Music has an amazing power to bring back so many wonderful memories. When I was growing up, I have early recollections of my Dad playing rock n’ roll tunes on long car journeys and one such track was ‘The Wanderer’ by Dion (formerly with The Belmonts). This was probably my first real taste of music as a whole and as my love & appreciation for music evolved, these memories once again came flooding back in 1984 when Status Quo recorded & released their version of the same song for inclusion on their ‘Twelve Gold bars Vol.2’ album. Roll forward to 2020 and once again I find myself recalling those early years, as a now eighty-year old Dion has released a wonderful blues infused album entitled ‘Blues with Friends’, featuring a host of globally recognized artists to accompany the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer on fourteen original tracks.
The album kicks off with Dion joined by one of my all-time favorites Joe Bonamassa, as they shuffle through the up-tempo opener ‘Blues Comin’ On’ before Dion is joined by stars galore throughout the rest of this release. Former Stray Cat Brian Setzer bring his rockabilly sounds to ‘Uptown Number 7’ before the guitar legend that is Jeff Beck adds a bit of an unexpected country vibe to the slow ballad ‘Can’t Start Over Again’. ‘I Got Nothing’ features Blues Hall of Famer Joe Louis Walker on the electric six-string with accompanying vocals from Van Morrison before we get ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons adding a bit of slow growling blues to ‘Bam Bang Blues’.
King of Slydeco Sonny Landreth adds some wonderful slide guitar with a full horn section backing him & Dion up on ‘I Got The Cure’. If there is an artist who can turn his talents to most genres it’s Paul Simon, who joins Dion on ‘Song For Sam Cooke (Here In America)’ which highlights some nice vocal harmony work.
With a host of blues awards already behind her and at the youthful age of only thirty-one, Samantha Fish shows why she has well and truly earnt her place amongst such iconic artists on one of my favorites on the album ‘What If I Told You’. Stevie Van Zandt rocks it up on ‘Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More)’ before the album closes with a re-recording of Dion’s ‘Hymn To Him’ which originally appeared on his 1986 album ‘Velvet & Steel’ and which features some tasteful guitar work from Bruce Springsteen & backing vocals from Springsteen’s wife & E Street Band member Patti Scialfa.
Dion’s ‘Blues With Friends’ will be released on June 5th through Keeping The Blues Alive Records, a new label started by Joe Bonamassa and his manager Roy Weisman and is an offshoot of Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Bonamassa’s non-profit that aims to conserve the art of music and the rich culture and history of the blues. The label’s objective is to provide a platform for musical talent in blues and blues-rock based music and to help encourage the careers of extraordinary musical talent. 10 percent of all profits from the label will be donated back to the Non-Profit for promoting music education to students and schools in need. All Arrangements, Mixing, Digital Editing & Mastering by Wayne Hood. ‘Blues With Friends’ is a wonderful collection of differing tempos & vibes and a must of any lovers of the Blues.
9/10
TRACKLIST
Blues Comin’ On (with Joe Bonamassa)
Kickin’ Child (with Joe Menza)
Uptown number 7 (with Brian Setzer)
Can’t Start Over Again (with Jeff Beck)
My Baby Loves to Boogie (with John Hammond)
I Got Nothin’ (with Van Morrison & Joe Louis Walker)
Stumbling Blues (with Jimmy & Jerry Vivino)
Bam Bang Boom (with Billy Gibbons)
I Got The Cure (with Sonny Landreth)
Song For Sam Cooke (Here In America) (with Paul Simon)
What If I Told You (with Samantha Fish)
Told You Once In August (with John Hammond & Rory Block)
Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More) (with Stevie Van Zandt)
Hymn to Him (with Patti Scialfa & Bruce Springsteen)
