Ronnie Earl & Friends
Ronnie Earl has lots of friends. That's the inescapable conclusion upon hearing the fineRonnie Earl and Friends, where Earl gets back to basics after 2000's jazz-inflectedHealing Time, along with guests such asJames Cotton,Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson,Irma Thomas, and Earl's fellowFabulous Thunderbird,Kim Wilson.Though Earl's guitar work shines, he gives his guests plenty of room as well, with material suited to their individual styles and abilities. For instance, Thomas's vocals on "I'll Take Care of You/Lonely Avenue" and "New Vietnam Blues" spotlight her characteristic deep, rich glow. Wilson and Cotton duet several times, but neither undercuts nor interrupts the other. As journalist (and Amazon.com contributor) Ted Drozdowski comments in the liner notes, "It is not a Ronnie Earl solo album, but a full-on collaboration between Ronnie and people he has known and loved for years." That observation is borne out by every note.--Genevieve Williams