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Deborah Coleman
Soul Be It!
Blind Pig Records-BPCD 5079

For many years, I have been telling my listeners that live blues is always better. The new live CD from Deborah Coleman and the Thrill Seekers proves the point. Recorded at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California, this performance was captured in a state-of-the-art performance theater featuring a warm, true, "live" sound that shows through on this recording. What impressed me the most about the mix was the lack of being "blown away" by the overpowering sound, evident today at so many clubs where blues performers are subjected to the "rock sound" delivered by the sound person. This recording is clean. You can hear everyone and everything. You can still feel the power and energy, yet there is a natural sound to the band. Hats off to the recording technicians who deliver an excellently recorded performance. Deborah and the band come through with a great recording. Billy Crawford provides the second guitar with Debra "Nardi" Salyer on the bass and backing vocals. Jason Paul is the new drummer. The rhythm section is tight and second guitar add just the right complement to Deborah's lead and vocals. As much as Deborah is upfront, this is a band that plays together as one solid group. The disc opens with "Brick", the song made famous by Albert Collins and ends with "Goodbye Misery" an original written by Deborah that has that Allman Brother sound throughout. I played "Don't Lie to Me" on the show recently and got a call from listener about 10 minutes after the show was over inquiry about that particular track. That is unusual. It definitely made me listen to the entire disc again and I really enjoyed it. Some of the songs are long but that happens during live performances when players go with the flow. The hands of the clock stop when the interplay is right between the band and the crowd and it is captured on this CD. The mix of songs between up-tempo and slow is right on the mark, and the groove is everywhere. After listening to the CD, you will want to go and see this band live when they come to town. Until then you will have to listen to this CD and wish you were there.

written by Rich Gordon