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Blues Duo Featuring Tracy K And Jamie Steinhoff - Canned Heat

Socan

Time-32:55

www.tracyk.ca

Another prized blues nugget from Canada in the form of a lively country-blues duo. Tracy K supplies harmonica and the majority of the vocals while Jamie supplies all manner of stringed instruments as well as two vocal contributions. Tracey is in possession of a good blues voice with just enough “frog in the throat” for a gritty blues delivery. Jamie’s bass voice presents a nice counterpoint to Tracy’s voice. Jamie’s guitar, dobro and banjo skills are the strong foundation to support the tunes.

This collection of half covers and half originals just flies by, whether it be a slow blues or a toe-tapper (sorry for the cliché, but nothing describes it better at the moment). And the only gripe I have here is the shortness of this record. You want a pleasurable listening experience like this to last longer. Oh well, I’ll savor what I have and hope for a bigger dose next time around. The twosome handles all the material with great skill and style. The only help they receive is bass on one tune, backing vocals on one and the occasional snare drum.

Memphis Minnie’s “Chauffeur Blues” gains authenticity from Tracy’s throaty vocal and sprightly played harp. She achieves the requisite mournful harmonica tone on her take of Barbecue Bob’s “Atlanta Moan”. Jamie’s reading of his original “Ditty-Wah-So is a fun, rollicking romp ably abetted by Tracy’s jumpy harp accompaniment. He declares “You’re the only place I wanna go”. His other original “Stolen Apple Jelly” is a tale of the duo’s practice of raiding neglected apple trees at night and making jelly from them. Both of his contributions interject humor into the proceedings.

The twenty’s chestnut “Everybody Loves My Baby” and “Lovin’ Sam” fare well done jug band style. Kazoo on the former and banjo on the ladder create the old-timey feel. Two Tracy-penned songs, “Tailor Made” and “Cowboy Blues” she displays her grasp of the country blues genre. Throughout the record Jamie’s guitar and dobro playing move things along quite nicely. “Heaven’s Joy (Olga’s Song)”, a song Tracy wrote for her aunt’s funeral could have easily come from The Carter Family’s songbook.

This is a welcome addition to the current crop of country-blues duos. The music flows along easily, perfect for a lazy picnic in the park. As is the case here, sometimes less is more. The two players interact like a well-oiled blues machine. Efforts such as this one will assure the continuation of this tradition in blues music.

Reviewer Greg “Bluesdog” Szalony hails from the New Jersey Delta. He is the proprietor of Bluesdog’s Doghouse at http://bluesdog61.multiply.com.

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