The album opens with “Blues Keep Chasing Me,” a song about having a lifelong relationship with the blues, not being able to escape. Yet it’s about not succumbing, even when you know the blues will maintain their grip on you. “I get back up and dust my feet/Can’t let these blues get the best of me/I’ve been trying, y’ all, doing the best that I can.” This track features a cool lead on piano, some great touches from the horns, and a nice jam at the end. Arnet Hayes is on piano on this track. In the disc’s liner notes, Kenny Neal dedicates this track to the memory of Lucky Peterson. He follows that with a tune written in tribute to BB King, “Mount Up On The Wings Of The King,” expressing the idea that as you dip into the blues, BB King will be watching over you, and that you need to take some instruction from him. Good advice, eh? “So don’t touch a string/Until you listen to some BB King.” As you might expect, this track contains some wonderful guitar work, in the style of BB King. This song was written by Eric O. Harper, Raye Edwards, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Kenny Neal. Christone Ingram joins Kenny Neal on guitar and vocals, and Sharisse Norman and Shontelle Norman-Beatty provide backing vocals. From one King to another, Kenny Neal then delivers a cover of “I’ll Play The Blues For You,” a song written by Jerry Beach and recorded by Albert King. This is a good rendition, featuring some wonderful stuff on both guitar and keys. I love the mood of the guitar work, and the passion behind that lead on keys. This rendition was arranged by Kenny Neal, with horn arrangement by Brandon Adams and Kenny Neal. “I ain’t got no big name/And, whoa, I ain’t no big star/I’ll play the blues for you/On my guitar.”
Special guest Tito Jackson joins Kenny Neal on vocals for “Two Timing,” a song about a cheating woman. Kenny’s daughter Syreeta Neal also sings on this track. “She gives me everything that a man can wish for/But when I leave, she don’t even close the door.” This song was written by Michael Kurt Jackson, who also did the arrangement with Kenny Neal. While most of us would think we’d end the relationship, there is some doubt about the outcome in this song: “I don’t know, I just don’t know how it’s going to work out.” There is a very cool lead on guitar in the second half. That’s followed by “Louise Ana,” its title a play on the state’s name. “Louise Ana, please come home.” This original number has a delicious zydeco sound, and features Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. on washboard, Big Nate Williams on accordion, Lee Allen on bass, and Kevin Menard on drums. And yet this is still blues, no question. I love Kenny Neal’s work on harmonica. This track is one of my personal favorites.
These are the opening lines of “It Don’t Cost Nothing”: “A whole lot of trouble in this world today/Got to come together and make it a better place/We’re all the same/Blood running through our veins/And if you let the evil get the best of you/You are the one to blame.” Yeah, this song provides a good reminder. “Spread a little love/It don’t cost a thing.” Sometimes it is difficult to keep from hating certain folks, and by now, those people should know who they are. Can we rise above their hatred, their fascist tendencies, their idiocy? We ought to try, and the horns give us the feeling we can do it. “Life is too short to waste your time with hate.” This track features some absolutely wonderful work on harmonica. Then Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. And Zydeco Twisters join Kenny Neal for another delicious New Orleans-flavored number, “Bon Temps Bouler,” written by Kenny Neal. This one features Anthony Dopsie, Dwayne Dopsie and Big Nate Williams all on accordion. “Everybody up on the dance floor/It makes no difference if you’re young or old/It ain’t jazz, ain’t rock and roll/Zydeco music is good for your soul/We’re going to party like never before/Come on, y’ all, and let the good times roll.” Indeed! My experiences at the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival taught me that the Cajun and zydeco groups know how to deliver the fun. By the way, I saw Dwayne Dopsie there a few times, and he is fantastic in concert. This is a cheerful number designed to get you on your feet.
“It’s Been So Long” is a seriously cool song written by Kenny Neal’s father, Raful Neal, who was known for his harmonica playing. Kenny Neal delivers some stellar and passionate work on harmonica here. Plus, this track features some nice stuff from the horn section. Another highlight, to be sure, and on an album that is full of great songs. It’s followed by a beautiful rendition of Junior Parker’s “Someone Somewhere,” featuring wonderful work by Darrell Jefferson on piano. And that saxophone lead is a delight. There is so much warmth, so much love in the playing and in the vocal performance. Check out that guitar lead halfway through. Terrell Griffin plays bass on this one. “Good things come to those who wait/And I’ve been waiting a long, long time.” Then “I Got To Tell Somebody” is one of those fun blues songs about a mean woman, this one written by Joe Caruso. Its great groove is one on which the band could jam all day. Kenny Neal takes us down to New Orleans one last time with the disc’s closing number, “New Orleans,” an original song that mentions the second line and leaving all troubles behind. “The place to go to cleanse your soul.” This track contains nods to “Down By The Riverside.” Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. is again on washboard, and Arnet Hayes is on piano. This track becomes a fun jam, leaving us in a great mood.
CD Track List
- Blues Keep Chasing Me
- Mount Up On The Wings Of The King
- I’ll Play The Blues For You
- Two Timing
- Louise Ana
- It Don’t Cost Nothing
- Bon Temps Rouler
- It’s Been So Long
- Someone Somewhere
- I Got To Tell Somebody
- New Orleans
Straight From The Heart was released on May 20, 2022 on Ruf Records.
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