Stone Blue reviewed by Diane Mandell

Stone Blue 
Willie May

Booman Music
www.williemay
music.com
10 tracks/37:10

This is the 12th album out of 13 for Willie May.  The Buffalo, NY area native and his original band members (Ron Kain - guitar, Tom Corsi - bass, Randy Corsi - drums) have played together since the band formed in 1984.  May has performed on stage with a host of musicians such as Buddy Guy, Chris Duarte, James Cotton, Alvin Lee, Steppenwolf, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Otis Clay, Edgar and Johnny Winter, and The Climax Blues Band, among others.  May has played thousands of venues including Attica Prison.  He has written all the songs on this CD.

The album is a nice mix of blues, jazz, country, and rock.  "Stranger In My House" is a blues-jazz number about the breakdown of a love relationship featuring Ken Parker on sax.  May's distinct gravelly voice laments "I got a stranger in my house where my baby used to be."  Another track, "Where Did We Go Wrong" is a hill country-flavored tune featuring the guitar-pickin' twang of Carl Eddy.  "Showtime" is another jazzy number featuring Ken Parker on sax and Ken Parker on harmonica.   One of the best tracks is "So Long Ago" with May singing about loss and moving on with lyrics like "I don't look back anymore...that was so long ago." Another album definitely worth a serious listen.

Reviewed by Diane Mandell