#579 > Chris Canas - Detroit (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2022 – Third Street Cigar Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct.8, 2022

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Detroit’s “Prince of Blues”, Chris Canas delivers a king-sized record of blues with his latest album Detroit.  His vocals are soulful and fearless as he masterfully tears it up on guitar.  This album features eleven amazing, all-original songs written, arranged, and composed by Canas.  With Canas on guitar, vocals, bass, and slide, his band consists of Derek “DC” Washington on bass, Danny Pratt on harmonica, Mikey Biddle on organ, Marc Anthony Guillory on drums, Nikki “D” Brown on lap steel, Ray Benson on percussion, Travis Geiman on trombone, Ben DeLong on trumpet, and Bob Manley on tenor saxophone.

Fortified with searing electric guitar, title-track “Detroit” breaks the seal with a blast of horn-infused funk.  It doesn’t take but just a few bars before I know I’m ‘all-in’ for the whole listening experience.  I love Canas’ deep, buttery vocals and placed-with-precision growls as he digs in to “Addicted”.  Hearing him rip it up on guitar is a sublime experience.  The Blues are served old-school with “Juke Joint Jive”.  With Guillory commandeering the drums, and Pratt laying down a hot plate of harp, this is party song indeed.  I really like how Canas pours the blues over an infectious reggae rhythm in the song “Cookie”.  It’s absolutely fabulous.  I get pulled right in to the funky groove on “Smoke in the City” with every listen.  I can’t get enough of it. 

Detroit is brilliant from start to finish.  Canas has a surefire winner on his hands with this record.

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For more information about Chris Canas, visit this website :

https://www.chriscanas.net

Joseph Veloz - Offerings

2017 – JMVelozs

By Phillip Smith; June 17, 2017

It’s a rare treat when a bass player’s talent takes top billing, as Joseph Veloz does.  This Detroit area musician who has played with many greats over the years, such as Lucky Peterson, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Mississippi Heat, James Armstrong and Joanne Shaw Taylor, joins forces on his new album, Offerings, with guitarist Shawn Kellerman, keyboardist Jim Alfredson , and drummer Andrew “Blaze” Thomas.  As if that’s not enough, he is also accompanied by very special musical guests Lucky Peterson, Biscuit Miller, Greg Nagy, and Jennifer Westwood & Dylan Dunbar (Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils).   

The funk rolls in on a blast of cosmic keys and thumping bass, straddling a bombardment of badass guitar from Kellerman for the instrumental “Just Jammin’”.  A wave of musical delight washes over me as this one plays on.  Featuring the signature sounds of Lucky Peterson on vocals, “Jukin’ and Shakin’” shifts into high gear for a refreshing blast of spirit-lifting, feel-good, high-energy blues. Alfredson’s performance on the organ is simply amazing.  Biscuit Miller lends his fabulous voice to the infectious soulful groove of Eddie Kirkland’s “Good Good Day”. 

Being a huge fan of Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils, I immediately fell in love with the outstanding cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”.  Westwood’s vocal delivery is beautiful and iconic.  Kellerman dishes out huge doses of searing slide guitar, which opens up for a dazzling guitar solo from Dunbar.  This is a terrific track indeed.   

Veloz closes this eight song treasure out a breakneck performance on Prince’s “Kiss” with Joey Spina (Whitey Morgan and the 78’s) on the mic.  The creativity in Veloz’s musical arrangements and production choices are the icing on the cake of his extraordinary talent as a bassist.  And that’s what makes Offerings such a blast to hear. 

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