MO

The first solo release by contemporary blues-based artist Keb Mo' mixes a reverence for traditional country blues with more streamlined elements of commercial pop. Keyboards, bass and drums (in addition to Keb Mo's contributions on guitar, harmonica and banjo) flesh out breezy soul-inflected pop such as "She Just Wants To Dance" and the island flavored "Tell Everybody I Know." Though gears continue to shift, from organ-drenched gospel to hillbilly lite, Keb Mo' brings things back to the source with inventive homages to the blues altar, such as in his re-casting of two Robert Johnson songs.

The duo known as Mo Boma (named after a pygmy girl's lullaby), is comprised of Carsten Tiedemann, a native of Germany, and Skuli Sverrisson, of Iceland, both of whom attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. Tiedemann's studies in classical composition structures and ethnic music traditions feature prominently in Mo Boma's style, which uses electronic music to create a ethereal, multi-textured sound that builds around Sverrisson's electric bass core. Sverrisson's own experience as a jazz bassist and improvisational musician also makes a major impact on Mo Boma's sound. The mixture of organic and electronic instrumentation help Mo Boma acheive a depth and complextity of composition that is somewhat rare in ethno-ambient music. Their second album Myths of the Near Future Part One was released in 1994 and was the first in a trilogy of works based around Myths of the Near Future by J.G. Ballard.

After a rather lukewarm outing on his own label in 2011 Cadillac Jack , Mighty Mo Rodgers is back in great form on this new Dixie Frog release. The theme, like the majority - if not all- of his CDs is about racial injustice in the US, which Mr. Rodgers is able to present in a form that maintains his topical and relevant message without alienating the listener -a very unique talent. Mr Rodgers is one of a kind with his Blue Thumb CD Blues Is My Wailin Wall an essential part of any blues collection.

The title is a tip-off that after the soul excursion of The Reflection, Keb' Mo' is getting back to the blues, but also that he's concerned with not limiting himself to just that genre. It's clear Keb' Mo' has a broad view of the blues, seeing it as the backbone of American music, a generous definition he makes plain on Bluesamericana. As the record rolls through its ten tracks, it amiably drifts across the country, touching upon the careening New Orleans stomp of "Old Me Better" as well as the soulful thrum of Memphis on "For Better or Worse." Keb' Mo' takes plenty of stops along the way, favoring a bit of Chicago grind and low-key Texas shuffles, but usually he pours it all into a relaxed, friendly groove that leaves plenty of space for his warm, cheerful vocals…

Seemingly coming from nowhere, Mighty Mo Rodgers packs a massive punch that makes you ask, where in hell he came from? A brief stint in music (his was the organ solo on the '67 hit, "Gimme Some Kind Of Sign," and he acted as producer for Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee) ended in disillusionment with the industry. A retreat into a Masters degree (with a focus on "Blues as A Metaphysical Music"), he has returned to make music with "something to say." His brand of "spiritual" blues is for the people and of the real world. This is no revivalist camp, however, but a richly musical charge that recalls the work of the late Curtis Mayfield. Rodgers' deep, warm vocals embrace gospel and R&B, and his voice alternates between a powerful growl and a gentle caress across arrangements designed around solid hooks that first seduce the listener before driving home their message…