Michael Powers
Prodigal Son
Baryon BYNADV-005
Michael Powers has sure paid his dues and can deliver a mess of blues to satisfy even the most discerning listener. From contemporary
rocking blues to traditional delta styles, he delivers an impressive collection of tunes. He was an original member of the Adlibs who had
the cult hit (Do Wah, Doo Wah Diddy, "Boy from New York City") and toured as a side man for years with blues legends such as James
Cotton.
He sings with a voice that has an authentic feel for the blues and puts you in a smoky club with a shot of whiskey on the table. This
blends well with his guitar playing, which is very solid. He has great tone and can play expressively exciting at times. You can really
feel what he is laying down. Michael is no ‘one trick pony,’ he can flat out play the guitar and take you on a nostalgic joy ride that
explores many forgotten realms of sound. The CD is an eclectic mix of blues that rocks hard with sonic excursions a la Jimi Hendrix,
yet also sits you down on the back porch with the laid back guitar artistry of the old timers such as Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker.
A very enjoyable CD, Power’s talent is strong and refreshing and while he has several covers on the disc; they are done well and capture
his own interpretation without straying too far from the original songs.
He starts with Freddy King’s "Going Down" patterned after the Jeff Beck version. It is a scorcher that pulls out all the stops. He then
settles down with Sonny Boy Williamson’s, "It’s a Bloody Life." The title track "Prodigal Son" sounds like it could of come off the new JJ
Cale/Eric Clapton album and is as smooth as it gets. "White Lighting" shows the funky side of his soul while he rocks it up on "Wild Side".
His cover of Dylan’s "Every Grain of Sand" has a country feel to it, accented with piano and organ lines reminiscent of Al Kooper. He even
draws inspiration and pays tribute to Love’s Arthur Lee in the haunting song "Signed DC" which is as about as down and out as you can
get. Other covers such as Blind Gary Davis’s "You Got to Go Down" keeps true to the finger picking style he championed and "Train Kept
Rolling" is very cool with a surf vibe. His acoustic original "Compassion" is simply beautiful and relaxing and reminds me of The Allman
Brothers’ "Little Martha."
Michaels Powers should be a household name; he has what it takes and has been doing it for a long time, maybe the rest of the world
will catch on!
I highly recommend this CD to blues lovers who like some variety and can handle cover versions with a fresh perspective.
- Jackie Don Loe -
Southwest Blues CD Review - February 2007
Current Reviews - 2007 Reviews - available at our store
