SUGAR RAY NORCIA & THE BLUE TONES
Evening
Severn

www.severnrecords.com
 

This is blues harmonica ace, singer and songwriter Norcia’s fifth musical foray for Severn and, to these ears, they just keep getting better. With his accomplished Tones (“Monster” Mike Welch, Michael “Mudcat” Ward, Neil Gouvin and Anthony Geraci) in tow, the New England-based Norcia not only delivers exhilarating versions of Willie Dixon’s impassioned “You Know My Love,” Johnny Young’s fiery declaration “I’m Having A Ball” and Mitchell Parish’s moody classic “Evening” but proffers seven in-the-same vein, well polished songs of his own. The rollicking shout-out “I’m Certain That I’m Hurting” sounds like a lost Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris number while the cautionary “Dear John” features some of the most propulsive tasty harp work I’ve heard in a while. Other superb Norcia originals include his witty, talking blues complaint “Too Many Rules And Regulations” (that recalls Cecil Gant) and the vision-questing “Dancing Bear (Little Indian Boy),” where he picks up his Native American flute to great effect. Norcia and the Tones have been at it since the late 1970’s and it shows.

— Gary von Tersch