One of the most amazing comeback stories of the modern blues era was ignited by this astonishing album. Robert Ward hadn't recorded as a leader in close to a quarter century, but his melismatic, almost mystical vocal quality and quirky, vibrato-enriched guitar sound utterly vital and electrifying as he revives some of his own obscure oldies ("Your Love Is Amazing," "Forgive Me Darling," "Strictly Reserved for You") and debuts a few new compositions for good measure. One of the classic blues/soul albums of the '90s.

Shemekia Copeland has moved her recorded product to the TelArc label, has a new producer in Oliver Wood (who doubles on guitar), and pursues a style that seems more refined and less raucous or bawdy than on her previous recordings. The rough edges are shaved, maturity is settling in, and Copeland seems intent on doing things in a more traditional fashion rather than the stomping, tear-the-house-down approach she built her reputation on. She's using members of Col. Bruce Hampton's band in bassist Ted Pecchio and drummer Tyler Greenwell, occasionally bassist Chris Wood and keyboardist John Medeski from Medeski, Martin & Wood, guitarist Marc Ribot, and on loan from the Derek Trucks Band, keyboardist Kofi Burbridge for three tracks. These musicians liven up the proceedings considerably, and the production values of this effort are leaner and cleaner than her other discs. Copeland herself sounds incredibly focused and basic, far from slick but not dirty or messy on any level, and her themes reflect a current-life viewpoint that is part optimist and part cynic, with a big parcel of pragmatic realist.

Tennessee-born, Los Angeles-based singer/guitarist Adams, who has been a sideman for the better part of four decades, is billed to sing like an angel (he is from that City) and play guitar like a man possessed. It's not hard to buy. His vocalizing has a sweet, soulful quality ala Robert Cray or at times Bobby Bland. And his electric six string takes definite cues from his idol, B.B. King, who employs Adams at his L.A. club and shows up on two of these tracks.
Adams wrote 3/4 of these slick tunes, typically ranging from straight mid-tempo to downhearted blues about women. "Honda Betty" is as contemporary a theme as you'll find, and there are some T-Bone Walker-like shuffles as on "Jumpin' The Gun" and the cookin' "Good, Good, Good"…

The coupling of funky Crescent City guitarist Earl King with the East Coast-based Roomful of Blues wasn't exactly made in heaven (the band excels at jump blues; at second-line beats, they're fairly clueless), but it did mark the beginning of King's heartwarming comeback as a recording artist. King's songwriting skills were certainly in fine shape: "It All Went Down the Drain," "Iron Cupid," and "Love Rent" were typically well-observed originals.

Team one of the criminally overlooked blues vocalists inhabiting Chicago's West side with a tight young combo sporting a decidedly retro approach and you get this fine album, veteran singer Jesse Fortune's debut set. Guitarist Dave Specter & the Bluebirds admirably back the big-voiced Fortune as he recuts his Willie Dixon-penned USA label classic "Too Many Cooks," and shouts some lesser-known B.B. King gems and a few new items. Definitely a case of better late than never!

One of most celebrated and respected bluesmen working today, Joe Louis Walker, returns with some of the most electrifying recordings he’s done in his over 4 decade long career! This extraordinarily diverse set includes both incredible new compositions including the blues stomping opener “Uptown Girl Blues” and horn-powered “Bad Betty” as well as killer cover versions of The Eagles’ “Hotel California” and Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves Of London!” Includes special guest performances by Waddy Wachtel, Doyle Bramhall II and the incomparable B.B. King Blues Band! Walker is a road dog like no other and he has a string of shows lined up to support this album and excite his enormously supportive fanbase!

The Holmes Brothers are certainly one of the best blues discoveries of the 90s. Rough, gutsy, and almost unbelievably funky, they make music that seems steeped in the energy, dust, litter, smells and fumes of Brooklyn's neighbourhoods.
The brothers are Wendell and Sherman Holmes and Popsy Dixon (the latter the owner of the best falsetto voice since Al Green and the Reverend Claude Jeter), and this powerful, emotional, joyful and rocking album is their fifth. The songs, originally written and recorded for the film Lotto Land, stand proudly on their own - although if you do see the film you’ll understand how well they fit the bitter sweet story of the development of the two different relationships and a missing multi-million dollar lottery ticket…

Homesick for the Road provides a showcase for three fine blues singer/guitarists. The recording is clean and crisp, as is typical of the Telarc label, and the music cooks from start to finish. This disc provides an excellent introduction to each performer, with ample opportunities for each to shine. Debbie Davies brings to mind Bonnie Raitt, with her appealing vocal timbre and bluesy delivery. The youthful Benoit sings with an authority beyond his 31 years, making Screamin' Jay Hawkins' classic "I Put a Spell on You" his own. Kenny Neal has the scruffy, soulful delivery of a man who knows what the blues are all about. His "I've Been Mistreated" sounds like a late '60s slice of Muscle Shoals soul. All three of the co-leaders are excellent guitarists, and the band is solid and tight. Homesick for the Road rolls down the car window for an enticing look at three relatively young performers carrying the blues torch into the future.

It's an all-star blues extravaganza as legendary guitarist B.B. King brings a whole host of popular performers to the stage for a magical night of music captured live at the Ebony Showcase Theater on April 15, 1987. In addition to such classics as "The Thrill Is Gone" and "In the Midnight Hour", King is joined by such talented contemporaries as Eric Clapton, Etta James, Dr. John, Phil Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Billy Ocean, and Chaka Kahn in performing nine more songs including "Ain't Nobody's Business", "The Sky Is Crying", and "Let the Good Times Roll".

Robert Cray always flirted with gritty Southern soul, but it wasn't until Sweet Potato Pie that he made a full-fledged soul-blues record in Memphis. Cray hasn't abandoned blues, but he's woven punchy horns and sexy rhythms into the mix, resulting in one of his stronger records of the '90s. The material remains a bit uneven, but his taste is impeccable – few blues guitarists are as succinct and memorable as he, and the soul settings of Sweet Potato Pie only confirm that fact.

The combination of King and the well-oiled Philly rhythm section that powered hits by the O'Jays, Spinners, and Stylistics proved a surprisingly adroit one. Two huge hits came from this album, the Stevie Wonder/Syreeta Wright-penend title track and "I Like to Live the Love," both of them intriguing updates of King's tried-and-true style.