KENNY BROWN
Stingray (Fat Possum)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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Kenny Brown's debut Fat Possum disc, Stingray, starts out with a down and dirty "If Down Was Up," a scorcher that's filled with chord-churning guitars that set up a strong rocking blues groove right from the start. When I heard that first cut, I thought "Kenny's got the blues and I'm glad for it." Brown gives "Miss Maybelle" some awesome slide treatment, and many cuts on this disc remind me of the high-energy blues work of the North Mississippi All Stars. "Shake 'Em On Down" may not resemble some of that song's earlier versions, but I enjoy Kenny's interpretation just the same. Kenny's blues apprenticeship reads like a "who's who" of more traditional Mississippi bluesmen: he's worked for 20 years alongside R. L. Burnside, who's enjoyed some well-earned acclaim. Kenny's also played with Mojo Buford, Joe Callicott, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Junior Kimbrough, and many others. Kenny's acoustic chops are in fine form on "Lonesome Katy Blues" and "You Don't Know My Mind," but I prefer the higher-octane blues of "Brought You to the City" and "Going Down South."

Track List:

If Down Was Up * Miss Maybelle * All I Want * Cocaine Bill * France Chance * Goin Down South * You Don't Know My Mind * Shake Em On Down * Lonesome Katy Blues * Brought You to The City * Fare Thee Well Blues

© 2003 - Eric Steiner