Washington Blues

Wired! Is an International Blues Challenge award winning trio that features the talented Kevin Sutton (guitars, vocals), Keith Bakke (bass, vocals) and Rick quot;Stickquot; Jacobson (drums, vocals). If you haven't seen Wired! quot;livequot;, Washington Blues will give you at least 10 good reasons to check 'em out. With plenty of catchy songs, fine guitar pickin' and a rhythm section that's oh-so-tight - I dare you to sit still. And just like a quot;livequot; Wired! Show - a fun time is guaranteed for all. quot;Washington Bluesquot; is part electric delta blues and part swamp-boogie - and is the ideal lead-off tune. quot;I'm A Trainquot; is powered along by an infectious rollin' and tumblin' slide guitar lick. quot;Politicianquot; features plenty of warm and full sounding bass lines from Keith. And no matter what political persuasion you are - you'll find the message in this one spot-on. quot;Stroll On Downquot; has Kevin sounding vocally at times a bit like The Reverend Horton Heat. And there's even a short solo that features some happy whistling. quot;Woe Is Mequot; has a terrific sparse arrangement and sound. It blends blues and a rockabilly-flavored vibe that works real well for me. quot;Still Ain't Got The Bluesquot; re-visits and reinterprets a tune the guys did on their first CD (In Like Flynn). The first version was a delightful mid-tempo hillbilly / rockabilly-driven blues but this one gets a mighty tasty slow blues treatment. quot;I'm A Loserquot; is a mid-tempo mover - ideal for working out your moves on the dance floor - featuring Rick's always on-the-money drum work and a fine vocal from Kevin. quot;Find The Blues In Youquot; is a positive message song without being 'preachy'. Kevin's guitar intro on the slow minor blues number quot;Talk To The Bossquot; has an Albert King vibe. Keith's rich, full bass notes really support this one and the harmony vocals at the end of the song are a nice touch. Because Kevin, Keith and Rick are veteran performers they know how to pace a performance. Washington Blues closes with an a cappella version of the classic quot;John The Revelatorquot; - the perfect way to wind things down but keep you wanting more. A quick few words about the technical side of this recording: It was performed and recorded almost completely quot;livequot; with real instruments, vocals and microphones at ButterSound Studios in Everett, Washington. The engineering and mixing was done by Chip Butters. As a fellow player and one who has also been involved in the recording and production side of music - I like what I hear. Jim Hilmar KSER 90.7 FM.