[FM] EARL SERATTE

[zollo]

HI-

This is a review of one of the best albums of
blues I've heard in ages:



EARL SERATTE & THE BLUES KINGS
Verite
Bluesmaster Music

By PAUL ZOLLO

What happens when you bring together a powerfully soulful
singer-songwriter-guitarist like Dan Kirkpatrick with a true blues
harmonica wizard such as Earl Serrate, and add to that equation the
formidable addition of a rock-solid rhythm section formed by bassist
Billy Salisbury and drummer Steve Gaynor? You get a new album of modern
and traditional blues which cooks with the best of the blues; brand-new
songs such as "Walkin' In Your Sleep" and "Keep On Movin'" that resound
with all the spirit and fervor of the finest classic blues. For all
lovers of bluesmen of the past who complain that nobody plays the blues
like they used to, say no more. This album is called "Verite" with good
reason:  It's about the truth - there's nothing contrived or artificial
here. This is the real thing, four guys who play and sing the blues as
if theyve been living them their whole lives. 
	The Blues Kings affirm Willie Dixon's famous dictum that blues are not
necessarily a down-thing, but can be as happy and uplifting as any other
genre. The Blues Kings plays blues which grab people. "We do up-tempo-
danceable-swing -jump-blues," Seratte said. "We do whatever we can to
punch it out there and we do it with a lot of power."
	It helps that everyone here is clearly a master at their job - Seratte
solos on the blues harp with an intensity and focus rarely brought to
the instrument. And Kirkpatrick here is a real revelation, a young
musician who sings with the soul of a guy who's been singing the blues
on the road for multiple decades. His guitar solos burn with a passion
and facility that falls somewhere between the eloquence of B.B. King and
the fluid fire of Eric Clapton, with whom hes often compared. Salisbury
on bass plays with a graceful, powerful precision that is the ideal
counterpart to the sturdy, substantial rhythmic foundation provided by
Gaynor on drums. 
	As mentioned, there's an appealing fusion of new and old blues here.
The Blues Kings reveal a real love of tradition as well as a healthy
reach into the future by combining classic gems such as "Walking By
Myself" and "Willow Tree" with brand-new blues that sidle up ideally
next to the old ones, such as "Why Don't You Love Me" and "Dont Drink
The Water," both of which are credited to the entire band. As Seratte
has said, the band plays "old classic blues rearranged for the new
millennium." It's a good thing that they do, because if it's one thing
this present millennium needs, it's a group that understands the depth
and prominence of the genuine blues, new and old. Thank God for these
guys - it just doesnt get much better than this. -
	Paul Zollo