Cross the talents of two veterans of the Louisiana blues scene with a former featured guitarist for the late Albert Collins and – in this case anyway – you’ve got an extraordinary mix of down home electric blues. If there is any flaw in this recording, it may be that the music is perhaps too perfect for the blues, a genre whose classics are usually grounded in more than a few mistakes and imperfections.
The CD liner notes for Homesick for the Road, penned by former OffBeat columnist Scott Jordan, make mention of how each member of this somewhat likely blues trio was in some way handed “the torch” of blues artistry by legends of the craft.
And this is certainly true. The multitalented Kenny Neal grew up jamming with his dad, Raful, one of a handful of Baton Rouge-area blues patriarchs and operator of a club where he often puts his simple but solid voice and harmonica chops on display.
Tab Benoit, of Houma, paid his dues at Tabby Thomas’ Blues Box in Baton Rouge, learning not only from “Mister Buzzard” himself (actually that’s one of Tabby’s older compositions, not his nickname) but also Raful Neal and former Little Walter pianist Henry Gray (“Cold Chills”). Kenny and Tab pay homage to Kenny’s pop with covers of two of Raful’s songs, “Luberta'” and “I’ve Been Mistreated.” Raful is part of the fun too, lending his harp and whiskey throated voice on “Luberta’s” last verse.
While all this may seem a bit incestuous, it must be noted that Debbie Davies brings some West Coast freshness to these Louisiana swamp creatures. With some sassy vocals and co-author’s credits on two of the 12 tracks, she proves again that she was much more than an Albert Collins’ sideman. Davies and the boys play their guitars with a’ mixture of grit, fire and silk while earning superb backing from Bruce Katz on the organ and Rod Carey on bass. The whole party moves fluidly ‘through originals and covers alike, from Benoit’s “Down in the Swamp” to Willie Nelson’s “Nightlife.”
Homesick for the Road is basically a modern blues lovefest grounded in tradition and probably won’t even disappoint the camp that would rather have their blues served up a little sloppier. These artists go together like turkey necks and boiled potatoes.
