Search - Kenny Neal :: Deluxe Edition

Sturdy Louisiana blues from Raful's boy

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 10/11/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Armed with a husky but soulful and highly expressive baritone voice, harpist Raful Neal's son Kenny is perhaps the most talented contemporary blues artist.

Kenny Neal plays guitar, bass and harmonica, and his abilities as a songwriter set him apart from the many artists who either rely on material by other writers or are content to play three-chord Muddy Waters-ripoffs. He mixes classic blues with tough, horn-augumented R&B, and this "Deluxe Edition" brings together many of the highlights from Neal's five albums for Bruce Iglauer's Alligator Records.



Kenny Neal's best album, "Hoodoo Moon", is being short-changed, which means that some of Neal's finest songs are missing, but there is plenty of good stuff here anyway. "Deluxe Edition" is an excellent way to get acquainted with Kenny Neal, and the fact that "regular" albums like "Hoodoo Moon", "Bayou Blood" and "Devil Child" are every bit as good as this compilation merely underlines the high quality of Neal's output.



There are up-tempo blues-rock songs here, like "Caught In The Jaws Of A Vise", soulful slow grinds like "Baby Bee" and the profound "The Son I Never Knew", and plenty of gritty mid-tempo blues grooves on songs like "Hoodoo Moon" and "That Knife Don't Cut No More".

Some listeners dislike the horn ensemble which backs Neal on many of these songs, preferring a leaner, more "classic" sound. I don't mind the horns, though; they're very well arranged, lending a lot of punch and texture to "Any Fool Will Do" and "Outside Looking In" and several others.



Neal's brand of blues is really more "hyphen-blues"...that is, blues-rock, soul-blues and R&B. But everything is delivered with plenty of conviction, and Kenny Neal is equally convincing on the acoustic "Morning After", a thoroughly authentic country blues, and on the driving rocker "Lightning's Gonna Strike".

This is a great place to start. Neal has yet to make a bad record, actually, and his best album, 1992's "Hoodoo Moon", stands as perhaps the best blues record of the 90s."

Great Stuff!

Joe Bucher | Eagle River, Wisconsin | 02/13/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First heard this guy's voice while listening to a blues channel on my dish system. "Blues FAllin' Down Like Rain" was the tune, and I dropped what I was doing to find out -- who is this guy? Have since purchased nearly everything he has done. All in all, a terrific blues talent with an enviable voice.Kenny Neal is obviously a master of the blues, playing with Junior Wells and Buddy Guy, when a youngster, but his style is truly his own. His voice simply can't be matched. It's deep -- real deep, with a pleasant growl. His harp playing on this CD is much stronger than it was on the newer "Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain". So is his guitar playing. My favorite cuts are definitely "Truth Hurts", "This Knife Don't Cut No More", and "Caught In the Jaws Of a Vise". But, Kenny Neal is one of those very rare artists that really doesn't produce a bad tune. You can listen to this guy for hours without ever tiring of him. About the only beef I have with Kenny Neal, or his record producers, is the fact that they keep repacking the same tunes in different CD's. BFDLR (Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain) is the only true new CD he has produced in years. Why this guy isn't crankin' out lots of new stuff is beyond me 'cause he could do virtually anything. There aren't many blues players out there who have the voice, the guitar, and the harp, but this guy certainly does. He also has the unique ability to play lots of different blues styles well. From swamp blues, to swing, to the deepest passionate ballads, Kenny Neal does them all very well. Now, just light a fire under this guy to produce some new stuff, and get him out on the touring circuit so the blues world can see him!"

Kenny Neal Deluxe Edition

Joe Bucher | 07/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kenny has taken some of the best from his early albums and made this compilation album. I bought it especially for "The Son I Never Knew", which touched my heart for personal reasons, but it's hard to get enough of this guy. He does it all--guitar, harp, keyboards, vocals, arranging, writing--and does it all well. And for you ladies, he is a piece of eye candy!
We're fortunate to live in Baton Rouge, LA area where Kenny is from, so we catch him when he's home. The halls are always packed. He's on his "One Step Closer" tour right now,so watch for him so you can catch him live."