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‘Cast Your Shadow’ is an enticing, grooving roller. The number, once again allows Brad to
display his considerably entertaining guitar work. ‘Sky Full Of Rain’, returns us to a despair
filled, weary world. His inviting slow burning, tear laden guitar work impresses. The Albert
King classic ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ is splendidly re-worked as a duet between Deb Jacobs and
Brad. ‘West Coast Girl’—the title says it all—pleasant ringing acoustic guitar and breezy
electric guitar and organ, nonetheless enjoyable though. ‘Step By Step’ is splendid harmonica
led, blues shuffle with a suitably tough guitar to top it off. ‘Hit It’, is a pleasant soul fuelled

guitar filled shuffle with punchy horns in all the right places.

Recommended!

Brian Harman

Jennifer Porter—Yes, I Do—Cougar Moon Music CMM009

Jennifer is from Buxton, Maine. She, originally trained as an
opera singer and classical pianist but expanded her talents to
include becoming a trained jazz vocalist and pianist. Also, she is
an accomplished actor and song writer in her own right. During
her career she has performed with classical and jazz orchestras,
including the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. Even
though Jennifer possesses these many qualities, she still consid-
ers herself to be Roots Musician at heart.

Six of the eight numbers on this, her ninth album, were written
by Jennifer. Jennifer is on lead vocals, piano, Wurlitzer and
Hammond B3. She was joined, in the various studios that the album was recorded in, by Dana
Packard and Jonathan Truman, drums and percussion, Damon Banks, bass, George Naha and
Vinnie Raniolo, guitar, Steve Jankowsk, trumpets and flugelhorn, Doug DeHays, tenor and
baritone saxophones and clarinet, Randy Andos, trombone and tuba. Featured guests are
Cindy Cashdollar and C.J. Chenier.

The album opens with ‘Before We Call It A Day’. Jennifer’s invitingly smooth warming vocal,
effortlessly glides above the seriously raucous rolling, jazz fuelled piano, backed with swing-
ing, surging horns. ‘Yes, I Do’ is a slower slice of Memphis Soul, that features a very mellow,
Hammond B3 floating under soft and enticing vocals with the timely horns slowly, sympathet-
ically rising. The gentle and haunting ballad, ‘Over You’ has an ephemerally bubbling B3,
underpinning the sad emotion-filled reminiscences of a not forgotten past romance. The
jaunty accordion courtesy of C.J. Chenier on ‘All I Needed Was You’ leads this Cajun influenced
floor duster. The inviting and swinging vocals are suitably backed by piano, horns and guitar.

A New Orleans influenced martial beat leads ‘Don’t Worry No More’, while a sinuously snaking
pedal steel guitar from Cindy Cashdollar rises with subdued horns underpinning it all. Leroy
Carr’s ‘How Long’, has smoky, lonesome, slow burning horns, combined with sad, mellow
piano and B3, under an equally sad and mellow vocal. ‘Lucky Dust (Shining Through)’ is given
a slightly New Orleans jazz feel, with a splendid clarinet from Doug DeHays. This rolls along
nicely in a jaunty mood, while the sweet and inviting vocal brings you along. Stuart Balcom and
Bessie Smith’s ‘Good Ol’ Wagon’, is quite simply, a delightful piano—and Randy Andos tuba—
led, gentle-rolling tale, of an older man “getting the elbow” from his former lover.

Recommended!

Brian Harman