L.A. Blues Alliance - What A Life (2007)

                                                              L.A. Blues Alliance
 Mike Post is best known for composing the theme songs for such hit TV shows as Law & Order, Rockford Files and Hill Street Blues. So, it may come as a surprise that another side of his musical passion is the blues! The initial disc by Post assembled L.A. Blues Alliance to record What a Life live in the studio; they did it with only a few takes, if that, allotted for each track and a democratic vibe in which each musician brought in both originals and blues favorites to the sessions. Along with production duties, Post took it upon himself to assemble a crack band that consists of guitarists W.G. Snuffy Walden, Keb' Mo' and Sonny Landreth, vocalist Amy Keys, bassist Bob Glaub, keyboardists David Morgan and Mike Finnigan, drummer John Robinson, and Stan Behrens switching between harmonica and tenor sax. Of the 15 tracks, eight are cover versions. Far too often on hastily assembled recordings of this nature, "cover versions" can be translated to mean generic or geriatric; but, upon first hearing Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line," reinterpreted as a gutbucket blues, it becomes clear that this is definitely not a paint-by-numbers affair. The musicians don't get hung up on one specific style of blues; they cover a lot of ground, paying homage along the way to Howlin' Wolf "Who's Been Talkin,'" Son House "Death Letter," Big Joe Turner "T.V. Mama," Skip James "Illinois Blues," Clyde McPhatter "Money Honey," Smokey Robinson "Shop Around," and Stevie Wonder "Maybe Your Baby." L.A. Blues Alliance is a rewarding musical endeavor that has the potential to go beyond a one shot dream project.

320kbps

Credits:

Bob Glaub - Bass, Percussion  
John (JR) Robinson - Drums, Percussion   
W.G. Snuffy Walden - Guitar  
Sonny Landreth - Guitar, Lead Vocals   
Keb Mo - Guitar, Mandolin, Lead Vocals  
Stanley Behrens - Harmonica, Tenor Saxophone, Lead Vocals   
Amy Keys - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals  
Mike Finnigan - Organ [Hammond B3], Piano, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals  
David Morgan - Piano, Electric Piano, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals  

Tracklist:

01. What a Life 04:23  
02. T.V. Mama 04:36  
03. Illinois Blues 04:12  
04. Baby Doll 04:22  
05. Maybe Your Baby 05:03
06. I Need a New Word 03:37  
07. I Walk the Line 03:42
08. Step by Step 05:22
09. Death Letter 05:34
10. Like I Do 03:40  
11. Shop Around 03:17
12. Who's Been Talking 03:26
13. It Don't Matter 04:09
14. Money Honey 04:10
15. Storm of Worry 04:08