Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters

Father’s Day

Stony Plain Records

13 tracks 

by Mark Thompson

After eight releases on his Canadian label Stony Plain that were primarily filled with instrumentals -- keeping the focus on the leader’s brilliant guitar playing -- Earl now makes a dramatic shift to a program that has one lone instrumental. Diane Blue and her husky voice return after appearing on Earl’s last two recordings. Joining her on vocals is Michael Ledbetter, the lead singer from the Nick Moss Band, certainly a talent worthy of more recognition in the blues community.

The Broadcasters have been backing Earl for more than two decades. Jim Mouradian on bass, Lorne Entress on drums, and Dave Limina on piano and Hammond B3 organ are a tight, perceptive ensemble that consistently provides Earl with a vibrant rhythmic foundation.  Other guest artists include Tim O’Connor, Larry Lusignan, and Nicholas Tabarias on guitars in addition to Mario Perrett on tenor sax and Scott Shetler on baritone saxophone.

The album is dedicated to Earl’s father, Akos Horvath, in gratitude for their reconciliation. It also celebrates the influence of Chicago’s West Side on Earl’s music with two tracks each from Otis Rush and Magic Sam.  The Rush tune, “It Takes Time,” opens the disc in fine fashion with Earl unleashing staccato guitar lines while Ledbetter’s soaring vocal commands your attention.  One new Earl original, “Higher Love” takes off with Blue and Ledbetter soulfully preaching about positive affirmation as Limina gets the B3 purring, cushioned by the horn section. The title cut, “Father’s Day,” is another new composition written with Ledbetter, who quickly establishes that he is capable of wringing every last bit of emotion out of a slow blues.  Earl reaches back to his first recording for “Follow Your Heart”. The new version has plenty of stellar guitar work intertwined around Ledbetter and Blue’s robust duet.

Blue’s measured performance on “I’ll Take Care Of You” manages to avoid slipping into vocal histrionics. The leader is at his best, playing fluid lines that epitomize what the human spirit might sound like while Tabarias shows that he has learned plenty from his esteemed mentor. Ledbetter adds a dose of grit on the Otis Rush classic, “Right Place, Wrong Time”. Earl’s guitar takes on a taut, harder edge that rides the dynamic musical ebb & flow created by the horns and Hammond organ. Ledbetter sounds right at home on the easy-rolling Fats Domino number, “Every Night About This Time,” before his soaring cries of passion energize a cover of B.B. King’s “I Need You So Bad”. The lengthy opening sequence on Van McCoy’s “Giving Up” is an intricate interplay between guitar and vocal that is finally resolved with a brief, anguished solo from Perrett. Then Ledbetter takes over, turning in a soul-shaking performance that inspires a similar response for Earl.

“What Have I Done Wrong” is one of the Magic Sam songs with Earl capturing Sam’s distinctive style, then unleashing a memorable solo that makes his own statement. Blue gets to handle the vocal, delivering a somewhat strident performance. Ledbetter takes over on “All Your Love,” using his supple voice to convey the depth of torment brought on by love. Following a dazzling Limina piano solo, Earl does what he does best, heightening the intensity of his solo to a blazing crescendo, and then quietly fading away as Ledbetter offers one final fervent plea.

The Bobby Timmons classic, “Moanin’,” gives the band a chance strut their stuff. Both horn players make the most of the opportunity and Limina once again proves to be a master of the B3. But it is Earl’s majestic statement that will stick with you. The disc closes with the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey gospel standard, “Precious Lord”. Blue and Earl are far more subdued, leaving listeners with a reflection on grace and the abiding power of faith.

Earl made a wise decision in making the shift away from the instrumental format. As accomplished as he and the Broadcasters are on their respective instruments, the last couple of releases had a “been there, done that” feel to them. Earl has maintained such a high level of performance for so long that some leveling off would be expected.  Having Ledbetter and Blue singing on virtually every track adds several new layers of sonic texture and expression to the mix. Their voices also give the guitarist something to play off in structuring his intricate solos.  Father’s Day is one of the best albums of Earl’s career, making it required listening!

For info or to buy the CD visit:

www.ronnieearl.com