Hans Theessink & Terry Evans Delta Time

Taking his cues from the '70s output of Ry Cooder, there is nothing in the sound of the Dutch-born and raised Hans Theessink that would indicate he learned his craft from albums and not from being raised in the swamps of Mississippi. His dusky baritone, greasy slide licks, and soulful male backup singers (led by Cooder vet Terry Evans who turns in a stunning performance throughout) plant him firmly into the deep South. The gospel feel of the title track, along with its subtle shuffle beat and rousing yet mellifluous supporting vocalists, sounds as natural as if he spent his entire life soaking up the spirits of the bluesmen he obviously adores. When he and the elegant singers harmonize on "Set Me Free," with pedal steel crying and longtime cohort John Sass' tuba counterpointing the bass, you can almost feel the flies buzzing around your head as you sit beside the banks of the mighty Mississippi…

Even a die-hard Big Bill Broonzy fan such as Theessink realizes the blues can't stay stagnant. That understanding helps makes his reverent combination of Delta blues, New Orleans R&B, and especially gospel so riveting. The Dutch guitarist/vocalist, besides being a talented singer and musician, is an accomplished songwriter. He uses the elements of his eclectic influences to create blues based tunes that pay tribute to their American roots without being hamstrung by them. He shifts from the J.J. Cale swamp shuffle of the title track and "Rolling Stone" (not the Muddy Waters tune) to the rousing deep Mississippi acoustic blues of "Train" and the folksy closing ballad "Man with a Broken Heart." Theessink's burnished, mellifluous vocals wrap around the material like a smoky haze, further reinforcing his obvious connection to blues and gospel…