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CD Review: Sammy Dee, Business Is Business, 2007, independent
Eight of these ten tracks are original compositions by Sammy Dee, who is joined throughout by the excellent rhythm section of Bob Tiger on bass and Steve Saviano on drums. The project was beautifully recorded and mastered by Geoff Gray at Far & Away Studios in Boulder. Sammy more than lives up to his reputation as a top-notch guitarist here; there’s never any doubt about what lies at the heart of the collection, but looking beyond the instrumentation reveals something more than just another hot guitar album. Sammy’s writing has matured, as the stories told by the lyrics attest, and I think his vocals are more confident than on previous recordings.
There’s a lot to like here, not the least of which is the variations in style and tempo among the songs. Sammy has a fine ear for the things that distinguish the blues of Texas (which I believe are closest to his heart) from other regional sounds (Louisiana is represented by “Dog Days,” a languid walk through New Orleans, and “Sittin’ in Limbo,” a very tasty rhumba related to Jimmy Cliff’s reggae classic only by its title and theme; it’s my favorite track). Other selections (in no particular order) are the opener, “Behave Yourself,” a rocking number with some interesting stops; Willie Dixon’s ironic, high-speed “Too Late”; “Moonshine,” a lovely mid-tempo instrumental; the amusing Donnie Walsh composition “Bop Til I Drop”; the title cut, which takes a hard look at what happens when what is promised is not what is delivered; “Low Down Woman,” a mid-tempo shuffle; and “Strat Struttin’,” the closing instrumental, which really rocks out. |
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| by Jim Primock 3/31/2008 |
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| A Business is Business CD review printed in the Colorado Blues Society Holler Newsletter . |
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"If it's feeling you need then the blues will proceed to pass away the pain. Because Sammy Dee delivers the cure with a sound so pure that a sweet as a summer rain." |
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| by Bernie Cyrus 3/15/2008 |
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| Bernie Cyrus is a former Louisiana Music Commissioner who deemed Sammy Dee an "Honorary Louisiana Bluesman". Now a popular program host of radio station WGSO, New Orleans, LA. |
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Business is Business, is the quintessential blues CD and one which has helped me solve a dilemma. I've been thinking a lot lately about how to introduce people to the blues. I got it at 18, at a live show, but I believe a record would have lured me in. Most of my friends have children, and I occupy myself wondering which shows or CDs would be best to get them hooked. This is not so easy, because if you fail to turn them on the first time, they may come at it with a predisposition after that. Same for a lot of adults, which is why I love this CD. Sammy Dee is, for lack of a more original term, a man's man. Or, in this case, a bluesman's bluesman, and this CD holds all the elements necessary to hook any first-time listener. Personally, the opening song, "Behave Yourself" is my favorite. Right now. A couple of days ago it was "Too Late." "Moonshine" is an exquisite instrumental which demonstrates Sammy's proficiency as a guitarist, clean and tight. His vocals are strong and solid, leading me to imagine this is what Johnny Cash would have sounded like had he been straight up bluesman. I even heard some hints of Elvis in that voice. So, if any of you are willing to admit to having non-blues loving friends, this is one CD no one with ears can resist, so hit Sammy's site and pick up a couple. |
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| by Honey Sepeda 12/20/2008 |
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| from the Boulder Home of the Blues Blues News 18 newsletter |
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