Blood Brothers
Gulf Coast, 2023
9/10
Two of the best in the area of modern blues come together for these 11 guitar driven tunes that are powerful and welcome some pretty exceptional guest players, too.
“Hey Sweet Mama”, a Zito original, starts the listen with the duo’s charged and driving guitars being complemented by Ephraim Lowell’s lively drumming in the animated blues rock, and “In My Soul” follows with expressive singing and a soulful spirit populating another Zito tune.
In the middle, the always impressive Joe Bonamassa makes an appearance on the Castaglia piece “A Thousand Heartaches”, where the sublime intimacy benefits much from Lewis Stephen’s organ, while the gritty and retro-rockin’ “Bag Me, Tag Me, Take Me Away” thumps and shakes with an infectious energy of raw melody.
“Hill Country Jam” and “One Step Ahead Of The Blues” exit the listen, where the former emits flowing guitar riffs amid the crisp drums, and the latter uses hand clapping and minimal instrumentation in the Roger Tillison track that carries some swampy, southern flavor.
Zito and Castiglia both have exceptional solo careers, and together with Josh Smith (guitar), Calvin Turner (bass), Jimmy Bowland (sax) and Steve Patrick (trumpet) to name a few, they deliver one of the best blues records of the year.
Travels well with: Albert Castiglia- I Got Love; Mike Zito & Friends- Rock’n’Roll: A Tribute To Chuck Berry