01. Under My Spell (3:57)
02. Keep Your Big Mouth Shut (3:39)
03. What Can I Do (3:01)
04. Zoltar's Walk (2:44)
05. Stay Out Of My Yard (3:08)
06. Soapbox Shouter (3:00)
07. Meaning Of The Blues (3:12)
08. Big Chief Pontiac (2:56)
09. Always Been A Drifter (5:14)
10. Mr. Freeze (3:01)
11. Hoo Doo (2:26)

Austin, besides being the Texas state capital, is home to much of the best in American roots music. Since the 1970s, gutsy blues players, renegade country pickers, and raw-voiced rockers have mixed & matched their musical styles in Austin ’s thriving club scene. And that’s where Kent “Omar” Dykes holds court too.

He hails from McComb, Miss. , a town with the distinction of being home turf for Bo Didley. Omar started playing guitar at seven, took to hanging out in edge-of-town juke joints at 12, joined his first band at 13 – the next youngest player being 50 – and started honing his music. He was still Kent Dykes in those days, but by the time he hit 20 he had hooked up with a crazy party band, called the Howlers, looking back, he says, “We had two saxophone players on baritone and tenor who wore Henry Kissinger masks. They were called the Kissinger Brothers. Not on every song, mind you. Sometimes it was Dolly Parton playing saxophone. Or Cher. And we had these cardboard cutouts from record stores for skits.” They even did fake ads for Sunshine Collard Greens and Howlers’ Fried Chicken – “for that old-fashioned taste that tastes just like Grandma.”

It was a crazy time, but a lot of fun too, with the rough & tumble Howlers playing R&B, Rock & Roll and even the occasional polka and western swing tunes. But Kent Dykes mostly just wanted to play blues. And by then the other Howlers had taken to calling him “Omar Overtone” because he tended to let his guitar feedback on stage while he dropped to the floor to spin on his back in a spontaneous, Big & Tall Store take on break-dancing. As he says, those performances were “sometimes fueled by, a-hmm, alcohol.”

By 1976, the Howlers decided to move and relocate to Austin, where such clubs as the Soap Creek Saloon, the Broken Spoke, the Armadillo World Headquarters and Antone’s had created a haven for renegade music. “We worked out of Austin for about a year,” Omar says, “but a lot of the guys decided they weren’t cut out to play music full-time for the rest of their lives. They headed back to Mississippi and Arkansas , and I decided to keep the name. Nobody objected.” And as Dykes says, Omar & the Howlers works better than Kent & the Howlers. Of such decisions are careers made.

Fronting a new lineup, Dykes honed a band capable of the sort of raw, rowdy, rambunctious blues that made Howlin’ Wolf and Hound Dog Taylor legends. Omar’s first release was Big Leg Beat in 1980, shortly followed by I Told You So 1984, earning Omar & the Howlers consecutive Austin band-of-the-year awards in 1985-1986. Hard Time in the Land of Plenty followed in 1987.

But really that was just the beginning as Omar followed up with another twelve albums in the next fourteen years; Wall Of Pride 1988, Monkey Land 1988, Live at the Paradiso, Courts Of Lulu, Blues Bag all in 1992. Blues Bag 1992 was Omar’s first solo album followed by a second solo album, Muddy Springs Road in 1995. Omar also released World Wide Open in 1995. Next up was Southern Style 1996, Swingland 1998 followed with two releases; Live At The Opera House and The Screaming Cat both in 2000. But that’s not all; Omar came on with Big Delta in 2001 and Boogie Man in 2003.

On Boogie Man, Omar brought in songwriter friends he’s made since he left Mississippi for Texas 27 years earlier. “Co-writing at that point in my life was a lot of fun. To me it’s like free songs. These are ones that I wouldn’t have had the patience to sit down and write on my own. But when you get with friends and drink coffee, tell jokes and stories, and then write something, it always turns out to be something different than what you might have done on your own.”

Plus it’s not exactly heavy lifting to work with such Texas icons as Ray Wyle Hubbard, Darden Smith, Alejandro Escovedo and Stephen Bruton.

