I'm pleased to announce the release of my new album, ”One Step Ahead of the Blues.” The album features stellar performances from blues guitarist and long-time friend, Mel Ford. Also featured are Moses Patrou, on drums & percussion, plus co-producer Al Falaschi, on saxes and drum kit. And Jake Johnson, who engineered and co-produced the recordings @ Paradyme studios.

The album kicks off w/ the rocking, uptempo “Lovesake”—a look at the joys and perils of finding love in the 21st century. Nice backing vocals from Al & Katie Cass.

“Back on the Road," is about the musician’s reality of leaving home & family for ‘a dollar & a song’. Tip of the hat to Moses for the cool harmonies and to guitarist Louka Patenaude for the tasty country pickin’.

“Blues Got It In For Me” was written during a break in recording. The lyrics practically wrote themselves. Listen to Mel play his blues guitar—this is the real stuff!

“For Better or Worse” is, of course, about a wedding—featuring a vocal duet w/ Katie, along w/ some Tex/Mex accordion.

The ballad, “Love’s a Lot Like That," tells the story of a man blind-sided by his lover’s sudden leaving.  Some heartfelt violin from Paul Zmudzinski and harmonica from Jay Stephenson. 

“Why’d Ya Do Me This Way” is a Latin-fueled dance number about a man who discovers that his lover is ‘one of the cheating kind’. Moses’ percussion chops are on the front-burner for this tune along w/ Al’s “call-and-response” sax riffing.

The ‘finger-pointing’ song, “Wasteland Blues," takes a hard look at what’s driving the world to the brink of extinction. Funky horn section work here from Al, with some New Orleans  ‘stank’ on it. A cautionary tale.

“Dead-End Love Affair” tells the fast-moving story of a couple whose romance is now “on the outs." Again, close harmonies from Katie and Al. Mel Ford adds the searing blues guitar parts to fill-in the emotional details. 

And finally, “Our Separate Ways” is a story of ‘what might have been’—did a couple really give their new love a chance to survive time being apart? Some  ‘slip-note’ country piano playing on the album-closing ballad.

 

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