Blues On Stage - Kenny "Blue" Ray

CD Review
Kenny "Blue" Ray
"Bless My Axe"
Tone King Records TKCD1062
by Ann Wickstrom

Kenny Ray is a jack of all trades on his guitar. He is a west coast cat and that is the most prevalent sound on Bless My Axe, but there are some big servings of jazz and even a little delta pickin' here. Regardless of style, TONE is the name of his game and he's got the corner on that market.

Ray has been cranking out CDs faster than you can say "Thank you Sir may I have another." This is his ninth solo release in five years, and he has made countless appearances with some very heavy hitters. In fact, his first appearance was on William Clarke's "Hittin' Heavy" in 1978, with Hollywood Fats sharing the bill. He has also recorded with SRV, Albert Collins, Anson Funderburgh, Ronnie Earl, Charlie Musselwhite, and Roomful of Blues.

Bless My Axe has six originals and eight covers, drawing from Little Milton, Howlin' Wolf, Detroit Jr., Ike Turner, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Stan Turrentine and Lowell Fulson.

Ray often plays big fat chords and employs a bit of echo to produce a good ol' righteous sound. He is at his bluest on his own slow, smoldering "Couch Pilot" and at his jazziest on Turrentine's "Sugar". On "Cadillac Drive", Ray duplicates Wes Montgomery's style perfectly.

Louis Pain (Paul deLay Band) on Hammond B-3 and Rob Sudduth on sax shine brightly on this CD of very cool proportions.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: [email protected]

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