Nights Of Luna reviewed by Mark Nelson

Nights Of Luna

Willie May

Willie May Music

http://www.williemay-music.com

10 Tracks

Willie May is a veteran performer from the Buffalo, NY area.  The Willie May Band is a 5 time Buffalo Area Music Award winner.  The band has performed with dozens of national and international known blues performers.  Over the years there have been 13 album releases.  This is a veteran plying his craft.

“Tell Me Baby” is the opener, and reminds me of some old New Orleans R&B, with some punching horns and that rhythm we have all grown to love.  The vocals are a bit strained, but a good track.  The next track “My Big Rita” carries on in the same New Orleans groove. This is another quality track.  “Love That’s True” gets into the slow country blues harmonica backed groove.  Mike Silver provides a solid harmonica on this track.  The 4th track stays in the country blues/rockabilly  vein with “Trouble No More”.  This is great blues lyrics, with solid guitar work.  Next up is a slow simmering blues stew called “By Degrees”.  It has fine musicianship, but needs a punchier vocal to really carry the tune.

This musical gumbo takes us to the islands next with a laid back island groove of “Today’s The Day”.  Light percussion, kalimba (African thumb piano) a a bit of harmonica set the groove on this cut.  Willie takes us to an even more laid back cut  called “Laid Back”.  He is solo vocals and ukulele on this track.  It’s not half bad.  “Frog Legs” takes us to a full tilt boogie sound.  Great lyrics are here about his girl and her frog legs!  “I Gotta Girl” is the next to last tune.  Jim Wozniak provides a great organ groove, and Mike Silver returns on harmonica.  The last number is ”Plastic People”.  A bit of social commentary wrapped up in a 70’s hard rock tune.

Willie May makes a musical gumbo on the CD.  We hear many different sides to the music, maybe a few too many.  I enjoyed the CD, but would normally like a bit more focus with just 10 tracks.  Fine musicianship was heard across the disc.  I hope to catch him live one day, I bet he put ‘s on a good show.

Reviewed by Mark Nelson