March 2004 Newsletter

• Ernie "SugarLips" Brown •
• Kenny Neal and Billy Branch •
• Steve Ditzell •
• Dave Hanson / Blues Hawks •
• The Holmes Brothers •
• Ms. Bettye Lavette •
• Bob Levis •
• Art Love •
• Sam McClain •
• Cesar Rosas / Los Lobos •
• Muddy Waters •
• Sugarcane Collins •

Double Take
Kenny Neal & Billy Branch
Alligator Records 4904
www.alligator.com

This recording is a blues, acoustic tapestry weaving guitar, harmonica and vocals into magnificent work of art. But unlike the art found in a stuffy old museum, this is down home and very comfortable. It fits like your favorite pair of jeans. It was recorded in France in 1998, mastered in October of 2002, and was previously released in Europe on Isabel Records as Easy Meeting. It is a collection of classic covers paying tribute to the blues masters and some very tasty originals that are the fruits of years of paying dues. The CD opens with a version of St. Louis Jimmy’s “Going Down Slow” that jumps right up in your face and gets your toes tappin’. This disc includes two versions of “A Son I Never Knew” which is haunting tale of a father’s lament for the child he did not know. The texture of this song hangs in your mind with the sounds and feelings that only a father knows. There a couple of Little Walter classics, “I Just Keep Loving Her” and “My Babe”, that add new life and energy to these well-worn blues standards. Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Don’t Start Me Talking” and Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy” are revisited with new vim and vigor featuring the vocals and harmonica of Billy Branch. Kenny Neal’s “Early One Morning” and “Going to the Country” are originals that stand on their own as contemporary blues standards. They have the sound of the past combined with the freshness of today. The original instrumental “Billy and Kenny’s Stomp” provides an avenue for both artists to stretch their collective musical wings. It is safe to say there is not a bad song on this disc.
Kenny Neal and Billy Branch are veteran blues performers who have worked hard to establish themselves in the world of the blues. Kenny Neal is a triple threat bluesman whose guitar, harmonica and vocals make him a stand-out in the world of the blues. Billy Branch is one of the best blues harmonica players in the world. His vocals are powerful expressions of the blues stories being told. Together, Kenny and Billy, deliver a CD that will stand the test of time. Go get the disc and invite Kenny Neal and Billy to spend some time in your living room. I’m sure you will have them visit you many times.

reviewed by Rich Gordon