The Blues Specialists N2Deep (Ariel)
Texas Platters
Reviewed by Christopher Gray, Fri., Aug. 25, 2000
The Blues Specialists
N2Deep (Ariel)
Dedicated to the late T.D. Bell and Erbie Bowser, N2Deep is a perfect blues memorial: upbeat, laid-back, and oozing authentic juke-joint ambience. The Blues Specialists have been ushering in the weekend at their Friday-evening Continental Club happy-hour slot for over a decade now, so it's no surprise N2Deep is a fine party-starting record; if you'd prefer to wait until the wee hours, it sounds just as nice. It's KUT's Twine Time all the way, a simmering tip of the fedora to Texas blues stalwarts Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker, and Freddie King that skates along at a tempo specially engineered for maximum swing. Vocalist Mel Davis plays the confident, assured bandleader, throwing in some tasty harp licks from time to time for good measure. Guitarist Rob Richardson executes those stinging single-note runs masterfully, while B-3 alchemist Lawrence Bell has obviously studied at the Jimmy Smith Academy of Groove. Bassist Clay Windham and drummer Weldon Gentry are as dependable as the mail. Steeped as it is in Texas/Gulf Coast blues traditions, the most striking thing about this 10-song set is that it's entirely comprised of Blues Specialists originals. For that especially, you can bet T.D. and Erbie are somewhere smiling and nodding along.
