Guitarist and vocalist Sparky Parker does some blues rocking with bassist Phillip Lock and Drummer Kevin Berry through a collection of originals and a couple ringers. His guitar has a 70s sound, wacka wookie-ing like Robin Trower on the title track and getting Allman Brothers Southern on “Escape to Quintana.” Some funky Memphis moods the stomping on “This Old Thing” and his voice holds up well on the indigo’d “Games.” A take of the Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers” has a muscular feel, and he puts on his Foghat for the closing “Shake Your Hips.” A fist pumper.
Paul Gabriel whips out his vintage Les Paul while he sings and plays with heavy hitters including Duke Robillard/g, Scott Spray/b, Mark Teixeira/dr and a slew boogie-ing keyboardists and horn players. . His voice is street wise, and his playing is bathed in Southern dry rub BBQ. The team shuffles on the richly hued “Second Story Man” and “Maybe We Can Talk Awhile” and the Hammonds hum on a soulful “No Finance, No Romance” and “Blues For Georgia.” A Memphis stew simmers on “I Feel Good” and “Face Full of Frown” and the team gets funky on “On That Train.” The strings are bending like it’s Cirque Du Soleil!