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on lead guitar on a couple of tracks, Rick Streff on keyboards, Bill Ruffino on bass and
James Cunningham drums. They suit the lead duo perfectly.

The songs are mostly originals and as I’ve already more than hinted, good ones too

– listen to the tight control of ‘Peacock Strut’, the tough, anthemic ‘’S-H-E-E-E
W-O-M-A-N’, or the adaptation of the hymn ‘It Is Well With My Soul’ (from 1873!)
that closes the set, now with a main title of ‘Memphis Bound’ to what is now a fine
tribute to Beale Street’s musicians past and present..

Lil’ Green’s ‘Why Don’t You Do Right?’ is a fine, jazzy number, updated to today, whilst
‘Deep Regretful Blues’ is a pounding blues-rock styled shuffle, but there are no poor
tracks among the ten here – each is well worth your time. Rather a fine release all

round, this.

Norman Darwen

(www.sunnybleau.com)

Micki Free – Dreamcatcher – Bungalo Records

Blues-rock with a little twist is very much the order
of the day on this six-track, 25 minutes long CD EP

from singer and guitarist Micki. He is a former
member of Shalamar who has also worked with
many blues and rock greats, and he brings many

varied influences to bear on the material here.

Things open strongly with the slow, powerful blues-
rock of ’When The Devil’s At Your Door’, sung

extremely impressively by guest Ray Greene,
vocalist with Santana and Tower of Power, among
others. Carlos Santana’s band also provides drummer Cindy Blackman Santana and

bass player Benny Rietveld. The funk-tinged ‘My Sweet Honey’, the fierce ‘Night
Crawler’ and the uplifting, gospel-tinged ‘We Are One’ are all fine examples of Micki’s
blues-rock style, but I did say there was a twist; take a listen to the two versions –

one studio, one live – of ‘Dreamcatcher’, where Micki combines the mellower side of
his blues-rock approach with his Native American flute playing. He has recorded five
albums of this style of flute playing – he has Cherokee/ Comanche heritage as well

as Irish – and the result here is a memorable and haunting instrumental that should
please fans of either style. The two versions are also quite different.

I was unsure what to expect when this landed through the letter-box. Now I’m

impressed.

Norman Darwen

(www.mickifree.com)