Toronzo Cannon, "Leaving Mood" for New Chicago Blues Electricity

I used to think the blues was dead or dieing. It isn't. Among other things there have been some Delmark releases in the last couple of years that tell us Chicago is spawning a new batch of the real thing. Today's CD is a good example. It's Toronzo Cannon, his soulful vocals and his blazing lead guitar, on Leaving Mood (Delmark 817).

It's the hard blues, the electric blues, the soul blues. It has some of the heft of rock and soul. Toronzo is backed by a grooving band and Carl Weathersby joins him on guitar for a couple of cuts, but it's Toronzo all the way in essence. The original tunes are solid and have that something. Toronzo wrings all the feeling out of them onto us. He is a communicator and a bolt of soul lightning on vocals. His guitar has a post-Buddy-Guy sizzle. He's got it and he lets in loose on us in fine fashion.

This is real-deal blues. Get with it and you'll get what you need.