Besides the songwriting collaborators, Omar also brought some friends into the recording studio, including guitarists Chris Duarte and Jon Dee Graham (True Believers), Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble, George Rains (Sir Douglas Quintet and house drummer on scores of Antone’s label releases) and his frequent running-mates Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa) and Malcolm “Papa Mali” Welbourne.

In 2006 Omar was back with more and did another four albums in the next four years; Bamboozled 2006, On The Jimmy Reed Hiway (with Jimmie Vaughn) 2007 (with an episode on Austin City Limits – see Photos/Videos section), Chapel Hill (with Nalle, Omar and Magic Slim) 2008 and then in 2009 with Big Town Playboy.

2011 finds Omar tighter, funkier than ever and slated with a great new release in 2012. But Omar always loves to play live; “I still do 150-160 shows a year, and with travel days that adds up to a lot of time away from home. It always seems like we’re on a plane headed somewhere.” --- Alexander Reynolds, freemp3s.xyz

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01. That Ain't It 03:03
02. The Battle Rages On 03:14
03. Fire And Gasoline 05:13
04. I'll Keep On Dreamin' 02:10
05. Dirty People 02:58
06. Dixie's All Night Bar 05:59
07. Cutie Named Judy 02:09
08. Dust My Broom 04:14
09. Who Do You Love 04:02
10. Hello Operator 02:42
11. Can't Hold Out 03:24
12. Climb On Board 02:28

Omar Kent Dykes – guitar, vocals
Bruce Jones – bass
Wes Starr – drums
O’Brien – guitar (6,11)
Primich – harp (6,11)
Nick Connolly – organ (6,11)
Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff – sax (6,11)
Paul Junior – bass (6,11)
George Rains – drums (6,11)

Kent “Omar” Dykes is in mourning. Four friends of The Howlers' frontman passed away this year, but instead of going the traditional route, Dykes came up with a way to honor them that involved his plumbing skills. The singer/guitarist wrote half a dozen new songs, then plumbed his back catalog for half a dozen more rare tributes. Upon completion, he realized that with the diverse collection of styles and subject matter, he had everything but the kitchen sink in it, so why not just call it that.

On "That Ain't It," the first of the six originals on his new album The Kitchen Sink, Dykes whittles a big-headed girl down to size with a bow-wow pedal and a handful of gravedirt thrown in her face. No, wait -- that's just his gritty, gravely vocal sandin' her down to size.

“The Battle Rages On” features his Sunday go-to-meeting voice alnog with country-style gospel and some churchy, weepy, barroom pedal steel courtesy of Tommy Spurlock.

A tasty but nasty head-cuttin' guitar lick-off by Dykes and Derek O'Brien lights up the lowdown blues tune “Fire and Gasoline.” It's nice to hear Dykes working in several voices on this release. This one's got his Beefheart/Karl from Slingblade/Wolf beast on a leash, but you can still hear him straining to break through and bite you on the ass if his genteel-for-him blues voice gives it an opening.

Dykes channels his inner Bob Wills for some smooth Western swing on "I'll Keep On Dreaming,” appropriately backed on drums by recent Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame inductee Wes Starr, of Golden State Lone Star Review.

“Dirty People” sounds like an outtake from a '50s Lieber and Stoller session for the Coasters, if they had Howlers like Dykes and O'Brien on filthy electric string-pullin' duty.

“Dixie's All Night” is a Dave Dudley vehicle, a trucker's white line fever tamped down with a truckstop waitress. Complications arise when a dangerous stranger walks in, accompanied by Casper Rawls' and Spurlock's respective chicken picking and weeping. Omar knocks the stranger cold, and he and his hash house honey live happily ever after.

The tribute bunch kicks off with “Cutie Named Judy.” Although it sounds like a Little Richard vehicle, it's authored by harpist Jerry McCain, composer of “She's Tough,” made famous by Fabulous T-birds' Kim Wilson. Dykes is in full throat-shredding Beefheart/Karl/Wolf beast mode here, backed by some '50s-style barkin' dawg bari sax from Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff.

