Linsey Alexander Live at Rosa's

Linsey Alexander
Live at Rosa's
Delmark Records

Reviewing Linsey Alexander's debut album "Been There Done That" in 2012, I wrote that it was "a most impressive blues recording which is one of the finer blues albums I have heard this year. His is a voice I want to hear more from." I further noted his fervent singing and stinging guitar in his 2015 follow-up recording, "Come Back Baby." It has been way too long since his last album, so this new live recording is welcome. His vocals and guitar were supported at Rosa's by Sergei Androshin, guitar; Roosevelt Purifoy, keyboards; Ron Simmons, bass; and "Big Ray" Stewart, drums.

"Live at Rosa's" is a pretty straight-forward recording as Alexander performs five of his originals and four covers. It opens with a fresh rendition of B.B. King's "Please Love Me," that avoids the "Dust My Broom" feel of most versions. Alexander's searing guitar is supported by Purifoy's organ. Purifoy takes a greasy solo here. Alexander also musically provides a fresh feel to Freddie King's "If You've Ever Loved A Woman." The insistent groove of Alexander's "I Got a Woman," may evoke "Mustang Sally." Alexander adds a fiery guitar solo. There is appealing guitar picking on the relaxed shuffle "Goin' Out Walkin'" followed by a soulful rendition of Latimore's "Somethin' 'Bout' Cha," with more strong support from Purifoy. "Snowing in Chicago" provides a driving funk-blues. The final cover is of a Muddy Waters recording, "Just to Be With You," although it is titled on the album "Ships on the Ocean" and credited to Junior Wells. Wells' recording is the inspiration for Alexander's interpretation, and Linsey sings robustly and plays perhaps his finest solo here.

Alexander sings convincingly with fervor, although there are a couple spots where his diction suffers. With solid backing and strong performances, Alexander's "Live at Rosa's" is a most engaging album of live modern Chicago blues."

I received a download to review from Delmark Records. Here is an older performance of Linsey Alexnader performing "Snowing In Chicago."