Live
Delmark, 2019
9/10
Johnny Burgin had an exceptional 2019, with a pair of releases including this live effort as well as a studio album with Quique Gomez. Recorded at Redwood Cafe in Cotati, California on January 5, 2019, here Burgin and company offer us 12 new originals and a pair of covers done by artists who don’t usually play together, as he brings some of the best from the Bay Area out for the evening.
The set starts with the spirited guitars and rowdy harmonica of “You Got To Make Change” as Burgin’s sturdy and tuneful pipes steer the rhythmic playfulness, and “Can’t Make It Blues” follows with a calmer delivery where the soulful vocals shine amid the reserved musicianship.
Deeper into the listen brings us the percussively strong “I Got To Find Me A Woman”, where vocals from Rae Gordon add much to the timeless blues climate, while “You Took The Bait” benefits greatly from Nancy Wright’s proficient saxophone that helps find plenty of grooves. “Blues Falling”, one of the best from the evening, then recruits Charlie Musselwhite’s agile harmonica prowess and Kid Anderson’s sublime guitar playing on the dance friendly rocker.
At the end, “When The Bluesman Comes To Town” burns slower with all members displaying their respective talents, and “Jody’s Jazz” finishes out the record with Wright’s sax returning as dynamic chemistry unfolds with precision and adventurousness that you won’t forget anytime soon.
The sound here is fantastic for a live recording, as it’s clear that Burgin and his companions were all in fine form this evening. Not to dismiss the quality of his studio work, but you won’t hear me complain one bit if Burgin only releases live albums moving forward, cause this has to be one of the best live blues albums in recent history.
Travels well with: John Primer & Bob Corritore- The Gypsy Woman Told Me; Bob Margolin- This Guitar And Tonight