A French Quarter fixture known for marathon gigs, Jeff Chaz achieves a career milestone here that’s primarily due to having ample studio time with such A-list musicians as drummer Doug Belote and Wiseguys’ horn men A.J. Pittman and Ward Smith. Additionally, these dozen originals are not longtime gig retreads but actually make their debut here, with a couple being written in the studio.

Chaz shifts stylistically from track to track, so the album is not skewed towards any one idiom. Some swing madly (“Walkin’ with My Baby”), some roll with classic New Orleans horn lines (“Make Love to You in the Sand”) and some are drenching, sweat-soaked slow blues. He can be funny, too. On “I’m Goin’ After Moby Dick in a Rowboat,” Chaz adds that he’s bringing the tartar sauce. “I Am the Blues” is perhaps the most creative track—a first-person narrative where the protagonist is really the blues and its role in history.

Though he knows his way around the neck and occasionally unleashes a furious, note-flying jam (“The Mt Vernon Blues”), it’s not all about guitar playing. Vocals are what seal the deal, making Chaz’s songs captivating and performances strong (“Mysterious, Exotic Lady”). The immense heartfelt sincerity expressed on “Will You Be Mine” makes you feel it’s really you who’s proposing and pleading, not him. After decades of marathon performances, Chaz’ pipes are still amazingly sturdy, allowing him to hit high notes easily with bursts of quick, short screams. Look for a late career resurgence for Jeff Chaz.