It has been fifty years since
Rory Block released her debut self-titled album in 1975. Thirty-six albums
later, Heavy on the Blues her latest release is yet another landmark
record. Rory’s guitar mastery and amazing vocals shine from song to song
and her approach to the blues is as organic as it gets. This fabulous recording also features a
spectacular short-list of guests: Ronnie Earl, Jimmy Vivino and Joanna
Connor.
The album begins with gorgeously swampy cover of Tommy Tucker’s 1963 hit “High Heeled Sneakers”. I love the way her slide guitar ushers her sweet and raspy voice along for this Friday night get-down song. I can feel every word and every note of “Me and My Chauffer” sink right in. Rory plays this one with true brilliance. Charley Patton’s “Down the Dirt Road Blues” comes to life as she seemingly channels the ghost of this legendary bluesman himself for this remarkable recording. Connor sits in on Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary”. The contrast of guitar styles on this blues-soaked iconic song quickly draws my attention, with Block on acoustic and Connor on electric. “Can’t Quit That Stuff”, an original by Block is a wonderful homage to several blues greats. In the liner notes, she mentions “the guitar parts were initially inspired by Bukka White’s “Jitterbug Swing””. She stated the lyrics of this song are inspired by the words of Howlin’ Wolf from an interview she had watched, along with a conversation she had with Hubert Sumlin in 2011 during the Robert Johnson Centennial tour. I find the song poignant and inspirational.
Rory Block’s Heavy on the Blues is a must-hear for blues fans and guitar aficionados. I encourage anyone who wants to purchase this, to get a hard copy on CD for the liner notes which are included. Reading the thought-processes behind every song is an exceptional bonus.
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For more info on Rory Block, visit the website at https://www.roryblock.com
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