NICK MOSS

Here I Am

Blue Bella 1017

By Eric Steiner

Nick Moss took contemporary blues in some very different directions on his Privileged release from 2010; on Here I Am, Nick continues to redefine modern blues with a diverse set of 10 original songs that range from full-tilt rock ‘n’ roll, a little funk, and a couple of tried-and-true blues jams that merit repeat visits.  Nick rocks pretty hard on this disc, but there’s enough here to pique the interest of so-called “blues purists” as well as fans of fellow award-winning Chicago guitar players like Buddy Guy and Rob Blaine.

            The CD begins with a powerful “Why You So Mean?” about a country girl who becomes citified. The next cut, “Blood Runs,” demonstrates that his studio band is in the same class as Nick’s former group, the Flip Tops. Bassist Niky “Skillz” Skilnik and drummer Patrick Seals’ engine room is tight; Travis Reed’s keyboards add depth to another contemporary blues song about a worker’s life on the margins of the American dream (it’s a song that would have fit nicely on Nick’s social commentaries on Privileged). 

            Nick rocks pretty hard on this disc, and the title tune would not be out of place alongside some of my favorite Led Zeppelin records from the ‘70s.  Travis Reed’s keyboards usher in “It’ll Turn Around,” and it reminds me of slow, thoughtful and soulful songs that have helped define Memphis music.  Each time I listen to this song, I marvel at the way Nick blends over-the-top guitar solos against the passionate background vocals of Jennifer Evans, Shuree Rivera, and Michael Ledbetter. Happily, the CD includes a shorter radio edit of this decidedly bluesy number, as it will give radio programmers an alternative to the eight-plus minute version. 

Nick’s “Katie Ann (Slight Return)” is a simple and direct love song with a driving beat and a commanding guitar solo. “Sunday Get Together” sounds like a jam session captured in a juke joint, complete with background noise from the audience, and some pretty inspired noodling from Nick.  Initially, I thought Here I Am rocked a little too much for my tastes, but each time I revisit this CD, I appreciate the diversity of Nick’s latest set, and applaud the talented singer/songwriter/guitarist for expanding my blues horizons.

            The CD’s “man in the maze” cover art was inspired by a traditional Tohono O’odham Nation image from American Indians in Arizona’s Central Valley, and I think it fits Nick’s blues journey nicely; the maze depicts life’s cycles, roads and choices, and Here I Am is another path that Nick has chosen to further explore the boundaries of the blues.

Eric Steiner is president of the Washington Blues Society in Seattle, Washington, and a member of the Board of Directors of The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee.