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Jimmy Burns & the Soul Message Band—Full Circle
—Delmark 891
(www.delmark.com)

This is a really rather impressive release from the
Dublin, Mississippi-born younger brother of Detroit
bluesman Eddie Burns; he has himself been a recording

artist since the 60s, after he moved to Chicago at the age
of 12, most often working as a soul artist, but as this
album proves, things are never quite that simple. Jimmy

has been making blues/ soul albums for Delmark since
1996 – this, his sixth for the label, is a little different from its predecessors though.

It goes without saying that Jimmy is an excellent singer. On this set, he has teamed

up with Hammond organist Chris Foreman and his band for a set that may recall to
older listeners the funky club sound of the likes of Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith.
But, there’s also a strong singer right out front tackling blues such as ‘Rock Me Mama’

and Big Joe Turner’s ‘World of Trouble’ (both favourites of young Mr. Burns), R&B
with a cover of The Five Royales’ ‘Too Much Lovin’’, classic soul-styled material such
as ‘Give Her To Me’, and some original and excellent borrowed material such as the

super-catchy, funky opener, Charles Wright’s ‘Express Yourself’.

There is jazz and soul-jazz in there too, and the band get the opportunity to stretch
out themselves on a couple of instrumentals – the cool groove of ‘Ain’t That Funk

For You’ and Buddy Johnson’s ‘Since I Fell For You’, the latter featuring some very
particularly impressive sax playing. If you like the sound of this release, do
investigate. Albums in this style – or of this quality – don’t come along too often.

Norman Darwen

Kyshona—Legacy/ Live from the Blueroom Studios—
Must Have Music
(www.kyshona.com)

Kyshona (Armstrong) is an African-American singer,
guitarist and songwriter based in Nashville. She begins
this set by introducing herself to the audience, giving a
family tree stretching back many generations. It certainly

makes an impact; it is a powerful statement in itself (if
you read the book or saw the television programme

“Roots”, you may recall writer Alex Haley’s difficulties in
his efforts to find out his family’s history).

But then again, the whole set is, subtly, extremely powerful. It is an acoustic offering,

folky at times, with several backing vocalists echoing her words gospel-style. If you