"Blues Hotel" offers a cosmopolitan assortment of blues tracks from such legends as Bobby Parker ("Watch Your Step"), Ron Levy ("Why You Stay Out So Late?"), Walter "Wolfman" Washington ("At Night in the City"), James Harman ("Do Not Disturb") and Tutu Jones ("I'm Not Your Fool"). The CD is a continuation of the labels EasyDisc series, which culls roots, blues and Louisiana music or "Real Blues" all at one "Great Price."
Memphis' reigning Prince, Preston Shannon, gets the hotel party rolling with "Round Midnight," a cut from his fine 1996 release "Midnight in Memphis." Pat Boyack & the Prowlers and Jimmy Morello follow with "Sneakin' Out" from Boyack's 1995 release "On the Prowl." Boyack is one of a handful of guitar slingers currently keeping the Stevie Ray Vaughan tradition of guitar playing and singing alive and well. Also making a rare appearance on CD is Lafayette, LA. native Bobby Parker on "Watch Your Step," from his first release with Black Top Records in 1993, which includes lots of "go-go guitar"-Washington DC's indigenous funk style.
Tutu Jones' Albert King mixed with Magic Sam guitar style is revealed on the CD's ending cut "I'm Not Your Fool" from 1994's "I'm For Real."
Previous releases from the EasyDisc series include "Blues Bar-B-Que." (7030), "Blues Cruise" (7056) and "Blues Guitar Masters" (7072).
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This review is copyright © 2000 by Matt Alcott, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved.
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