Six From The Philly File
by Jonathan Takiff
Daily News Staff Writer
October 03, 1997
Philadelphia-spawned artists rule the roost this week...
Burned badly by a major entertainment conglomerate that tried to reshape him as the next Bryan Adams, Philly blues rocker Tommy Conwell kissed the music business goodbye.
He drove a cab for a spell, studied jazz guitar with local great Jimmy Bruno, then returned to college for an education degree and became an elementary school teacher. ("Here's my record review, Mister Conwell.")
But in his spare time, Conwell is again making good time, retro rock 'n' boogie music - the bar-band-bashing brew that first got him noticed in this town in the '80s. And trust me, the spirit's still catching.
Get a charge with the giddy "All God's Children Wanna Rock" and "Bad Haircut," the big beat rhythm and blues bopper "Get Down and Ride" and Chuck Berry-ish guitar blaster "Betty Jean" You'll also find a pretty cool treatment of Bobby Timmons' jazz lounge instrumental "Moanin'," and a couple of new songs that spin off the titles of old tunes - "Pony Time" and "Mashed Potatoes."
* Tommy Conwell and The Little Kings - Sho' Gone Crazy - Llist Records Grade B
