Anthony Geraci Daydreams in Blue

Anthony Geraci
Daydreams in Blue
Shining Stone Records

Anthony Geraci has had a lengthy career behind the keyboards. He has made substantial contributions to the bands of Sugar Ray Norcia and Ronnie Earl and been featured on over 50 recordings. Anthony Geraci's prior album "Why Did You Have To Go," I wrote, "There is so much to enjoy on this recording from the fresh, varied material from Geraci, his own consistently strong playing, a solid studio band, and terrific singing and playing." This latest album, his third as a leader, has 10 Geraci originals among the 12 tunes. He sings one vocal, with the other vocals handled by Dennis Brennan, who also contributes his harmonica. Monster Mike Welch, Walter Trout, Troy Gonyea, and Peter Ward are heard on guitar, while Michael 'Mudcat' Ward is on bass, and Jeff Armstrong is on the drums. Horns are provided by Scott Arruda on trumpet and Mark Early on saxophone, with Arruda, the principal arranger.

Musically this is a solid, varied program of blues and related music. There is the jazz-laced piano, biting guitar of Monster Mike Welch and fiery horns on the opening "Love Changes Everything" with its positive message. Then there is a Louisiana flavored blues ballad "Tomorrow May Never Come." The studio band is terrific and lending the music a relaxed intensity. Brennan is a capable, although not exceptional, singer. Walter Trout adds some scorching blues-rock guitar on "No One Hears My Prayers," with one of Brennan's most fervent vocals. Geraci is terrific accompanying the vocal.

Geraci takes the vocal on "Tutti Fruity Booty," a raucous jump blues rocker with tough boogie-woogie styled piano. "Mister" is one of two first-rate Chicago styled blues on this recording. Brennan's harmonica is spotlighted on this along with Geraci's Otis Spann piano pounding. There is a rendition of the classic Earl Hines recording that featured "Billy Eckstine, "Jelly Jelly," that allows Geraci to display a sophisticated touch with Welch adding a jazzy solo. One of the most memorable songs is "Dead Man Shoes," about thrift store used shoes and what kind of man would wear these shoes. It has one of Brennan's best vocals here as well as his atmospheric harmonica. Brennan wrote this song with Troy Gonyea and Peter Wolf.

A short instrumental by Geraci and rhythm, "Ode to Todd, Ella and Mike Ledbetter," is dedicated to Tom Hyslop, Ella Miller, and Mike Ledbetter," closes another entertaining recording from Anthony Geraci.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is a performance of Anthony Geraci from September 2019.