Woodwind specialist John Mills does us all a favor by bringing vocalist Carmen Bradford back into the spotlight into this disc. There’s a core ream of Spencer Starnes/b and David Sierra/dr that delivers old school soul while Bradford is in exciting and earthy form. Mills is a one man horn section here, sometimes delivering feathery solos on flute as on the smoothly driving “Darwin” or the funky R&B ish title track (which also includes a cooking solo by guitar star Eric Johnson sitting in). The team struts on the New Orleanish “My Disagreeable Attitude” while “Lady Vaiin” features Mills on tenor as Bradford takes over on the mic to deliver the goods. Keyboards rotate with Jeff Hellmer and Jim Beard and Johnson, Mitch Watkins and Jake Langley trade the guitar roles. The piano slinks around Bradford’s dynamics on “We Could Have Been There By Now” and the clipped reeds team up with the sizzling rhythm team on “Let Your Brother Go.” Mills’ baritone teams up with a nice funky backbeat on “Strickly Business” and exotic sounds create a fragrant mood as Starnes delivers some hip licks on “Thirsty No Doubt.” Fresh, warm and organic, this session takes you back to an era and genre when the only thing polished were the chrome on the cars that the musicians drove. This one’s a treat.
Fable Records