Kiss of Sweet Blues
Guitarist Lurrie Bell's third album for Delmark is one sweet package, chock-full of first-rate guitar work and rich vocals in the classic Chicago style. The son of harmonica player Carey Bell, the younger Bell has been through considerable ups and downs in his career. When he gets his work down on record, though, the results are more than worth hearing. Bell has a sure, deft touch on the guitar; ripples of notes seem to fall effortlessly from his fingers, whether he's tackling the upbeat and attitudinal ("Wicked Hearted Woman," "Don't Ask Me Why") or the slow and sensual ("Blues and Black Coffee," "After Hours"). And he's a more-than-capable songwriter, as well. With Bell, what will happen next is always an open question, but one can only hope he'll turn out more work like this. --Genevieve Williams