Frank Fotusky Meet Me In The Bottom

Frank Fotusky
Meet Me In The Bottom
Snappy Turtle Records

It was a pleasant surprise to receive this recording by fingerstyle blues guitarist and singer, Frank Fotusky. Fotusky showcases his wonderful, fluid fingerstyle playing and his amiable vocals on covers of blues from Bo Carter, Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, Jelly Roll Morton, Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Willie McTell, and others along with four instrumental originals.

Things get off with Bo Carter's "Who's Been Here," with Fotusky's deft playing accompanying his light-hearted singing of Carter's hokum-laced lyric. Following this is a charming lulling instrumental "339 Ninth St." The other instrumentals are similarly enticing. For Jelly Roll Morton's "Winin' Boy Blues" (listed as "Windin' Boy" on the album cover), Fotusky displays his nimble touch on a twelve-string guitar. More superb Piedmont style guitar is heard on Blind Boy Fuller's "Pigmeat."

There are well-played covers of Robert Johnson's "When You Got a Good Friend" and Leroy Carr's "How Long, How Long." The use of the twelve-string guitar and the wistful vocal make the latter song a highpoint. Other notable selections include a nicely paced "Trouble in Mind," and Blind Willie McTell's "Mama T'aint Long For Day," where he employs a slide. Almost all fingerstyle guitarists today bear the influence of Reverend Gary Davis. Fotusky pays homage with a buoyant "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning," again displaying his skill on the 12-string guitar. It is among the many pleasures to entice listeners on this CD. Released in 2015, I do wish I had come across this before.

I received this cd from Frank Fotusky. Here is Frank performing in 2015 several songs that are on this recording.