exquisite dobro of Ace Moreland. And when the horns are absent it's usually the lead guitar of Warren King filling the spaces. The final track on "Mountains To Climb" is also the best track. It is a Greenlee original called "Spending Christmas With The Blues." With the passionate vocals of Miles and Allman, the horns blasting, the guitars cranking, it all comes together on this outstanding song. This may be the best Greenlee song I've ever heard, and I've heard lots of Greenlee songs! He's one of the blues' most prolific writers. Floyd Miles didn't just come up the pike yesterday. He's been a recording artist for many, many years. He's long been associated with Allman and has recently been touring with Gregg's band. Hopefully this new disc will find its way not just to hard core blues fans but to the legends of Allman Brothers fans as well. "Mountains To Climb" is one of this year's best recordings.

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FLOYD MILES AND FRIENDS
"MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB"
KING SNAKE RECORDS

Daytona Beach, FL-based bluesman Floyd Miles first emerged as the singer/drummer with the Universals, a gritty soul band which enjoyed huge popularity on the oceanfront circuit during the early 1960s; among Miles' acolytes were the young Duane and Gregg Allman.

An early satellite member of the Allman Brothers Band, Miles later went on to back Clarence Carter but otherwise remained primarily a regional favorite until he finally made his headlining debut with the 1992 Ichiban release Crazy Man; Goin' Back to Daytona followed in 1994, and he also gained national exposure on tour as a member of the Gregg Allman and Friends group. The solo Mountain to Climb appeared in 1999.

~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide, Mountain to Climb

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