Ruf records artist: Mike Zito & the Wheel - Songs From The Road DVD - New Release Review

I had promised a follow up on Mike Zito and the accompanying DVD to the CD that I reviewed before Thanksgiving. I finally found a spot in my schedule so here we go. The concert opens with Didn't Break A Leg and I have to say it is a terrific opener. Zito and Jimmy Carpenter really smoke the place and that's no crap! Second up is Greyhound, a Keith Richards flavored country style rocker and Zito lays down some really nice slide work. Although the video quality isn't spectacular, the musical quality more than makes up for it. I Never Knew A Hurricane is a quiet ballad and Carpenter harmonizes nicely with Zito on vocal as well as plays warm sax solo fillers. Hell On Me has a cool boogie beat and Zito grinds out a really nice tele solo driven by Scot Sutherland on bass and Rob Lee on drums. Pearl River is a cool bluesy number with a great melody and light arpeggiated guitar work. Zito steps it up and rips the sack wide open on this track letting all the meat out.... very nice! Dirty Blonde is a swinging boogie with solid piano work from Lewis Stephens and super nice guitar phrasing on multiple solos from Zito. Dueling sax /guitar solo on this track really cooks! One Step At A Time finds Zito moving to a hollow body guitar and more of a ballad track. Vocal harmonies with Carpenter and strong piano support from Stephens make this a cool radio track. Subtraction Blues has a cool swampy funk sound and a real nice extended piano lead from Stephens. Zito's vocals on this track are particularly cocky and his guitar spanky. Very cool! Judgement is a solid rocker with full over the top horn work from Carpenter and manic guitar work from Zito. Smokin! Gone To Texas is a basic country rocker with straight up vocals and melodic guitar soloing. On Let Your Light Shine On Me, Zito takes center stage with only his hollow body guitar accompanying himself on vocal lead. The band rejoins Zito back on stage for Natural Born Lover and he breaks out his Fender necked v. Laying down some real nice slide work this is a great track for an extended jam. Excellent! Wrapping the concert and the release is Texas Flyer, a hot funky number with Carpenter chasing Zito's vocals with hot sax riffs. Changing keys and ripping a hot stinger of his own Zito gives the track extra zip. Carpenter really shows the power of the horn with a hot solo of his own. Zito steps back up and these guy cumulatively raise the roof. Excellent!

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