Johnny Mack
Gave Myself the Blues
TopCat
Records 0303
Yee Hah! Now this is what I'm talking about! It ain't no wonder Mr. Mack won the Ft. Worth Weekly write in vote for Blues Artist of the Year this year! He's kicking it! Check out the list of artists on hand to aid Mr. Mack in his house rocking ambitions: You got Paul Byrd, James Hinkle, Beerbelly Slim (a dichotomy if I ever heard of one), Edd Lively, Johnny Reno and Kenny Traylor. Just one helluva a bunch of talented blues performers all gathered together to make sweet blues music. What more could you ask for?
At the center of it all, we have Johnny Mack tearing it up. Check out the tune "Cross Town Girl" written by James Hinkle who wails the guitar and shares vocal chores on this one. It's a smoldering little song that really showcases Hinkle's tremendously great guitar ripping abilities. The title track is so sizzling hot it might take the ends of your fingers off when you touch the CD. Edd Lively and Paul Byrd pull out all the stops on this track for some fantastic guitar work. Add to that Danny Ross on piano and it just doesn't get much better. Johnny Mack's vocals are great. He can belt it with the best of them. He can romance a ballad faster than Arnold Schwarzenegger can put his muscled up foot in his mouth. Mack surrounds himself with a great crew of very talented performers. Check him out on the 1950's power ballad "Wait and See". It's as smooth as mango chutney. Johnny Reno on sax don't hurt this song any either. Insert my usual sax joke here. Robert Cadwallader knocks it out of the park with a dazzling display on the 88's.
If you are looking for a truly great blues CD filled with top-notch performances and fantastic showmanship, look no further than good old Cow Town and Johnny Mack.
- Bill Fountain -
Southwest Blues CD Review - November 2003
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