Main Blues

The long awaited new release by Kirk Fletcher (Mannish Boys, Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Charlie Musselwhite) was well worth the wait. Released on the Eclecto Groove label, Kirk shows great versatility. Kirk opens the disc with "El Medio Stomp" which absolutely rocks. If you don't crank this puppy up you better go see the doctor because you are probably a couple of quarts low. It features all of the best elements of a Stevie Ray Vaughan instrumental over a smoking hot beat, think Fat Tones Bobby Patterson in his best groove. "Found Love," a Jimmy Reed tune, has kind of a country and western feel to it. Kirk dusts off the Crusaders "Way Back Home" putting his own jazzy stamp on it with some help on bass from his buddy Travis Carlton and some fine smooth sax work. It is a great song that I have long been a fan of myself.

Kirk's version of "Congo Square," while interesting, I found it to lack the rhythmic punch I had anticipated especially since the song is about hearing the drums in Congo Square, "its an old time tradition when they play the drums at night in Congo Square" however on subsequent listening it grew on me. Kirk starts off "Blues For Antone" with acoustic guitar and then he plugs in and tears down the house with some serious slow blues guitar. "Let Me Have It Ali" is a funk fest complete with horns and organ, and "Continents End" is spacey Hendrix Axis Bold As Love psychedelic ... aah, wow! Flashbacks included.