This is the second album I’ve heard by guitarist and gritty vocalist Jay Willie, and he’s got the rockin’ blues down like he was born in Memphis. He’s got a regular team of Bob Calahhan/g-v, Steve Clarke/b-p and Bobby t Torello/dr-v and guests Suzanne Vick/voc, Jason Ricci/harp, Ron S t ahl/dr and Ted Yakush/sax for some extra “oomph,” but they really don’t need it, as they know how to create a barroom brawl all on their own.
You get some frenetic fret work and hard hitting chords and Link Wray’s “Rumble” and Chicago styled blues with harp on “It Hurts Me Too” and “Key to the Highway.” Some strutting Strat mixes with the tenor on a bluesy “Hold Me Tight…” and a bit of gospel jazz hits pay dirt on “Mercy Mercy Mercy.” Speaking of church, some testifying vocals by Vick on “Fly Away” show the close knit relationship between the Bible and the Blues. Boogaloo gets back in style on “The Leetch” and a classic protest song gets rocky on “For What It’s Worth.” Think Obama’s listening?
Zoho Roots Records