Forever Blue
Chuck Leavell admits to three passions: his family, his tree conservation, and his music. A bluesman to the core who's worked with theAllman Brothers Band, theFabulous Thunderbirds, andGov't Mule, the Georgia-based piano player touches the hearts of listeners here with solo performances of mostly original material. The title song pleases with Leavell's improvisations on blues sequences, his references to the history of blues piano tied together with an impressive craftsmanship. Genre-bender "A Lotta Colada," which he originally wrote for his blues-rock-jazz groupSea Level, displays even more of his creative musical mind. Leavell's "Song for Amy" points to the sunny jazz piano ofVince Guaraldi, and his ardor for life comes across most effectively on his Crescent City-directed boogie takeoff on the gospel staple "Walk a Little Closer."--Frank-John Hadley