Bman's Blues Report

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Phantom Threshold , from Steve Dawson, and it's an interesting blend of blues and country. Opening with Cozy Corner with a meandering melody somewhat like a movie soundtrack, Dawson blends acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, and marxophone with Jay Bellerose on drums, Jeremy Holmes on bass, Chris Gestrin on keys and Daniel Lapp on violins providing a supple background for his solo pedal steel explorations. Very cool.  Ol' Brushy has a funky bottom with Gestrin on Wurlitzer, clavinet and organ, Bellerose on snare and Homes on bass providing a really strong framework allowing Dawson's steel guitar soloing in contrast with Gestrin's own melodic work. The Waters Rise is a pure C&W style melody with steel guitar lead over a rhythm strum on a National tricone and with really smart accordion work by Fats Kaplan. One of my favorites on the release. Lily's Resistor is a really nice track in 3/4 time...