Sometime The Blues Got Me
Delmark Records
Coming to the US as a young immigrant, Breezy Rodio became part of the Chicago blues scene and in fact spent ten years in Linsey Alexander's band. This is his third album, although the first I have heard and his Delmark debut. There is a generous 17 tracks, of which six are interpretations and eleven are his originals. I am not familiar with most of the backing musicians with the exception of organist Chris Foreman. Billy Branch appears on two selections and there is a four piece horn section of which trumpeter Art Davis and saxophonist Ian "The Chief" McGarrie each get to solo.
Musically this is a post-war urban blues recording with B.B. King and Albert King being obvious influences and the horns provide a feel to these selections that evokes the classic B.B. King and Albert King sides of the the fifties and early sixties. Certainly this is evident in renditions of Lee Hazelwood's "Don't Look Now, But I Got the Blues," that B.B. recorded as well as Albert King's "Wrapped Up in Love Again." Rodio's vocals has a pinched vibrato sound at times, similar to that of roots-blues stylist Si Cranstoun, that some might find an acquired taste. Similarly, his originals vary in quality with a few focused on the theme of playing the blues, although the title track has its self-evident hook.
There are other selections of note including the jump blues flavored "I Walked Away," with terrific horns including McGarrie's booting tenor sax solo to go with his jazzier guitar playing here and the instrumental "A Cool Breeze in Hell," with some impressive Albert King styled guitar. Also he does a fine take of B.B. King's "Make Me Blue." Then he remakes the Delmore Brothers' "Blues Stay Away From Me" into a fervent urban blues, while Billy Branch channels the second Sonny Boy Williamson to enliven a relaxed shuffle, "Doctor From the Hood." On "Fall in British Columbia," is an atmospheric, wistful ballad with a lovely trumpet solo, while set against Foreman's greasy organ, Rodio conjures up Albert Collins on an strong original, "One of a Kind." Branch adds some strong harmonica and shares the vocal with Rodio on the closing "Chicago Is Loaded With the Blues."
Some may find Breezy Rodio's vocals a tad harsh and the original songs are uneven, but he performs with passion and is a terrific guitarist. He is handsomely supported on these wonderfully played, if perhaps imperfect, performances.
I received my review copy from Delmark. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 378). Here is a preview video for the album from www.breezyrodio.com.
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