JUNE 2000

Cathy Lemons Blues Band

Dark Road

The Saloon Recordings (SRCD1999)

Cathy Lemons was raised in Texas where her early singing career found her sharing the stage with Anson Funderburgh and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now she lives in the San Francisco Bay Brea and this disc finds her accompanied by some of the regions finest blues players, including guitarists Steve Freund, Tommy Castro and Rusty Zinn. There is precious little rock affectation here. Bassist Johnny Ace (no not that Johnny Ace!) and the unnamed drummer know that they are not lead instruments. Instead, "Dark Road' offers straight ahead covers and original tunes played with spare style and taste. Up-tempo blues ("Saying It Plain") and dance-floor soul grooves ("Let Me Be Good") are mixed with the occasional ballad ("Dirty Man") on a play list that shows Lemons to be a skillful and expressive singer in a wide range of styles. If you like your blues sung rather than shouted, this is a disc to check out!

--PRA