Big Daddy Wilson: “Deep In My Soul” (2019) CD Review

Does the entire world have the blues? Seems like it some days, doesn’t it? Well, often the antidote to the blues is listening to some great blues music. Big Daddy Wilson’s 2019 release, Deep In My Soul, provides us with some soulful blues material, most of it original, written by Wilson Blount. Though born in a small town in North Carolina, Big Daddy Wilson discovered the blues in Germany, and has over the course of the last fifteen years put out several albums. Joining the singer on this latest release are Laura Chavez on guitar, Dave Smith on bass, Steve Potts on drums, Will McFarlane on guitar and backing vocals, Mark Narmore on keys, Brad Guin on saxophone and backing vocals, Ken Waters on trumpet and backing vocals, and Rick Steff on organ. Mitch Mann, Trinecia Butler, and Kimberlie Helton provide backing vocals.

The album opens with “I Know,” a cheerful burst of soul, complete with some delicious backing vocals. I love how they echo the title line. And it’s a love song. “I love you, baby doll, you know you are the one for me/Just the two of us, we don’t need no company.” Well, in these days of the pandemic, company is out of the question, so it’s a good thing she’s the only one you need. He then continues: “Anywhere you want to go, that’s all right with me/‘Cause in your arms, little girl, that’s where I want to be.” Ah yes, indeed. This song, by the way, contains a nod to an earlier studio album, Neck Bone Stew, which was released in 2017. That song is followed by “Ain’t Got No Money,” and being broke never sounded so good. “Ain’t got no money/But I sure got a whole lot of honey for you.” And you know, the song begins in a positive realm, listing everything he has. It’s not really boasting, but rather being appreciative for what he has. And he lists everything he can do for his woman. So, hey, this one deficiency shouldn’t cause too much trouble, right? Well, with unemployment hitting some crazy levels, this is a song a lot of folks can relate to and enjoy.

“Tripping On You” has a bright, kind of funky vibe, capturing that delightful sensation of being excited about someone. We’ve all admired someone from afar, gotten caught up in his or her aura, in that strange promise of what might be, and here Big Daddy Wilson sings of the woman who caught his attention. “I sit and wait for you to pass my way/Got something to tell you, but I’m scared to say it, babe/Somebody rescue me, I’m going crazy/Don’t even know her name, but I love that lady.” This song contains some cool work on bass and more great stuff from the backing vocalists. That’s followed by “I Got Plenty,” a track I’m into from the second it begins with that cheerful, delightful sound. I love that work on keys. This one too is about being broke, but being rich in friends, and is a perfect song for these days of division, worry and anger, offering a pleasant reminder to be the best person you can be. “If you widen out and open up your heart/You will finally see, love is all you need/Keep on living right, everything’s gonna be all right/The sun is going to shine on you.” And his voice is so friendly, that we can’t help but feel that we too have got plenty. This is one of my personal favorite tracks.

In “Hold On To Our Love,” Big Daddy Wilson sings, “So many people make the same mistake/Worrying about something others might say/You love me, girl, I love you/Hold on tight now, baby, that’s all that we can do/Don’t let their voices drive you crazy.” And those wonderful backing vocals seem to bring us all together. This is a sweet love song, in which he sings that he hasn’t been the same since he met his love. That’s a great feeling, isn’t it? Then “Deep In My Soul,” the album’s title track, delivers a good groove. This is a song about being a musician, a songwriter, and how it is not something one can control. The music comes from deep within, and is an essential and integral part of his being. “Behind these songs/Is the story of my life/Behind these songs/Is a whole lot of pain/A whole lot of love/And all the joy that it brings/I got it deep in my soul.” This track features some excellent stuff on guitar, and some really nice work from the horn section. Toward the end, Big Daddy Wilson tells us, “The blues will heal you if you let it, let it touch you way down.” Oh yes, we could all use a bit of that right now.

You know these days that a song titled “Crazy World” is one that is going to speak to all of us. In this one he sings, “You got trouble in the morning/You can’t sleep at night/I know you worry, baby/Something just ain’t right.” Well, those opening lines describe reality for probably the majority of people at this point. Is anyone getting a good night of sleep? This is slower song, delivered with passion, and is another of the disc’s highlights. “If you feel lonely, I’ll stay by your side.” This is certainly a crazy world, and seems to be getting crazier every day. “Voodoo” has a heavier sound, closer to rock, with a strong groove and some good work on keys. “Can’t get this woman, lord, off my mind/What is this stuff, I can’t tell/Could it be, could it be some kind of spell?/I don’t believe in voodoo/But girl, the things that you do/You got me, babe, I’m so confused/Make a preacher want to break all the rules.” The album then concludes with a bit of acoustic gospel, a traditional number titled “Couldn’t Keep It To Myself.” It’s a wonderful and very cool way to wrap things up.

CD Track List

1. I Know
2. Ain’t Got No Money
3. Mississippi Me
4. Tripping On You
5. I Got Plenty
6. Hold On To Our Love
7. Deep In My Soul
8. I’m Walking
9. Crazy World
10. Redhead Stepchild
11. Voodoo
12. Couldn’t Keep It To Myself

Deep In My Soul was released on April 19, 2019 on Ruf Records.