Janet Ryan - Mama Soul (2013)

                                                                    Janet Ryan
 I just received the new release, Mama Soul, from Janet Ryan and it's a mover! Janet has a powerful voice and her band is really terrific. Opening with He Burned That Bridge which features some great piano by Chuck Mabrey and crisp slide guitar work by Jerry Sartain backed by Steve Howard on trumpet, Terry Vieregge on bass and Lavell Jones on drums. A laid back jazzy tune, What I Like Best, shows some of the best facets of Ryan's voice. Mabrey takes a nice organ solo nicely balancing the track. On Tired Of Talking, Jeff Robbins (bari sax), Mike Sizer (tenor sax) and Howard on trumpet really fill out the bottom. Ray Chaput plays some funky guitar riffs on this track and Sizer takes a nice walk on his horn. Chaput takes a Santanaesque guitar intro on Mr Misery, a polished radio ballad. This is a bluesy track that really gives Chaput a nice stage to play some of the most blistering riffs on the disc. What Was I Thinking is a very solid ballad that should easily slip into radio airplay lists and also showcases a real nice guitar solo from Sartain. James Brown influenced First To Say Goodbye with horns, keys and searing guitar riffs. On Love Has Left The Building, another bluesy ballad, Joe Meo really blows the doors off with his sax. Say Goodbye is a driving blues track with solid keys and Sartain again on notable guitar work backing Ryan on vocals. Sippie Wallace's Women Be Wise, is a great track and done with a lot of great feel by Ryan and Elliot on piano. This is my select track from the release. The release is completed by Take Your Shoes Off, a powerful chugging soul track. Chaput steps up with another real nice guitar solo on this track over Elliot on B3. This is a mature soul/blues release that should have good radio success.

320 kbps
127 Megabytes

Tracklist:

01. He Burned That Bridge 04:46
02. What I Like Best 03:08
03. Tired of Talking 04:50
04. Mr. Misery 06:31
05. What Was I Thinking 03:17
06. This Heart of Mine 04:35
07. First To Say Goodbye 04:00
08. Love Has Left the Building 03:58
09. Say Goodbye 03:16
10. Learn To Let It Go 05:29
11. Women Be Wise 03:25
12. Destination Anywhere 04:47
13. Take Your Shoes Off 04:01