The album opens with "Jessie Mae," and right away we are chin-deep into some great blues, this song having a good, mean, raw vibe. JP Soars wrote the music, and Rev. Billy C. Wirtz wrote the lyrics to this one. "When she touched that guitar, the strings seemed to melt/There was nothing pretty about the cards she'd been dealt/She sang of places from long ago/And you knew she'd forgotten more than you'd ever know/Jessie Mae." Another line that stands out is "Even the devil called her ma'am," and following that line we're treated to a very cool lead on fiddle. Seems the perfect timing, doesn't it? Then "Go With The Flow" gets off to a great start with some delicious drumming that will perhaps put you in mind of certain classic big band jazz numbers. And when the guitar comes in, we realize we're in a couple of different musical worlds here. The guitar very quickly takes us into some delightful territory, with a catchy hook, while the drums maintain a great rhythm. There is a very strong bass line as well. This instrumental number is fantastic and is fun to dance to. In the second half, when you think this couldn't possibly get any better, Anne dips into "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" on fiddle.
The guitar sets "Viper" in motion, this song having that totally delicious gypsy vibe, and featuring a great vocal performance. "That girl's a viper, evil and mean/She's a snake in the grass, even though she looks like a queen." JP sings of trouble, and we can feel it, but it's the kind of trouble that draws us closer and closer. We can't help ourselves. There's a certain kind of darkness that holds tremendous allure, and we find ourselves immersed in it, willingly, happily. This track contains some wonderful guitar work. Is it an attempt to hypnotize that viper, to charm it? Perhaps. And maybe it works, But either way, it works on us. And the fiddle completely understands that, that instrument singing of our enthrallment, our captivity. This is a song that JP Soars has been playing for a while. A different version of this song was included on his 2014 album Full Moon Night In Memphis. Then "Paradise" takes us to a more cheerful section of that world, the fiddle being the driving force here, at least for a while. Then we are treated to some impressive guitar work. I love how this music transports us, out of our time, out of our normal space. This instrumental track is over far too soon.
JP Soars and Anne Harris get back into bluesy territory with "Goin' To South Carolina," the guitar leading the way, creating the path. "I'm headed down to South Carolina/I'm going to put my mind at ease/Well, I found a little place by the water/And the rent, it's kind of cheap/Think I might stick around for a while/See what the future brings." There is a laid-back, easygoing feel to this number, and the track features some pretty work on fiddle. This music itself will put your mind at ease. And, hey, don't we all need just that sort of thing these days? That's followed by "May Mountain Waltz," which immediately transports us to another place, somewhere in the great natural world, a world untarnished by pollution and greed. This one was composed by Anne Harris, who begins it with some absolutely wonderful solo fiddle work. This piece is like a fantastic breath of fresh air, and yes, it's a dance. So move the furniture out of the way, close your eyes, and let your body go where it will through the realm of this beautiful music.
"Old Silver Bridge" is a song in the folk realm, and is a soothing number. The music, and even the lyrics, help us to relax, help cheer us. "The sun is shining, ain't a cloud in the sky/As I look up to the heavens, everything is all right/It don't even matter that the fish ain't biting/Because I know everything is gonna be just fine." This is a song that lifts our spirits, that lifts our faces to the sky. Much of that is accomplished through Anne's work on fiddle. This is another wonderful song, and I love that it is not rushed, that it is given the time to stretch out. It is followed by the album's only cover, "Minor Blues," written by the incomparable Django Reinhardt. This one also has us feeling good, has us swaying, tapping our toes to the rhythm, and enjoying our excursion to this other realm. Who would want to return from this place? I love this music. Halfway through the track, the pace increases, and then dancing is the thing to do. The music then seems to joyfully shout, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Or perhaps that's just our response to it. There is even a cool lead on bass toward the end, and then a drum solo. Oh yes, everything is all right with the world.
The CD concludes with a glorious, epic number titled "Cigar Box Jam." After a cool introduction, this one takes us to some familiar territory, with nods to other songs, including The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" and what sounds to me like the end of Santana's "Black Magic Woman." If this song were on vinyl, it would take an entire side of the record (it's almost exactly the length of "Alice's Restaurant"). By the way, there is a vinyl release of this album (on beautiful blue vinyl), but this track is not included on it. Apparently, "Cigar Box Jam" is the piece that JP Soars likes to close a set with, and that's reason enough to make me want to see him in concert. There's a lot of great drumming on this track, which makes it a favorite of mine. And it's a tremendous jam. What a wild way to close the album.
CD Review
- Jessie Mae
- Go With The Flow
- Viper
- Paradise
- Goin' To South Carolina
- May Mountain Waltz
- Old Silver Bridge
- Minor Blues
- Cigar Box Jam
Gypsy Blue Revue is scheduled to be released on May 29, 2026 on Forty Below Records.
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