Keb’ Mo’ – Keb’ Mo’ – Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – Stereo Only SACD UDSACD 2054, 44:36 ****:
(Keb’ Mo’ – Guitar, harmonica, banjo, vocals; Tommy Eyre – keyboards; James “Hutch” Hutchinson – bass; Laval Belle – drums; Quentin Dennard – drums; Tony Draunagel – percussion)
Even though Keb’ Mo’ (formerly Kevin Moore) started his career playing steel drums and upright bass in a calypso band, he was destined to be modern blues man. Hailing from South Central Los Angeles, he represented an urban student of acoustic blues. Early career highlights included playing with Papa John Creach (Jefferson Airplane/Starship). A tenure as a staff writer for A & M Records led to the debut release of Rainmaker on a subsidiary of Casablanca Records. After a long stint with Bobby “Blue” Bland, he was primed to record his self-titled album for Epic Records.
Keb’ Mo’ is an accessible, uplifting blues album. He has a soulful expressive baritone voice and a natural acoustic guitar picking style that brings a sense of warmth to the material (eleven original compositions and two covers). He channels the rootsy sound of the Delta, with an innate sense of rhythm and conviction. “Am I Wrong” is quintessential, arranged with slide guitar and voice. It is a simple format that works to perfection. A comparable structure inhabits the expressive cover of Robert Johnson’s “Kindhearted Woman Blues”. It has the unmistakable feel of authentic storytelling. The acoustic guitar is played with organic precision and merges effortlessly with the gospel-tinged vocals. Another Johnson staple, “Come On In My Kitchen” benefits from rhythmic grooves, accentuated guitar hooks, organ and a wailing harp part. Both of these are bona fide versions of this legendary repertoire.
Unlike most blues records, this one has an upbeat quality. With the addition of a synthesizer (almost sounds like a calliope) and banjo, “Tell Everybody I Know” radiates a breezy jauntiness. “Angelina”, a tune about a roving love interest, maintains a buoyant tone. Mo’ is not trying to overwhelm the material with flash. But he can rock with the best of them. An edgier attitude heats up “Dirty Low Down And Bad”. Tommy Eyre executes a raucous barrelhouse piano run, while Keb’ puts a swagger into the vocals. There is a simple heartfelt feeling in his music. “City Boy” is an inspirational ballad that relates the inner journey of the metropolitan blues troubadour. This vocal is moving and bonds the performer with the song.
Mo-Fi has re-engineered this SACD stereo album with great results. The dulcet shades and timbre of Keb’s voice are captured with warmth and texture. Every detail of the guitar is rendered with suppleness. Keb’ Mo’s career accelerated in the next decade. He won two Grammys and became a staple on the blues and world music scene. This album is a testament to his gift.
TrackList: Every Morning; Tell Everybody I Know; Love Blues; Victim Of Comfort; Angelina; Anybody Seen My Girl; She Just Wants To Dance; Am I Wrong; Come On In My Kitchen; Dirty Low Down And Bad; Don’t Try To Explain; Kindhearted Woman Blues; City Boy
— Robbie Gerson
