TRANSLUCENT BLUES
Ray Manzarek & Roy Rogers
BLIND PIG RECORDS
8.5-out-of-10
There are record labels you get to know you can trust, and Blind Pig is certainly one of those. You see the logo of the grinning porker with sunglasses and you are pretty much sure the disk is a winner.
Now add into the equation Ray Manzarek's musical roots extend back to a group called The Doors, and you get the feeling Translucent Blues is going to be a rather special disk.
The disk really highlights music which is the offspring of rock and blues. Not exactly classic blues, which may limit the appeal for some, Manzarek and Rogers combine to create something quite unique and fabulously refreshing.
For example there is an underlying beat to Kick which reminds of The Doors, yet it is still a full blues effort.
Of course with Roy Rogers offering his fine skills on slide guitar to the disk, as Manzarek plays keyboards and applies his vintage voice, it's hard not to be impressed.
In Rogers' case he is a performer with pedigree. He has performed with Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, Linda Ronstadt, and Sammy Hagar and been nominated for 8 Grammy's as producer, songwriter and performer.
There are 12 songs here, and every one is rock solid. I'd highly recommend checking this one.
Check it out at www.blindpigrecords.com
- CALVIN DANIELS
AN OLD ROCK ON A ROLL
Kenny Wayne
Stony Plain
7.5-out-of-10
Canadian blues fans are going to recognize the name Kenny Wayne from a string of disks on Electro-Fi Records, including the 2006 Blues Record of the Year Juno for 'Let It Loose'.
While Wayne is a blues veteran An Old Rock On A Roll is a first release on the popular Stony Plain label.
The new disk highlights 13-songs, all penned by Wayne. Original blues is always a pleasure to listen too. Of course when Wayne is behind the music you are in for something better than the average.
Cuts such as Devil Woman, Searching For My Baby, and the title cut are all excellent offerings, although in truth Wayne doesn't misstep on the disk.
Wayne flat out plays a fine piano and enhanced by the baritone sax work of Doug James and the tenor sax of Sax Gordon the CD is outstanding.
It doesn't hurt Duke Robillard is on hand to lay down the guitar either. He is one of the best with six strings.
This is a smooth blues offering which speaks to the confidence a veteran like Wayne can bring to a disk.
Most definitely a disk to put high on a blues-lover's want list.
Check it out at www.stonyplainrecords.com
- CALVIN DANIELS
Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/
