FLAMING CHEESE/PLANET CO.
Blues
Taking their name from a Little Walter song, Florida-based Backtrack Blues Band have been performing together continuously since 1980. Lead singer/harmonica player Sonny Charles is the band’s chief songwriter, Kid Royal plays lead guitar, Little Johnny Walter rhythm, Stick Davis bass and Joe Bencomo drums. On Way Back Home, the band’s sixth album, Wild Roots pianist Victor Wainwright and a female back-up vocal duo complete the line-up capturing the full ensemble feel of Chicago blues. They deliver a dynamic up-tempo traditional blues set of six original songs in the classic style of Chess Records, integrated with faithful readings of Sonny Boy Williamson II’s ‘Checking On My Baby’ and ‘Your Funeral And My Trial’, the Little Walter Jacobs gem ‘Nobody But You’ and Big Joe Williams’ ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’. Their electrifying harp, biting guitar and solid grooves are well worth checking out.
By AL HENSLEY