USA: The Best of Carl Weathersby Evidence Music ECD261127-2

Carl who…. some might be thinking, but this great blues player deserves to be in the top rank of blues artists.This “Best of” CD is a truly superb collection of Carl's work and I cannot praise it highly enough. The classic “Come to Papa” is supported by a who's who of blues greats including the wonderful Ann Peebles and The Memphis Horns. The WC Handy Award Nominee is a most tuneful guitarist who is influenced by his exposure to his Father's friend, the bulldozer driving, Flying-V toting Albert King. There are also shades of Riley B King in the laid back pace of “Restless Feeling” particularly in the guitar style.

Another slow tempo number,”Do You Call That a Buddy” is a nice composition with some clean sounding guitar and wah wah melody which might just be in the keyboard. The bass lines are a rather nice groove. This number is almost in Robert Cray's back yard, it certainly is a fine song.

A Yardbirds sound-alike riff runs through “Don't Lay Your Blues on Me” with Carl's wonderfully phrased vocals and flowing and intricate guitar lead lines takes the song to its conclusion. Pity this song isn't ten minutes long, it's brilliant!

The soulful “Feels Like Rain” has a nice feel to it. Soft piano taking the melody under Carl's vocals and the addition of a most agreeable and meaningful guitar break, this is one of those songs to either hang on to every precious moment or simply have softly playing as background music while you have guests around.

This CD is one of those types of albums, marvel at the skill or relax, have a beer or do the ironing! Carl's composition, “Sweet Music” fits into the rest of the CD perfectly as does “Your Love Is Everything.” A more rocky “Wheel of Fortune” has a fair bit more grunt with a brilliant guitar solo. Carl is a superb player and hits the spot every time and I just have to pick up my geetar and jam when I hear this song! Back to a more sentimental and soulful mode with ”Everything I Do” has Carl singing beautifully and is followed by “All Your Affection Is Gone”, a fabulous medium tempo piece with guitar and vocals in equal proportions in the BB and Albert King cross-pollinated style. It's wonderful.

Traditional blues fans will like Carl's “Stop Breakin' Down Blues” with nice lyrics and subtle acoustic guitar. It adds to the eclectic mix of this excellent CD. Back to the emotive electric guitar introduction of “Somebody Help Me”, a song so rich in blues atmosphere, it reminds me of the late Luther Allison's contributions to the blues world. It is that good, a feast of face-contorting real blues –everything I love about this wonderful genre.

The soul/blues “My Baby” takes me back to the Sixties and the naïve expectances of a sixteen year old music fan soaking up all that the industry could feed me with. This song is happy and mellow, like a blues-tinged My Girl, the classic soul song. A return to a rockier style brings, “Hip Shakin' Mama”. Where's my guitar!!!! Another infectious rocky blues in a medium-fast tempo with long bends and Carl's excellent vocals and the omni-present Hammond organ takes this wonderful CD to its finale. What a lovely album it is too. It's varied and of superb quality and most importantly, it's ENJOYABLE !

Steve Lally ©