2024 Release. In the trajectory of watching great musicians develop, there is no set timetable. Some appear full-blown right from the start, and others can take a whole career to get to that elevated place. Albert Cummings arrived strong right at the beginning and has kept growing over a course of endless tours and nine previous albums, right up to today with the release of the album Strong.

Albert Cummings is an American blues musician who is currently signed to Blind Pig Records. He has played with blues legends B.B. King, Johnny Winter, and Buddy Guy. Guitar virtuoso Albert Cummings’ latest studio album, Someone Like You, was recorded in Los Angeles with Grammy-winning producer David Z. (Buddy Guy, Prince, Jonny Lang, Gov’t Mule) at the helm. Said Z, “Albert Cummings writes, plays and sings the blues like nobody else. What a blast to watch him jell in the studio with some of the best musicians in Los Angeles.” One of those musicians was special guest Jimmy Vivino, leader of the Basic Cable Band on the Conan TV show, and Albert’s Blind Pig labelmate, who appears on three tracks. Master builder turned master guitarist, Albert has become a favorite of fans who love soulful, explosive rocking blues.

Although they might not admit it, fans of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan have been waiting for the next Stevie Ray to rise out of the blues-rock circuit, and while countless hotshot guitar slingers certainly have dressed the part, few if any of them have that same mixture of explosive skill and hard-earned soul. New England's Albert Cummings might just be the guy who can do it, though. Calling him the new Stevie Ray wouldn't be fair, certainly, but Cummings, a carpenter from Williamston, Massachusetts, has that same explosive, soulful and emotional tone that made Vaughan so special. He also is somewhat of an "aw, shucks" kind of guy, with very little show-biz about him, but when he picks up that Fender Stratocaster, sparks fly. True to Yourself is Cummings' debut with the Blind Pig label, and working with Double Trouble bassist Tommy Shannon is sure to draw parallels with Vaughan, but Cummings, although his guitar tone and attack are definitely similar, is a much more grounded songwriter, and there is somewhat of a domestic veneer to these tracks.

Albert Cummings is an extremely talented blues/rock guitarist, somewhat flavored with Stevie Ray, but certainly not a clone. His tone is stinging, the sound clean, and he varies in style but not in quality. His vocals are also above average, something that seems to be the downfall of many guitarists of this level. The band is three piece and both Don Chilson on bass and Ken Pallman on drums are first rate supporting players. Maybe more importantly than that, they are very complimentary to Cumming’s guitar and vocals, as the pieces of this band fit together like finely precisioned watch parts. Six of the nine tracks on the CD are Cummings originals, and again, of very high quality.

Ever since the release of his first album in 2003, the blues world has opened it's doors for Albert Cummings. A singer and guitarist who has played with many of the greatest players of the modern era, Cummings has received the kind of recognition that few others do. With it's 2022 release on Cummings' own indie label, Ivy Music Company, TEN is a full realization of the wider possibilities of where his music can go. The 13 songs on TEN are a compelling and emotional summation of what the artist has seen and done. The single "Need Somebody" begins the album with a sonic slugfest of back-alley power, the sound that Cummings has spent his life perfecting. Vince Gill lends background vocals to the standout track "Last Call". Upon hearing that Gill was interested in collaborating, Cummings recalled "I figured then it was a sign that anything can happen." He was certainly right. Blues is not a style of music that easily progresses, but this is exactly what Albert Cummings is able to do on TEN. Song Tracks include Need Somebody Too Old To Grow Up Hard Way Last Call Beautiful Bride Sounds Like The Road Meet The Man Two Hands Take Me Away Alive And Breathing She's The One Got You Covered Remember.