Dave Specter, Message in Blue

Dave Specter has a bunch of albums out but for some reason I have not heard them. That all is remedied with his latest, Message in Blue (Delmark 836). He heads a unit that does the soul blues in the best Chicago style, which means there are horns, electricity and grooves in no small supply.

I am somehow reminded of classic Paul Butterfield in the cohesiveness of the band, the dynamic presence of Specter's very excellent blues guitar stylizing and the electricity of it all. Now I am not saying Dave sounds like Bloomfield or Bishop, but he has his own way that goes far to parallel the noteful excellence of those players, but with his own reverb-drenched power.

Brother John Kaatke on keyboards is central and does some excellent vocalizing, as does Otis Clay.

The tunes stay with you and grow in your head, with a few classics and some new ones by Dave, all good.

This is contemporary Chicago Blues in the capital "B" sense, with authentic drive and a relation to past greats. I am digging the album very much. I can't see how a few spins won't find you there, too, if the blues is important to you!