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emotive and often subtle vocals a blend of Tina Turner, Robert Plant, Janis Joplin and Sari Schorr
as she works through songs from her own two albums and a couple of very fine covers in

Leadbelly’s ‘Black Betty’ (owing only a tiny amount to Ram Jam’s well-known cover from 1977) and
‘I Just Wanna Make Love To You’ with a vocal range from a coy pleading to full-out holler. There

are two (relatively) quieter bonus tracks in ‘Bad Company’s ‘Ready For Love’ and Sari’s own

tribute to Robert Johnson, ‘King Of Rock And Roll’. The whole album is straight-ahead blues-rock
by one very talented lady – if you’ve ever enjoyed one of her shows, or albums, or just wondered

what the fuss is all about, this explains it rather nicely!

Norman Darwen

Mary Jo Curry Band Front Porch Independent

Springfield, Illinois based Mary Jo’s journey to the microphone is

possibly not quite what you might have expected it to be, for
originally she was an actress treading the boards in the theatre

and when the company decided to perform a play concerning the
blues, rather than employ a singer for the role Mary Jo who

previously had studied vocal projection was invited to step into

the role and ultimately found herself a new career; for while out
with a friend for the evening, Curry heard music coming from a little club along the street and was

“pulled” in. Here, she met guitarist and now husband Michael Rapier, and her relationship with the
blues began. After performing together as a duo for nine years they later expanded the band by

enlisting the services of Chris Rogers, bass and Rick Snow, drum. Together they created the solid

foundation they needed to propel the band’s sound further into the world of the blues. From this
core unit they have become a tight live-band, as well as maturing into a fine writing team, which

produces quality recordings. Joining them on this album are Brett Donovan and Ezra Casey;
keyboards and Brian Moore; saxophone. Of the eleven numbers on the album nine are original band

compositions; the album is also produced by the band. The opening number “Nothing Is Easy,” is

heralded by an alluring bass line and insistently crisply, pounding percussion, as the swirling
keyboards vie with a growing, growling guitar, a splendidly fat, bellowing saxophone drives

everything ever on, over this Mary Jo’s strident and commanding, powerful vocals clearly stamp
her authority over the proceedings. The sensual, slippery R&B bubbling keyboard-led “The Man,”

is a splendid breathy tale of love, intrigue and obsession the deep smoky vocals are traced by a

wafting and alluring saxophone. The bass guitar-led “Front Porch,” is a murderous tale of revenge
with the energising mixture of psychedelic and ringing wah-wah guitar behind scalding vocals.

“House Is Lonely,” is quite simply a slowburning, piano-led, pain laden, balla. The ache and hurt
that oozes from Mary Jo’s voice is palpable. “Explaining The Blues,” showcases Mary Jo’s powerful