“Dust My Broom” sounds like it was recorded in some backwater dance-and-stab honky-tonk with Dykes slingin' slide like he was standing in a bucket of water and plugged into a 220 socket.

Hi take on “Who Do You Love” would make George Thorogood run and hide under the porch til the big dog got through, chompin' on the tasty Bo Diddley bad-to-the-bone beat.

The original “Hello Operator” sounds like Chuck Berry's “Memphis,Tennessee” vocalized by a lonesome werewolf. And Dykes goes back to Elmore James for a jump blues makeover on “Can't Hold Out,” with the harp line doubled by Gary Primich's harmonica dueling with Kaznoff's sax. James and Dykes' vocals are amazingly similar, though James' vocal on his version sounding as shredded as the Omar B/K/W creature's.

“Climb Aboard” is his Johnny Cash tribute: a country gospel chugging along at breakneck speed, propelled by Jerry Lee Lewis-like pumping piano stylings courtesy of Nick Connolly.

The Kitchen Sink is a stunning sendoff, a farewell for friends that plumbs the depths of Omar and the Howlers' vast reservoir of talent and emotion, benefiting all who hear it. ---Grant Britt, nodepression.com

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1. Boogie Man	 5:03
2. Bamboozled	4:27
3. Stone Cold Blues	5:26
4. White Crosses	4:53
5. Drowning In Love	3:46
6. Shakin'	5:53
7. Right There In the Rain	4:10
8. Bad In A Good Way	5:21

9. That's Just My Life 4:36
10. Mississippi Mud  4:36
11. All the Love We Can Stand  6:26

Personnel: 
Omar Kent Dykes (vocals, guitar); 
Alejandro Escovedo (vocals); 
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne (guitar, slide guitar); 
Chris Duarte, Jon Dee Graham (guitar); 
Chris Layton, George Rains, Terry Bozzio (drums); 
James Fenner (percussion). 

With his gravelly vocals that fall between Wolfman Jack and Howlin' Wolf, along with an ever-changing band of Howlers, Kent "Omar" Dykes charges through more rootsy boogie, blues, and rock & roll. For his first album of original material in four years, Dykes invited professional songwriters Darden Smith, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Stephen Bruton, and Alejandro Escovedo to co-write these 11 tunes. That not only elevates the quality of the tracks -- especially lyrically -- but also adds dashes of country and folk-rock to the mix. It diversifies but does not diminish Omar's gritty sound, and makes this one of his most accomplished and exciting recordings. Guest Howlers like guitarists Chris Duarte, Jon Dee Graham, and Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne, along with Stevie Ray Vaughan's old Double Trouble rhythm section, and Zappa/Jeff Beck drummer Terry Bozzio all contribute to the bone-shaking proceedings. Dykes is fiery throughout, especially on the thumping Bo Diddley-inspired "Shakin'," and the Canned Heat/John Lee Hooker punch of the title cut. Even road songs "That's Just My Life" and "Mississippi Mud" resonate, despite their clichéd subject matter. Omar includes social commentary on "White Crosses" -- one of two Darden Smith co-writes he croons instead of howls with his usual bluster. The relatively subtle shuffle of "Drowning in Love" and the slow blues of the six-minute closing "All the Love We Can Stand" also alter the mood, giving the album some much-needed relief from the energized swamp stomp that dominates its attack. Boogie Man provides a perfect entry point for those new to the Omar experience, and a rollicking addition to those already entranced by his mighty mojo. ---Hal Horowitz, Rovi

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1. When Sugar Cane Was King  
2. The Screamin' Cat
3. One Hundred Pounds of Pain
4. Radio Man 
5. Bad Ol' Man  
6. Steady Rock 
7. Snake Oil Doctor 
8. Too Many People Talkin' 
9. Party Girl 
10. Girl's Got Rhythm
11. Drug Store Candy Smile 
12. Automatic 

Omar & The Howlers: Omar (vocals, guitar); 
Papa Mali (electric & slide guitars, dobro, 
Hammond B-3 organ, bass); B.E. "Frosty" 
Smith (Fender Rhodes piano, 
Hammond B-3 organ, drums, percussion); 
Paul Junior (bass).

