2016 – Mosher Street Records
By Phillip Smith; Nov. 29, 2016
It feels really good to
settle in for a nice listen to the latest release, Respect the Blues, from Florida blues-man Joey Gilmore. Gilmore and his crew, bassist Robert “Hi-Hat” Carter, drummers Raul Hernandez and Maurice Dukes, keyboardist Sonny
Boy Williams, and guitarist Ivan
Chopik have an old-school vibe, but keep it fresh in their performance.
“A Little Love (Always Makes
it Bettah)” is a vibrant and energizing Cajun-flavored track. Accented with Gilmore’s groovy playing and the lush sounds emanating from Williams’ keys, this track delivers the
goods. I love that slow bluesy funk which
is slathered all over “Breakin’ Up Somebody’s Home”, originally recorded by Ann Peebles. This is a hell of a song immersed in pent-up
angst and orneriness. Gilmore
exquisitely covers “Chain of Fools” with the female half of the duet beautifully
taken on by Edlene Hart. The
Joey Gilmore Band also serves up
a bountiful bowlful of soul with William
Bell’s “Can’t Kill Nothin’” and the Johnny
Rawls tune “Soul Survivor”. The
blues burrows in deep when Gilmore wails
his heart out on “Brownskin Woman”, a killer song with an attention-grabbing
drumbeat and the sweet sounds of Rockin’
Jake on harp.
Respect the Blues is a definite ‘keeper’.
