Rise Up
Stony Plain, 2020
8/10
A veteran blues musician with 4 decades of experience under his belt, the 4 time ‘Guitar Player of the Year’, Ronnie Earl, returns with a very topical album that was recorded just as quarantine was finishing, and touches on Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and Native American issues.
“I Shall Not Be Moved” starts the listen with Earl’s careful take on the traditional as soft and agile guitar playing comprises the 2 minutes, and ‘Higher Love” follows with frisky percussion and bluesy guitars that complement Diana Blue’s sturdy pipes.
With 15 tracks included, and nearly half surpassing 5 minutes, Earl and company easily keep our attention with meticulous song craft like the reflective, emotive instrumental “Blues For Lucky Peterson”, while the organ acrobatics from Dave Limina intertwine well with the spirited guitar licks of “Albert’s Stomp”. “All Your Love”, one of the album’s best, then displays Blue’s soaring vocals amid a soulful energy that’s as timeless as it is memorable.
Deeper tracks include the contemplative “Talking To Mr. Bromberg”, where a gospel influence enters the sublime atmosphere, and “Navajo Blues” finishes out the listen with dynamic interplay between Forrest Padgett (drums) and Paul Kochanski (bass).
With a good mix of originals versus covers and studio versus live recordings, this 27th album from Earl proves just why he’s one of the most esteemed blues musician that exists today, and he clearly shows no sign of deviating from that position, thankfully.
Travels well with: Albert Castiglia- Wild And Free; Joe Bonamassa- A New Day Now