2020 – Ruf Records
By Phillip Smith; March 28, 2020
In 2007, Ryan Perry was only thirteen years old when Homemade Jamz Blues Band placed second at the 23rd International Blues Challenge in Memphis. With four albums already under his belt as frontman for this Tupelo, Mississippi-based sibling trio with brother Kyle and sister Taya, Ryan ventured a new direction to record this debut album as a solo artist. For High Risk, Low Reward, Perry noted that he originally wanted to keep the Jamz vibes going, but discovered along the process of writing, his musical tastes had changed. “The new generation of the blues is here now, and it’s here to stay…”, says Perry. This new album contains eleven extraordinary tracks, and features Roger Inniss on bass, Lucy Piper on drums, along with backing vocalists Jeffrey Staten and Stefanie Bechtold.
Perry cracks the album open with “Ain’t Afraid to Eat Alone”, a track offering a healthy dose of attention-grabbing guitar and creamy vocals. From the first listen, I’m instantly reminded of the remarkable music of Robert Cray. I find myself going back for extra helpings of title-track, “High Risk, Low Reward”. Perry delivers it in that delectable North Mississippi swamp style, which I adore so much. His cover of Willie Dixon’s “Evil is Going On” is riveting and magnificent. His guitar prowess shines brightly as his voice delightfully growls. The album closes with an amazing delta-blues original “Hard Times”. I absolutely love it.
Perry keeps one foot in Mississippi as his other seeks new ground, creating a fresh blend of blues. Mississippi High Risk, Low Reward is a terrific album every blues fan should give a listen to.
---
· * Note : Ryan Perry
will be joining Jeremiah Johnson
and Whitney Shay for Ruf Records Blues Caravan 2020.
For more information about the artist, visit this website: www.ryanperryband.com
