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REVIEWS

Joanne Shaw Taylor—Blues From The Heart Live

This is a recording of a terrific gig by Joanne Shaw Taylor, at
the Franklin Theatre, in Franklin, Tennessee. The perfor-
mance features songs from her recent release, “The Blues Al-
bum” with added fan favourites and never-before-heard

tracks. Guest appearances include GRAMMY-nominated re-
cording artist Joe Bonamassa (who produced “The Blues Al-
bum”) plus Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Mike Farris.

There is no doubt that Joanne is an outstanding guitar player
although it is also true to say that she has won more awards
for her singing than for her axe-work. She may, just may, have given up on being a ‘guitar he-
ro’ —possibly. But, whether or not that is true, let me reassure you that the singing on this al-
bum is of the highest order. Joanne has a very, very fine contralto voice and controls it to
perfection. Full of sassiness and yes, sexiness, Joanne gives us sixteen songs, from the opener,
the Peter Green / Fleetwood Mac, ‘Stop Messin’ Round’ which, in fact, comes with some tasty
guitar work, through Albert King’s ‘Can't You See What You’re Doing To Me’ which features
some incendiary guitar work from Kenny Wayne Shepherd, to Little Richard’s ‘I Don’t Know
What You've Got’ featuring Mike Farris from just up the road in Nashville and with Joanne giv-
ing a truly stunning vocal interpretation—dare I say better than Mr Penniman himself— just
on the edge of gospelesque. Magnificent! The show’s closers are three songs featuring the in-
creasingly ubiquitous Joe Bonamassa ‘Don’t Go Away Mad’, George Gershwin’s classic, ‘Sum-
mertime’ (opening with a beautiful guitar duet) and the finale a throbbing version of ‘Only You
Know and I Know’, the Delaney & Bonnie / Dave Mason song from the early 1970s. What a way
to go. I really wish I’d been at this gig.

I see this album as a sort of coming of age for Ms Shaw Taylor. No longer an overwhelming de-
sire to be a guitar God(ess) but now with the confidence to accept that she is an accomplished

master of her craft who will be at the top of the pile for many, many years. Long may she reign!

Ian K McKenzie

Charlie Musselwhite—Mississippi Son—Alligator Records

Charlie Musselwhite needs no introduction as he is one of the
best blues harmonica players out there and one of my person-
al favourites. With his latest release, ‘Mississippi Son’ we get a
personal and intimate taste of the man himself.

The album opens with ‘Blues Up The River’ and is followed by
a cover of John Lee Hooker’s ‘Hobo Blues’. ‘In Your Darkest

Hour’ is a stripped back eight bar blues reverting to twelve
bars for the harp solo. ‘When The Frisco Left The Shed’ is an-
other laid back ‘Key To The Highway’ style blues whilst ‘Re-