Staying Power
It's rare to find a blues guitarist whose singing rivals his chops. Tutu Jones is one such; though his guitar work (heavily influenced by Freddy King and Albert King) is impressive, he's a fine singer as well, with a rich, smooth voice that's in good form on this album, especially on the slower songs, such as the southern-style "The Milkman Game," or the soul-inflected ballad "You Shatter My Heart." At times, Jones steps back from the mike and lets his guitar take precedence, including a few instrumentals that showcase his impressive skill: "After Midnight" and the all-too-brief "Romance Avenue" are a pleasure to listen to. What dominate on this album, however, are toe-tapping, mid-tempo songs such as "Daylight Caught Us Red Handed," "After Loving You," and "She So Fine." Far from indulging in musical or vocal acrobatics, Jones has turned in a solid soul-blues album that is a treat from beginning to end.--Genevieve Williams