TOMMY CASTRO BAND
Guilty of Love (33rd Street Records)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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Tommy Castro's debut CD on 33rd Street Records is one of his best. Guilty of Love features 11 cuts of full-throttle blues that don't let up from the opening "Guilty of Love," through one of my favorite songs done by Delbert McClinton, "Somebody to Love You" and the slow, easy blues of the set's closer, "Dirt Road Blues." The funky instrumental "Naugahyde" lets Castro get more than a little bit funky, and the title cut features the final recording session made by the late, great John Lee Hooker before he passed away on June 21, 2001. If you like your blues a little tinged with rockabilly like I do, check out "Shakin' The Hard Times Loose," which features a rollicking piano by sax man Keith Crossan and the powerful rhythm section of drummer Billy Lee Lewis and bassist Randy McDonald laying a strong foundation for Castro's muscular band of guitar-driven blues. Guilty of Love is one of the best blues releases of 2001, and continues Tommy Castro's fine recording career as one of America's top contemporary bluesmen.

Track List:

Guilty of Love * Stay With Me Tonight * Somebody to Love You * Blinded In The Face of Love * Whole Lotta Soul * Shakin' The Hard Times Loose * I Ain't Gonna Make That Call * Naugahyde * Ain't No Fun to Me * If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin * Dirt Road Blues

(Promotional Release With Guilty of Love)
TOMMY CASTRO BAND
Mystic Theatre Live (33rd Street Records)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

This 25-minute promotional disc, recorded live at the historic McNear's Mystic Theatre in Petaluma, California this past summer, is a record store giveaway accompanying Tommy Castro's debut release on 33rd Street Records, Guilty of Love. Mystic Theatre Live is also a perfect companion to his 2000 release on Blind Pig Records, Live at the Fillmore, because that's when Tommy and his band shine. Live at the Fillmore was one of my top five CDs of last year, and this promo disc captures the energy of one of Tommy Castro's live shows quite nicely. Live, in front of a blues audience. It may have a little bit more funk than his Fillmore set, but that's OK by me. His guitar work shines on "Sticks and Stones," the Henry Glover and Titus Turner song recorded by Ray Charles and his Raelettes. Well, Brother Ray will be mighty proud of Tommy's ten-plus minute version, and I'm sure he'd rock to the way Castro puts his signature on Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy." Tommy dedicates the closing song to John Lee Hooker, whose last recording session was on the Guilty of Love studio sessions on vocals on Castro's excellent full-length of the same name on 33rd Street Records. Track List:

Sticks and Stones * Chairman of the Board Holland Dozier * Mannish Boy * Guilty of Love

© 2001 - Eric Steiner