Paul Gabriel Man of Many Blues

Paul Gabriel
Man of Many Blues
Smoke Ring Records

"Man of Many Blues" is the latest CD from New England based guitarist-singer Paul Gabriel. Duke Robillard, who also plays on this recording, produced it. Gabriels performs 13 originals and is backed by an all-star cast of musicians, including Duke Robillard (acoustic archtop guitar, electric guitar); Scott Spray (a veteran of both Edgar and Johnny Winter bands), long-time Gabriel friend and band member Frank Davis and Paul Opalach (bass); Mark Teixeira (drums); Sugar Ray Norcia (harmonica); Bruce Bears (piano and Hammond organ); Lonnie Gasperini (Hammond organ); Howard Eldridge (vocals); Christine Ohlman (backing vocals); Mark Earley (tenor and baritone sax); and Doug James (baritone sax). This is the second album by Gabriel that Robillard has produced and it is dedicated to Gabriel's friend Georgia Louis, a 1960s Gospel and Blues singer.

The recording has a varied program of blues, blues-infused rhythm and blues and pop. Gabriel, to these ears, strength is his vocals. He sings naturally with a relaxed sense of timing that this listener finds appealing. He has written several memorable, adult songs that are handsomely played with some strong solos, but the performances are vocal focused. There is a celebration of music on the opening track, a New Orleans blues "I Feel Good." On the pop-flavored "Cold Cold Cold" with Mark Earley's tenor sax adds flavor to a song that has hints of the music of Steely Dan, and Hall and Oates. Sugar Ray Norcia adds his harmonica to the folk-blues lament, "I'll Be That Way Sometime." There is a Johnny 'Guitar' Watson funk flavor to "No Finance No Romance" on which Howard Eldridge shares the vocal.

"Blues For Georgia," dedicated to Georgia Louis, is a jazzy R&B instrumental displaying Gabriel's thoughtful, non-flashy guitar playing. There is the world-weary humor of "Second Story Man," as he traipses all across town with a woman who can't find her key when she gets home. Both Gabriel and Robillard have concise solos on this. Musically "Man of Many Blues" evokes some of Johnny Adams' Rounder recordings. It has a lyric about a person who took some abuse in his life but never took shortcuts with some biting jazz-inflected blues guitar. "Face Full of Frown" is a lively jump blues shuffle with a driving guitar solo. Dear John Letter" closes this CD in an album rock vein with some searing guitar.

 I do have one complaint, and that is the text on the album cover is very difficult to read. The red type on the dark brown background does not help the legibility of text. About the music, I enjoyed it very much. I might not call this is the best thing since sliced toast with orange marmalade, but Paul Gabriel brings sophistication and a deep blues feeling to these well-recorded, well-performed and delightful musical performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386), although I made minor stylistic changes. Here he performs "Blues For Georgia."