Ok so since September of last year my wife and I have spent most of our days babysitting our 4th grandchild, Emma. We’re at my daughter’s house from 7 am until roughly 5 pm. The result is I don;t have a lot of time to blog and/or listen to music. But I’ve been trying to listen when I am out and about on the weekends and at night. Lately, the two blues albums that have been in my music rotation are the latest releases from two of my favorites. First came Albert Cummings latest releases Strong. Then came Mike Zito’s Life is Hard .
Both Albert Cummings and Mike Zito’s 2023 releases were among my favorites for the year. Albert’s album Ten was just flat out great. Well,in all fairness, Mike’s Blues for the Southside (Live) was also great! In this post I’ll cover Strong and post about Life is Hard later.
Strong – Albert Cummings
Strong is Cumming’s eleventh release and was produced by Grammy-winning virtuoso Tom Hambridge The album was recorded at Ocean Way Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
Cumming’s got his first big break In his musical journey, when after hearing hearinglay live, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton (Vaughan’s Double Trouble) produced and played on 2001’s From the Heart. Since then many of his releases have made their way into the top ten of the blues charts. Several have been produced by the legendary blues guru Jim Gaines. Currently, Strong is number 11 on the Roots Music Report Blues Chart, number 2 on the Billboard Blues Chart and number 9 on the Living Blues Chart
Steve Leggett wrote this about Albert Cummings in his biography at AllMusic…
His playing style weds the chunky, rave-up R&B stylings of Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan to the boundary-less blues-rock improvisation of Jimi Hendrix and Freddie King’s resonant phrasing. Further, he is a powerful vocalist possessed of a rich, expressive baritone
Every time I Iisten to Strong I like each song just a little better. I’m consistently impressed by Cumming’s guitar work and vocals throughout the album. Rock & Blues Muse says this about the album..
Strong is a sonic exploration of life’s highs and lows, love and heartbreak, delivered with a raw and unapologetic intensity that defines Albert Cummings’ signature style. From scorching guitar solos to soulful vocals, every note on the album is a testament to the passion and dedication Cummings and his band poured into the recording process.
From Rock & Blues Muse
The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line is Strong will be in my music rotation for a good long while in 2024. I’m sorry about this but Strong is a very strong album from a great bluesman, Albert Cummings. So check it out!
Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of Albert Cummings
Artist’s Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Amazon Here;s “Live Strong” from Strong Enjoy!
