REAL BLUES MAGAZINE Issue #27 Oct/Nov 2003
Willie Lomax Blues Revue:Best Blues Money Can Buy (Big Boss Records)
Consider this disc as the second chapter in the Willie Lomax/Shawn Brown Blues and Soul Crusade. The first chapter starts b [+]REAL BLUES MAGAZINE Issue #27 Oct/Nov 2003
Willie Lomax Blues Revue:Best Blues Money Can Buy (Big Boss Records)
Consider this disc as the second chapter in the Willie Lomax/Shawn Brown Blues and Soul Crusade. The first chapter starts back in 1999 with "Ribs Are Ready" with the incredible and unprecedented musical marriage of Clarksdale, Mississippi down home Blues and Memphis classic Soul which gave the world The Best Southern Blues Album in many years but also brought to everyone's attention the superb talents and incredible voice of Shawn Brown, the Hammond B-3 -playing gospel/soul vocalist who really stunned the music world. But, Willie Lomax isn't content to put out good or great albums; he creates or should I say, facilitates masterpieces. "Ribs..." really blew a lot of minds and now that the world has had a chance to digest "Ribs..." (sorry, couldn't resist) we get something equally as magnificent offered up by Lomax. In hindsight now, we know the negative state of affairs of 2000/01 would've ensured no matter how great "Best Blues..." is it would've been sucked into the Big Void of Negativity that shrouded the entire world. Now that the Sun is starting to shine again and we leave behind the Evil atmosphere of Big Brother-created mayhem, Willie Lomax's package of magic and joy is the perfect prescription for 2003/2004. Blue skies adorn the album jacket and list of contributors is exciting and illuminating. Whilst "Ribs..." was a tribute to the great Southern Blues kings Frank Frost and Sam Carr with a decidedly Down Home Blues feel to a good portion (Lucky Peterson's dad, James Peterson, a fine Bluesman in his own right, added vocals to 2 of the songs on "Ribs..."), Best Blues..." is strictly a Memphis affair (musician wise) with the return of Leroy Hodges and Howard Grimes, we also have one of the great Gales Bros; Eric, on guitar, world-renowned Walfredo Reyes Jr on drums, former Sly Stone sax man Jerry Martini, first-class hornman Jim Spake (baritone sax), Scott Thompson (trumpet), Neal Weinstein (bass-2 tracks) and of course the Miami-based Willie Lomax on guitar and surprise vocals (1 track) Lomax is a very interesting fellow who has a very serious purpose in life: make beautiful and compelling music which employs and promotes the
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