Sugar Ray & The Bluetones "Evening"

 

 

Sugar Ray Norcia is truly a Blues artists whom has lived and continues to live his dream. Hailing from a sleepy coastal town in Connecticut and blessed with a father who was a voice teacher and a mother who was a Jazz singer, it was destiny that music and singing would be a huge part of Sugar Ray's life and has lead him to being called one of the world's finest Blues singers.

 

Honing of his vocal skill cames early with him joining his first band in high school called Linseed Sam & the Oilers. In 1979 his career really took off with the forming of Sugar Ray & The Bluetones, with none other then Guitar icon Ronnie Earl. As a singer Sugar Ray has appeared on over 50 albums, which included albums with, The Blue Tones, Ronnie Earl, Roomful of Blues, Pinetop Perkins, and Duke Robillard, to name just a few. Sugar Ray collaborated with James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, and Billy Branch, on his 1999 Grammy Nominated album "Super Harps". In the 90's Sugar Ray also did a stint with Roomful of Blues for 7 years and was part of their Grammy Nominated album "Turn It On, Turn It Up", in 1996. Now back with The Bluetones, they release yet another sure to be great album called "Evening" via Severn Records, whom by the way, just received a 2012 Keeping The Blues Alive Award for in the category of Record Label.

 

"Evening" consists of 12 very powerful and moving Tracks, of which Sugar Ray penned 7 of them. Joining Sugar Ray are his magnificent Bluetones consisting of "Monster" Mike Welch (Guitar/Background Vocals), Michael "Mudcat" Ward (Electric/Acoustic Bass), Neil Gouvin (Drums), and Anthony Geraci (Piano). Both "Monster" Mike Welch and Michael "Mudcat" Ward each penned a Track, with "Monster" Mike Welch writing Track 2 "Hard To Get Along With" and Michael "Mudcat" Ward penning Track 10 "(That's Not Yet) One Of My Blues). In addition to Vocals, Sugar Ray also plays a mean Harp on this album as well as a Native American Flute.   "Evening" was produced by Sugar Ray & The Bluetones and David Earl. David Earl also Recorded and Mixed this album.

 

"Evening" starts off with the cover of Johnny Young's "I'm Having A Ball" and from that opening Track you are pretty well assured of the great Chicago Blues ride you are about to take. Highlight performers on that Track included Sugar Ray on Harmonica and Anthony Geraci on Piano. The other 2 covers on "Evening" included a Willie Dixon song "You Know My Love", a song Otis Rush made famous, and the title Track "Evening", which is a song written by the "Song Writer Hall Of Fame duo of Mitchell Parish and Harry White", and was first made famous when T-Bone Walker recorded it. Sugar Ray shows off his great Harmonica skills on this one.

 

There is no doubt that Sugar Ray's forte' is his Vocals, but "Evening" also shows us another amazing side and that his song writing skills, which believe me are second to none on this album.

The favorites I chose from "Evening" were of the more up tempo variety and included, Track 1 "I'm Having A Ball", Track 9 "I Came Down With The Blues, and Track 11 "I'm Certain That I'm Hurting", but don't think I didn't enjoy the other songs on "Evening", because I surely did, especially the hauntingly exquisite Track 7 "Dancing Bear", which opens with Sugar Ray playing the Native American Flute, which sits the scene beautifully for that one.

 

"Evening" certainly accomplishes what it set out to accomplish, by bringing us 12 Tracks of intensely good music, from a band and band leader, that you would be hard pressed to find a better bunch of artists.

 

"Evening" contains a really nice mix up slow and more up tempo numbers sure to please everyone. With great Harp, Piano, Drums, Guitar, Bass, and Vocals, "Evening" comes across as a very solid Blues album.

 

"Evening" gets my highest rating of 5*****, with enthusiasm. Highly Recommended and Thoroughly Enjoyed...

 

Review by John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

 

Listen To Samples Here...