I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Got The Blues, from Freddie Pate and it's quite cool. Opening with Willie Dixonesque, Let the Juke Joint Jump, Pate on lead vocal and guitar has a flashy, yet stylistic guitar style and just enough raggedness to his vocals to give it edge. Backed by Terry Dry on bass, Matt Johnson on drums, Lewis Stephens on keys and Mike Zito on rhythm guitar, this is a cool opener. On Elmore James, Sho-nuff I Do, Pate really belts out the blues and with grinding tone, tells it with his guitar. Stephens' piano work dances above the solid bottom of Dry and Johnson giving this track an authentic feel. Hank William's Hey Good Lookin' gets a 60's rock (Watusi) make over and I really like it. Alan Toussaint's Nothin Takes The Place Of You has a strong soulful delivery and exhibit's Pate's best vocals on the release. 12 bar number, and title track, I Got The Blues has a strong roll and Elmore James like guitar swagger. R&B track, My Josephine is built on a standard bass riff, answered by stinging guitar riffs. Willie Dixon's My Babe has just a touch of new Orleans back beat mixed in giving it that cool cache and Pate's guitar soloing compliments it nicely. Jolie Blond maintains a lot of it's Cajun origins including language. A rocking beat and driving guitar riffs give it additional spunk. Wrapping the release is shuffle track, Beer Drinkin Dog, a clever track that you would expect from Elvin Bishop. Well balanced between lyrics and guitar riffs, this is a cool closer for a cool release.
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