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CD14
GARY REX TANNER
BLACK COFFEE
Little Frog Records
What an album!! Black Coffee, the latest release from Gary Rex Tanner is one cool CD. Gary is once again joined by one time alligator wrestler and master slide guitarist Mississippi Slim, and also for this album The Kansas City Ripper on piano and organ.
The first track is the laid back Roulette with the Blues with some clean lead guitar and sumptuous backing vocals from Deena Russo. I thought when I first heard this song that maybe the whole album was going to be a low keyed affair, but my fears were soon dispelled when Backstreets of Hell kicked in and Mississippi Slim was playing some low down slide. The next two tracks, Kansas City Ripper and the title track Black Coffee showcase the boogie piano style of The Kansas City Ripper who really tears up the ivories.
There's fourteen tracks on Black Coffee all penned by Gary Rex Tanner who puts his own stamp on the blues with his clever and witty lyrics. A couple of the more serious songs are Somebody at Home, and Beautiful Friend both of them touching on jazz. I could imagine Ray Charles playing both of them, and the guitar lines on Beautiful People reminded me of Wes Montgomery. The feel changes throughout the album, never settling into one groove, from the uptempo boogie woogie blues to down home delta blues Gary Rex Tanner & Co. deliver the goods.
Hey!!! Every song on this album is a bloody gem!!
You can order a copy of Black Coffee at Gary's website www.garyrextanner.com and while you're there check out his other albums.
Eric Black
Blue Country 101FM
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