Recordings like this are not only a pleasure to listen to, but they're a pleasure to write about as well. It's so easy for the thoughts to flow and the words to come when your listening to sheer perfection. The need for creativity doesn't exist - that's all been taken care of by the artist.
My love affair with the ladies of song started out at a very young age, as I grew up listening to my father playing his Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald records, and it's continued through the decades right up to my current attraction for gals - who are all better than the guys - on American Idol. Now that blues is my passion, it seems the passion is still there for the ladies - enter JULIE BLACK.
On her debut CD, "CALL ME ANGEL FOR BLUES", JULIE BLACK is absolutely flawless. The confidence she has in her own vocal ability, the emotions with which those vocals are delivered and the talent she has for songwriting, are incomparable. Add to that the versatility to sing soulful, country, rock, jazz, Gospel and down home styles of blues with equally masterful results, and you've got the total package.
On "CALL ME ANGEL FOR BLUES", JULIE BLACK on vocals, is joined by: MICHAEL JOHNN on keyboards; DAVE EICHENBERGER on electric guitar; BILL SPICUGLIA on bass; MIKE THOMAS on drums and tambourine; MARK MURRAY on acoustic, electric slide and bass guitars; D. W. GILL on harmonica and saxophone; DENNIS MCCARTHY on drums and acoustic guitar; THOMAS J. HAMILTON on bass and bongos; HERMAN ANDERSON on electric guitar; DONNY KURYLIW on back up vocals.
"BIGGER FOOL FOR ME" opens the disc and JULIE'S voice immediately impresses you. Her range, on this somewhat of a country blues track, is very impressive. The electric guitar and funky bass playing by MARK and the blowing of the harp by D. W. also highlight the track.
JULIE'S smooth and sassy delivery of "FEELIN' STRANGE" gives the impression that, rather than listening to a young, up and coming starlet, you might just be listening to a seasoned jazz lounge singer. The soft and very tight sound the bands putting out behind her helps paint the picture.
When "MY DOGGIE DON'T" starts playing, if after 3 seconds you aren't snapping your fingers or tapping your toes - call a doctor. Man this one's hot. I'm sure the replay buttons gonna get some hits before this paragraph's done. On this jazzed up tune, JULIE is exquisite. The combination of D. W. and MICHAEL on sax and piano, the hot rhythm of BILL and MIKE and the great guitar work by HERMAN and DAVE help make this one of the discs very best tracks.
"BLUES LIKE ME" stopped me in my tracks. Since you can't type while tapping both feet and snapping fingers on both hands, I just gave up, sat back and thoroughly enjoyed another magnificent track.
MICHAEL and DAVE are at their peak on guitar and piano on a track that called have easily been called "The Gospel according to Jules". On this track JULIE'S gonna "set you free' and 'liberate your soul" as she goes about her business of "SPREADING THE BLUES". Great range by JULIE and great back up vocals by DONNY on this, another smoking track.
It's all about the vocals and the piano, one equally as sultry as the other on the very sexy "LOVE THIS MAMA". As a matter of fact, if I were to love this mama - this is what I'd want to be listening to as I did so.
"LEAN IN ON ME" is another slow, steamy ballad. She writes them as good as she sings them. This is more of the above with some hot saxophone added.
Other tracks not covered on "CALL ME ANGEL FOR BLUES", but outstanding nevertheless, are "CALL THE CARDS", "HURT MY BABY", "DEVILS CHILD", "BROKEN HEARTED BABY" and "GO AND GET HER".
While visiting JULIE BLACK'S website, I discovered something that excited me as much as "CALL ME ANGEL FOR BLUES" did. That's the fact that in just four weeks, she'll be playing at a nearby club. Needless to say, my reservations are already made. I recommend you take a peek at www.angelforblues.com and do the same. While you're there, tell JULIE she's got the Blewzzman sayin' "WOW!"