Signé Furax (1981) [re Up]

The third album by Roomful of Blues (which they originally put out on their own label; it was later reissued by Varrick) has plenty of exciting moments that should interest blues and jazz fans alike. The nine-piece group in 1980 featured Greg Piccolo on spirited vocals and romping tenor, trombonist Porky Cohen, and the up-and-coming guitarist Ronnie Earl (then known as Ronnie Earl Horvath) as the key soloists. Most of the music consists of blues at various tempos, but there are also a couple of blues ballads and a feature for Cohen on a fairly lengthy "Caravan." The music is accessible, jumping and creative within its genre. Well worth searching for.

Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson could present stunning, poignant, ironic or gripping stories, and his vocals were ideal for the slow-paced, dramatic storytelling mode. Jackson scored several regional and jukebox hits in the 1950s with his stories of woe, fame, misfortune, tribulation and perseverance. These were consistent themes emerging throughout the 20 cuts on this CD reissue from a 1960 session. It includes three unreleased cuts and a song ("Johnnie Mae") from another album. Jackson wrote (or adapted) all of the songs, and this disc is a fine portrait of an often overlooked but significant Texas blues performer.–by Ron Wynn