DAN TREANOR AND FRANKIE LEE
African Wind (Northern Blues)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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Although 2004 is not over yet, I'll bet that African Wind on Canada's Northern Blues label is one of the most original CDs to blend traditional hill-country blues (think Piedmond to North Mississippi, please) with African world beat (listen to the kalimba and the djembe, and the original African version of the diddley bow, the umakeyana) to hit the market this year. Bluesman and African musical instrument builder Dan Treanor and soul singer Frankie Lee approached Northern Blues CEO Fred Litwin with a proposal for a CD through the Colorado Blues Society, and the results of this new collaboration is African Wind. There's traditional blues up in here too, particularly when Dan plays acoustic and harmonica behind Frank's soulful "Tell Me Mama" and the straightforward blues of "Got No Lifeline" or "Texas Son." Dan's sense of African and blues rhythms is uncanny, and Frankie's voice is pure soul, but that should be no surprise for a soulman who worked as a featured vocalist in the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. African Wind has many pleasant soul, blues and world beat surprises in 15 very accessible tracks.

Track List:

Missing * Mean Woman Blues * Love A Woman's Soul * Tell Me Mama * African Wind * The Griot Man * Got No Lifeline * Black Hanna * Cut With Dynamite * Kidnapped by the Blues * Texas Son * Who's Playing Who * Lonesome Road * True Love * Cane Flute Soul

© 2004 - Eric Steiner