This is a delicious album full of traditional, acoustic blues music from an American picker now based in French Canada, Montreal. The music comes from a bellowing, billowing Jug Band of the old kind, full of whomping sound, style and love for the music.
The nine tracks cover the usual gamut of acoustic blues from Fred Mc Dowell‘s ‚Write Me A Few Of Your Lines‘ – a seldom heard number from one of blues musics true greats – through Blind Blakes ‚Chump Man Blues‘ and ‚Black Dog Blues‘ to the Rev Gary Davis classic ‚Death Don‘t Have No Mercy‘. There‘s even a neat take on John Fahey‘s wonderful ‚Last Steam Engine Train‘ for lovers of slightly more modern material.
Produced as a studio ‚live‘ take, like many these days, this album does indeed sound like a gang of buddies jamming, grooving and getting down and dirty with the blues music they clearly love. The now rare sound of a jug band backing gives the whole thing a delightfully different, captivating feel and sound.
Dan – aka Doc – Livingstone is a mighty fine guitar picker, with a seemingly natural affinity and empathy with that old-time country-blues. A recommended find, for sure. (Brouhaha Records)
