YES! It’s the same Dion of “and The Belmonts” that gave us doo woppers like “Teenager In Love” or solo material like “The Wanderer” and “Abraham, Martin and John”. What has happened since is that Dion DiMucci found the roots of his life, mainly God and the blues, and he celebrates both with a whole gaggle of blues rockers. Want a hint? How about Joe Bonamassa? Jeff Beck? Billy Gibbons? Van Morrison? ARE YOU INTERESTED YET?!?!?
There are 14 , count ‘em, 14 tunes here, each with a guest worth seeing on his or her own, and together with Dion, you get the blues runaround, Sue. DiMucci’s voice is a world-travelled sage of sound, gritty and with a gravitas akin to Solomon, going dark blues with Bonamassa on a shuffling “Blues Comin’ On” or doing a 50s ballad with Jeff Beck on “Can’t Start Over Again”. John Hammond’s harp wails on “My Baby Loves To Boogie” and then switches to a nasty slide guitar to team up with Rory Block and Dion during the dramatic “Told You Once In August”. Rhymin’ Paul Simon sings along with Dion to do a tribute to a contemporary on “Song For Sam Cooke” and Van Morrison duets during on a lurking “I Got Nothing” with Joe Louis Walker’s guitar peeking around the corner. Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa bring things back to church on a gospel’d “Hymn to Him” with DiMucci going full circle and ending up in his heavenly blues home. This album is a treat, a treasure and as an eternal joy as DiMucci’s Savior.