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Latimore – All About The Rhythm and the Blues

Lat Stone Records

www.henrystonemusic.com

11 tracks, 58.46 minutes

Latimore is best known for his hit song in the 70’s "Let’s Straighten It Out". He has continued to record and tour since then with his blend of soul and R & B. This CD was produced and released by longtime collaborator Henry Stone. All the songs are written by Latimore except for covers of "Everyday I Have the Blues" and "Drown In My Own Tears".

Musicians here are few in number and therein lies the problem. In keeping the personnel to a minimum, the sound becomes bland and rather synthetic. This is disappointing, as George “Chocolate” Perry, who provides bass, drums and strings, as well as mixing the album, is the very same person who played with Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Bee Gees and Joe Walsh. The only other player is Roach Thompson on guitar, all keys and vocals being by Latimore himself.

This is a smooth soul sound and while Latimore has a strong voice, the material is very one paced, so tracks tend to merge into one another. Several titles invoke the blues ("Singing and Playing the Blues"," Pass the Piano Blues") but there is little blues content in them.

The covers offer little new. "Drown In My Own Tears" is done well, but the version of "Everyday I Have The Blues" is one of the tamest heard in a long time. It is bland and lacking in any sense of anguish.

Smooth soul fans may well enjoy this one, Blues fans may want to pass.

Reviewer John Mitchell is a Blues enthusiast based in the UK. He also travels to the States most years to see live Blues music.

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