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like Buster Benton here. The soul touches are even more obvious on the smoother ‘Running
Out Of Time’.
Then there are the contemporary lyrics of the straight-forward blues ‘That Ain’t All’, the
lovely classic sound of the opening ‘Let’s Have A Natural Ball’, which is also echoed on ‘Be
Mine My Love’, with its strong echoes of Wynonie Harris (who did the original). Another
cover version is ‘I Found A True Love’, with some tough blues guitar work indicating that
this is a Buddy Guy number.
Overall though, there is a modern streak to this album that makes it stand out from many
others. The sound is the blues for the most part, but it is the blues with a contemporary
twist, and that certainly makes it worth a listen.
Norman Darwen
(www.bluesshacks.com)
Guitar Jack Wargo—‘Til the Money’s Gone—War God
Jack is an in-demand guitarist based in Los Angeles who has
played with the likes of Ray Charles, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
and Solomon Burke. On this set, he certainly shows off his
rather considerable guitar skills.
He opens with the fine swinging shuffle of ‘Holla At Your
Boy’ and keeps things on the blue side from then on,
following it up with a gritty ‘We Need To Talk’ with its raw
blues-rock guitar riffing. ‘Tell Me Baby’ is a more traditional
styled early to mid 60s flavoured blues and ‘Hang Out Your
Tears’ slows the tempo, displays a slight soul influence and
has strong echoes of Albert King in the guitar work—it is a real highlight!
Proceedings veer from Chuck Berry via The Rolling Stones rock and roll sound of ‘Run Rudy
Run’ to the soul-jazz and funk inflections of ‘Searchin’’. ‘Deja Blues’ is another slow number
with echoes of T-Bone Walker in the arrangement and, again, Albert King in the guitar
work, and Jack’s very fine vocal (he sings well throughout, please note). ‘The Prowler’ is
something of a broom-duster, and ‘Tryin’ Tah Find’ has a strong Louisiana approach but is a
little over-busy, though the mellow ‘Tailor Made Suit’ certainly compensates and ‘Let Me
Down Easy’ is a more sophisticated, jazz-based number with blues guitar.
The album stays in this more mellow groove through to the end, with the fine guitar
instrumental ‘Blue Sapphire’, with its hit of Santana, and a smooth ‘Livin’ In The Blues’,
which actually is not a blues as such, though it is bluesy. In short, this is a fine individual
release.
Norman Darwen
(www.guitarjackwargo.com)