 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Texas veterans puts out energetic album
|
This review first appeared in the Spring 1994 edition of Blues Revue Quarterly magazine (now Blues Revue).
Long John Hunter is a blues guitarist and singer who is likely to get a lot more attention in the wake of this release. The long-time Texas bluesman plays as mean a guitar as anyone, belts out vocals in the best blues shouters tradition, and writes very solid songs.
Hunter is backed here by the outstanding house band from Cliff Antone's blues club in Austin: George Rains on drums, Sarah Brown on bass, Derek O'Brien on rhythm guitar, and Mark Kazanoff on saxophone. These folks have backed just about everybody who's played at Antone's through the years, as well as on many of the albums on Antone's record label. They give Hunter's electric Texas boogie a solidly swinging back-beat with tight horn charts punctuating his guitar solos.
Hunter's uptempo blues/rock is from the same Texas traditions as Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Stevie Ray Vaughan and T-Bone Walker. It's danceable, listenable music that crackles with energy and outstanding guitar work.