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ful, solo rendition of ‘Groundhog Blues’ – he certainly dispels any doubts.

Michael is perhaps best-known for his six year stint with Magic Slim & The Teardrops and for his

work with Mississippi Heat, but he has led his own band around the Windy City and worked with
many of Chicago’s blues acts. On this set he is backed by a fine, subtle rhythm section and his

interplay with them and the audience is natural and engaging. He is obviously an assured and
confident performer and his material draws heavily on the blues club scene, as he conjures up the

likes of Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Magic Slim and Howling Wolf alongside his own originals. For
the latter, maybe try ‘Synchro Boogie’, another John Lee Hooker styled tour-de-force.

My only criticism of this set would be that the writer’s credit for ‘Little Voice’ should be to A.C. Reed,
not Jimmy Reed. A minor point, maybe. Musically, this is really an excellent set.

Norman Darwen

Mike Zito – Blues for the Southside—Gulf Coast

Mike Zito is one of the most important figures in the modern blues

scene, a singer and guitarist who makes some very fine records and

also co-runs the Gulf Coast label. If I have a criticism, it is that he
occasionally seems to hold back a little, but there are no worries

on that score with this double CD release, recorded live in his
native south Saint Louis, MO at the end of November 2021.

There might be a clue in that date. It comes as pandemic restric-

tions were lifting and certainly there is an audible sense of release, of enjoyment, of playing for the
sheer hell of it and both artist and crowd react positively. Mike plays and sings with energy and fire,

whether he is playing a fine Chicago club blues styled number as on the instrumental title track or
saying “goodnight” with a tear ‘em up finale of Chuck’s ‘Johnny B. Goode’ (a number of course

referencing Mike’s own recent tribute album to Chuck).

Along the way he draws in a few guest musicians, most notably Eric Gales – a very hot name at the
moment and on Hendrix’s ‘Voodoo Chile’ he shows just why. Home-boy Tony Campanella and

Milwaukee’s Dave Kalz add to the fun too. And this release is certainly fun. It is also some of the best

slightly rock-tinged modern blues around at the moment.

Norman Darwen
(www.gulfcoastrecords.net)