Although no new ground is covered on The Screamin Cat, Austin-based Omar and the Howlers simply continue to forge ahead, creating another energetic blues and boogie disc. Luckily, the Howlers have never stuck to one style of blues; they aren't purists, which allows plenty of room for a hopped-up mixture of swamp blues, Memphis soul, roots rock, and whatever else it takes to get their audience moving. Their party ethics are personified on The Screamin Cat by songs like "Party Girl," "Steady Rock," "Snake Oil Doctor," and the title track. Lead guitarist Omar Dykes' gravelly Howlin Wolf roar remains intact while Howler musical duties are shared by Bruce Jones on bass (three tracks); Rick Chilleri on drums (one track); Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne on guitar, B-3, and bass; and B.E. "Frosty" Smith on drums, percussion, B-3, and Fender Rhodes. ---Al Campbell, Rovi

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1 Shake for Me (Dykes) 2:22
2 Mississippi Hoo Doo Man (Dykes) 5:16
3 Bamboozled (Dykes, Hubbard) 4:59
4 East Side Blues (Dykes) 6:03
5 Magic Man (Dykes) 5:59
6 South Congress Blues (Dykes) 5:56
7 Boogie Man (Calif, Dykes) 4:31
8 Muddy Springs Road (Dykes, Ehmig) 4:54
9 That's Just My Life (Dykes, Welbourne) 3:48
10 Snake Oil Doctor (Dykes) 6:10
11 Bad Seed (Dykes, Field) 3:03
12 Wall of Pride (Dykes, Wommack, Wommach) 3:12
13 Hard Times in the Land of Plenty (Dykes) 4:15
14 Monkey Land (Dykes) 6:54
15 Rock N' Roll Ball (McCain) 6:31

Omar & the Howlers: 
Omar (vocals, guitar); 
Barry Bihm (bass guitar); 
Jon Hahn (drums). 

Mississippi-born but Texas-based Omar Kent Dykes understands a fundamental fact about modern electric blues. He knows there are only a handful of rhythms and themes in the blues grab bag, and he uses them all over and over again in slightly different guises. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. The blues has lasted this long because it's supposed to sound like the blues, and if you stretch it too far you end up with something like prog rock. It is this fundamental conservatism of the blues and its limited palette that has kept the form alive long after its colorful offspring (R&B, soul, rock & roll etc.) have flown the roost, taking a large part of the audience with them. But Omar understands all this. He has had a 30-year career playing these rhythms, and he knows how to keep it all simple, direct, and powerful, and how to build new songs out of the fabric of the old songs without destroying their familiarity. Bamboozled, a live set recorded at the Musa in Gottingen, Germany on October 20, 2005, finds Omar & the Howlers looking back over that 30 years of bars, sheds, and studios and hitting some of the high points. The opener, "Shake for Me," pretty much sets the tone with its gritty and overdriven guitar tone and harsh, ragged vocals that sound a bit like Wolfman Jack fronting a Texas blues trio. Omar slows things down for a couple of tracks here, like "East Side Blues" and the resonant "South Congress Blues," but pretty much the Howlers keep things chugging at a brisk pace as Omar trots out the Bo Diddley rhythm for "Magic Man," dips into the John Lee Hooker bag of rhythm tricks for his tribute to Hooker, "Boogie Man," continually recycling the history of the blues into a solid, 70-some minute example of what a modern blues band does. A clear highlight is the ominous, swampy realism of "Muddy Springs Road," which is informed by Omar's childhood memories growing up in McComb, MS, and it is easily one of the best songs he's ever written, bringing the personal and autobiographical to the familiar rhythmic structure of the blues. This is what the best blues is supposed to do: locate the personal within a familiar framework that everyone -- band and audience -- understands. If Omar has a fault as a writer, it is that he doesn't do this enough, all too often falling prey to the easy clichés that seem to be part and parcel of the blues. Keeping things fresh while still keeping things familiar inside a tradition is a hard thing to do. On "Muddy Springs Road," Omar & the Howlers walk that line perfectly. ---Steve Leggett, Rovi

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