Delta Groove Music artist: Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars - Fifty Shades of Blue - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Fifty Shades of Blue, from Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars and it's great! Opening with deep R&B track, Everything I Do Is Wrong, Darrell Nullisch takes the lead on vocals and it''s terrific. Geraci is strong support on piano and Monster Mike Welch knocks it out of the park on guitar. Excellent! On title track, Fifty Shades of Blue, Sugar Ray Nocia shares the mic with Michelle Evil Gal Willson. This is a cool swing track and Geraci blasts off with a rolling piano solo. Monster Mike is on top of his game and really lays into it on this track giving it a hard kick backed by Michael Mudcat Ward on bass and Nevil Gouvin on drums. Sad But True has a cool Ray Charles feel led by Sugar Ray on vocal and harp. Monster Mike slips on the slide on this one revving it up and Sugar Ray breaks loose on harp. On slow blues number, Heard That Tutwiler Whistle Blow, Sugar Ray does a real nice job vocally digging in the Chicago grit with super punctuation by Geraci on piano. His masterful harp work really lays nicely on this track and Monster Mike lays in a few cool riffs of his own. Very nice! If You Want To Get To Heaven finds Willson back on lead vocal with a little Latin beat. Monster Mike adds some really nice guitar phrases over Geraci's solid piano work. Solid ballad, Don't Keep Me Waiting conjures up feelings of a smoky nightclub. Geraci really shines on piano on this track highlighted only by Norcia's vocals. Chicago style track, The Blues Never Sleeps, has a strong bottom with Nullisch on lead vocal. Monster Mike and Geraci plays hot riffs lightly over the track and Nullisch adds a cool harp solo. Geraci lays out a real nice piano solo complimented by Monster Mike to cap the track. Sounding a bit like The Band, Too Late For Coffee in 3/4 time features Norcia on vocal and a brief piano solo from Geraci. Washington takes the lead on Diamond and Pearls, a hip swinger with hot piano work throughout by Geraci. Monster Mike hits the groove running, laying down a solid blues solo of his own. Very nice! Sensitive ballad, Cry A Million Tears, features excellent vocals Nullisch with call and response with Welch, backed nicely by Geraci. This is an excellent track, likely my favorite on the release. Instrumental, In The Quicksand, Again, has a 60's rock beat with twin lead of Geraci and Welch. Hip drumming by Marty Richards keeps it tight and Monster Mike and Geraci both nail it on this one. Super! Norcia brings you to your knees with a sweet Ray Charles like track, Your Turn To Cry, dressed nicely by Geraci on piano. Sugar Rays vocals are the trick on this track but his smoky harp work and really clean piano work by Geraci is tops. Excellent! Wrapping the release is amazing instrumental, Blues For David Maxwell. This is a slow blues track which features really excellent soloing from both Geraci and Monster Mike and a little bass solo from Ward and even Native American Flute by Norcia. Excellent Closer!!

   

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