Vizztone Label Group: Ruff Kutt Blues Band - That's When The Blues Begins - New Release Review

I just received the newest Ruff Kutt recording, That's When The Blues Begins, and I'm betting you're going to love it! Opening with Deep Elam Blues, Ruff Kutt wastes absolutely no time in getting gritty. Finis Tasby takes the lead on vocals and Zac Harmon and Anson Funderburgh the lead on guitar. The guitar working is stinging and Sax player Ron Jones really beefs up the bottom. Blues In My Blood with a strong funky back beat is up next featuring stinging guitar guitar work throughout. Don't It Make You Cry, a New Orleans soul influenced track gives Jones a great opportunity to play a super melodic solo. Oh Woman!, another strongly soul influenced track features some super vocals by Tasby and Jones pours on the heat on sax. Zac Harmon takes the lead vocals on Down So Low, a loping Texas style blues track with a healthy dose of slick guitar riffs. On Bare Foot Blues, Tasby returns to the mic and the band plays a swing style blues track. Wes Starr keeps things tight on drums and Gentleman John Street rides the keys. Funderburgh plays some really nice riffs on this track. The Blues Ain't A Color is a real clever track and a real swinger. Background vocals by Steven Richardson really give depth to an already rich lead vocal by Harmon. This track has some particularly hot guitar riffs on it as well. That's When The Blues Begins has a deep blues feel which takes strong depth from gospel styling. Vocal blending on this track is particularly strong and allows a nice spacing for really articulate guitar playing. I'm Over You Woman has a Albert King kind of sound again featuring Harmon on vocals. Going To Bluesville has a solid R&B strut. Funderburgh nicely punctuates Harmon's vocals with his guitar together with the band creating one of the most swinging tracks on the release. Let's Dance has a real nice groove and super horn work creating a super blues base. Tasby, back on vocals really delivers the goods on this track and Funderburgh plays a really relaxed but concise solo on this track making for a really cool track. On the finale, When A Bluesman Goes To Heaven, Harmon delivers a great punch on vocals and Funderburgh is right there dotting the i's. A guitar duet ensues on this track and the players nicely compliment each other. This a a really cool release and one that allows a number of really talented players to work together on a special project. I really like this release and I suspect that new fans will be made for the individual players as well as for Ruff Kutt!  

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