Bman's Blues Report

First thing you need to know about Toronzo Cannon is, playing blues is his second job.   And when you first hear this album you are going to say, “Huh?”   But it’s true. Toronzo still drives a bus for the Chicago Transit Authority.   Maybe not for too much longer… Coming off what I am hearing was a series of smoking performances on the January 2016 Legendary Blues Cruise where he tore it up jamming with Elvin Bishop, Alligator Records released this album of all Toronzo originals. Chicago Ways is without a doubt Cannon’s strongest album to date.   In part due to excellent production by Alligator El Presidente, Bruce Iglaur, but mostly to the maturity of Toronzo’s own guitar playing and song writing. This album is the result of a lifetime of building chops working with the best bluesmen Chicago has.   The album starts off strong right out of the gate with The Pain Around Me and keeps the groove going with the somewhat humorous lyrics of Ba...