Blues Art Studio
July 2010

Andy is one of the few solely acoustic roots players who have devoted their professional career (if not their lives) to keeping alive the raw, ragged and beautifully sounding original blues, folk and country music that was played in the early part of the last century by many an itinerant, roving unknown musician who left the Mississippi Delta and other regions of the deep south to eke out a meagre living as best they could in pre-world war America.

Andy’s wife Larkin Bryant; provides guest vocals and mandolin, duties on “Tennessee Blues,” together they give a tender and heartfelt touching tribute to the late Bobby Charles.  Jimmie Rodger’s”My Old Pal,” is given a more personal edge when Andy’s great friend Kurt Anderson lends his robustly gravelly vocal talents.

All the fifteen numbers here have a solid connection with the with the here and now; whether it is the serious darkly anti-social and brooding “Mean Talkin’ Blues” of Woody Guthrie” or the seriously difficult and slightly odd nineteen twenty-nine “Cairo Blues” by Henry Spaulding.

Whatever he plays, his heart and soul goes into each and every piece of musical history that he brings to effervescing life, just listen to the way he plays piano on his energetic foot-stomping versions of ”Honky Tonk Trains” and “Shake-a-Your Boogie.” Delight at the enticing Memphis Minnie classic “Me and My Chauffeur.” Or simply lay back and relax with the wonderfully acoustic sound of Henry Lodge’s nineteen hundred and nine “Temptation Rag.”

All the while, his captivating voice continually wavers and wanders between hope and despair, as did the lives of most of the original performers.

Education and enjoyment combined!

Recommended!

-Brian Harman

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