Joanne Shaw Taylor is an absolute treasure, a fact clearly recognised by the unstoppable Joe Bonamassa, who jumped on board as producer (alongside Josh Smith), bringing an analogue warmth to proceedings that perfectly suits Joanne’s smoky voice and superlative guitar work. To back Joanne, Joe has assembled an all-star cast including Reese Wynans, Greg Morrow and Steve Mackey (as well as the two producers), but it’s Joanne who shines throughout, the band recognising that with a talent such as hers, the best thing is to get out of the way and let her work. Released through Joe’s Keeping The Blues Alive, the album lives up to the name as Joanne works her way through personalised covers of eleven blues classics form the likes of Peter Green, Little Richard, Albert King, Aretha Franklin and more. As such, the album plays out as a tribute to both Joanne’s influence and the blues itself, and it is assuredly in line to sit high among the albums of the year.
The album opens with a rambunctious cover of Fleetwood Mac’s (the Peter Green iteration) Stop Messin’ Round, which sees Reese Wynans having a blast behind the keys as Joanne switches effortlessly from lead vocal to soaring lead guitar, and it surely gives the album one hell of a peppy opening. We’re into soulful territory next, for a brilliant rendition of Little Milton’s If That Ain’t A Reason (For Your Woman To Leave You), a track that makes great use of both brass section and backing vocals and, if you reach its end without a huge smile on your face, something’s gone horribly, horribly wrong. Magic Sam’s Keep On Loving Me is a brilliantly energetic piece recalling the glory of Nina Simone’s thunderous live performances, given greater weight by Joanne’s electrifying guitar work. The pace slows a touch for a haunting take on Aretha Franklin’s If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody, on which Joanne sounds so uncannily like Aretha, you find yourself checking the file details just to be sure. It’s followed by a sweet, toe-tapping number in the form of Little Village’s Don’t Go Away Mad. Originally a supergroup featuring Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner and John Hiatt, Little Village’s work here is given even greater weight as Joe Bonamassa pops up to duet with Joanne. The first half of the album is rounded out with Scraps Vignette a short piece that seems to have been saved from the studio bin by Josh. A slight, rather inconsequential piece, it plays out as a curtain closer before the intermission and it’s nice to hear the band members in what feels like a gloriously unguarded moment.
Opening side two, the fabulously wild-eyed Can’t See What You’re Doing To Me proves to be a typically blazing Albert King track, brought sharply into focus by Joanne’s stinging leads and given considerable warmth by the brass section. Reborn here as an all-star blues revue, if you’re not tapping your feet while grinning inanely, then you’ve missed the point, and it’s a great way to kick start the album’s second half. Next, we return to Little Milton for a gorgeously smoky take on Let Me Down Easy. Slow, subtle and soulful, it places the spotlight firmly on Joanne’s remarkable vocals for, while they always impress, there’s often so much else at which to wonder that you don’t fully appreciate just how good she is behind the mic. Suggested by the production team of Josh and Joe, Joanna dips into the works of The Fabulous Thunderbirds for Two Time My Lovin’, a track that, with its easy swing, feels custom made for Joanne. Joined by guest Mike Farris (Screamin’ Cheetah ‘Wheelies) for a gospel-infused take on Little Richard’s I Don’t Know What You’ve Got – all swirling organ and moon-lit harmonies – Joanne lowers the lights several levels, only to push them all the way back up for a rambunctious Three Time Loser (Don Covay). It sees the album out on a toe-tapping, rock ‘n’ roll high that will surely have the dance floor filling up when Joanne hits the road. A good-time closer for a good-time album, the only surprise in evidence is how quickly Joanne and her band have managed to make forty-three minutes disappear.
Beautifully produced and based on a fantastic selection of tracks, all of which are made over in Joanne’s own style, The Blues Album is, well, the blues album of the year. With a crack backing band at her command, Joanne simply rips, both on guitar and behind the mic and, best of all, you can feel the push and pull of a group of musicians having a damn good time in the process. Inevitably, there are those who mistakenly believe that the blues is depressing. It is not. The blues is about bringing joy from sadness, and The Blues Album is one of the most joyous records of the year. 10/10
