Good Crook
Self-Released, 2025
8/10
The New Orleans guitarist and singer Chris Vincent brings his rootsy way to these 12 well thought out tracks that brings Johnny Vidacovich and Dean Zucchero along.
The title track opens with Vincent’s gritty pipes amid Vidacovich’s frisky drums in the raw blues climate, and “Midnight After All” follows with Zucchero’s bouncy bass alongside warm guitar and Vincent’s talk/singing.
Closer to the middle, “Skinned Knees” is a calmer moment of subdued instrumentation and vivid storytelling via a folk presence, while “Half Block Cadillac” is a speedy and dance floor bout of timeless blues.
Near the end, “Snakes” balances intimacy with dense guitar, as Vincent’s vocals draw us in, and “Catherine The Great” exits with the trio interacting with coziness, soulful exploration and much attention to detail.
A record that meshes Delta blues, hard bop jazz and roots sounds, the songs were tracked live, in single takes with no overdubs or autotune, and they represent Vincent’s unfiltered and sometimes haunting version of the blues superbly.
Travels well with: Jimmy Vivino- Gonna Be 2 Of Those Days; Arlen Roth- Playing Out The String