2017– New Sun Records
By Phillip Smith;
May 12, 2018
The latest release from Juno
Award winning Crystal Shawanda is
about as good as it gets. Growing up in Ontario and introduced to the Blues by
her brother at a young age, Shawanda
has been playing paid gigs since the age of ten. Voodoo
Woman, her sixth album since 2008, is simply fabulous. Of the ten tracks on this record, Shawanda delivers seven magnificent covers,
and three outstanding original tracks of her own. Shawanda’s band is composed of Dewayne
Strobel on all guitars, Dave Roe
and Michael Dearing on bass guitars,
Louis Windfield, and Darren James on drums and percussion, Stephen Hanner on harmonica, Dana Robbins on saxophone and Peter Keys on the B3 organ.
Shawanda takes
on Willie Dixon and Howlin’ Wolf with a riveting two song
medley of “Wang Dang Doodle / Smokestack Lightnin’”. Strobel
shines on slide guitar as Hanner wonderfully wails on harp. It sounds great. More power vocals follow on title track “Voodoo
Woman”, a fitting homage to the late great Koko
Taylor. Shawanda brings it back on her beautiful cover of Etta James’ “I’d
Rather Go Blind”. I love this song, and
this version sounds amazing. I’m also
head-over-heels for her cover of Bob
Montgomery’s “Misty Blue”, which was
also covered by Etta James in 2011
on her Dreamer album. Robbins’
saxophone adds a lovely touch to the song.
“Cry Out For More”, an original
co-written by guitarist Strobel is a
smooth blues-rocker which comes to an end in full shin-dig form. Shawanda’s
vocals carry the perfect measure of rasp, reminiscent of the magnificent Bonnie Raitt. Strobel
conjures up a cool twangy groove accented by a suave horn accompaniment on “Trouble”,
another one of Shawanda’s originals. With a tight band behind her, she approaches
the mic with a fearless attitude.
Voodoo Woman
is such a delightful listen; I give it my highest recommendation.
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