I became a fan of the Memphis blues/soul group Southern Avenue about three years ago after hearing them on the live streaming of the Blues Music Awards show. I picked up their first two albums but passed on their third release because it seemed to be trending more into R&B. That's why I was quite surprised when I first heard that they were being signed by noted blues label Alligator Records.

Southern Avenue balanced between blues and soul on their first two releases and is back to that mix on Family, at times leaning towards the blues side but not giving up the diverse mix of many styles of music that make them so unique. The 14 cuts on Family are all originals, beautifully crafted songs that make the listener feel like part of their extended family. To give the recordings even more the spirit of Memphis, they recorded at the famous Royal Studios, where Al Green and Ann Peebles were among the legends who spent time there.

The album title is appropriate, with the band consisting of the three Jackson sisters, who provide some of the most beautiful harmony vocals around, and guitarist Ori Naftaly, who is married to lead singer Tierinii Jackson. In addition to vocals, Tikyra Jackson plays drums and Ava Jackson contributes percussion and violin. Rounding out the core band are Jeremy Powell on keys and Blake Rhea on bass.

We get an immediate taste of the Jackson sisters' harmony vocals on the intro to "Long Is The Road." before Tierinii wows us with her voice and Naftaly shows his chops on blues guitar. It's obvious that the Jacksons learned to sing in church, because that spirit is prevalent throughout. "Upside" opens with a steady guitar rhythm before Tierinii comes in with a message of support, singing "...Everyday's a new day, find me on the upside ..." Just a nice steady blues beat throughout.

"Found A Friend In You" was the first single released before the album was out, and it's easy to see why. The up-tempo rollicking number is driven by a sincere gospel feeling, and later Ava comes in on violin, giving the song a more downhome feeling. I can't imagine a world in which this one doesn't get plenty of Song of the Year nominations during award season. I love it!

"So Much Love" is a mid-tempo soul thing that just feels so Memphis that I'm detecting the smell of BBQ coming from my speakers. It later turns into a blues with Naftaly's killer guitar solo. Even heavier on the blues side is the title cut, with Naftaly playing slide to open the song before the sisters come in on  vocals. But before you know it, it's over after just 40 seconds. Short, sweet, and bluesy.

Sticking with that downhome feel is "Late Night Get Down," with slide guitar accompaniment. It's rootsy blues, with a gospel vibe coming from the shouting vocals and in-synch hand clapping.

It's been a lot of years since I've been on Beale Street, but back in the day one of my regular hangouts was the Rum Boogie Cafe."Rum Boogie" brings back so many vivid memories of my times there, as they sing an up-tempo blues about what you could expect to see and hear at that iconic joint. It really cooks when Powell comes in with spicy piano pounding.

"Sisters" has the Jacksons singing about each other and their relationship, with the interplay in their vocals just plain wonderful. They explain, "...We are power, we are love, we move mountains for each other ..." To give the sisters a rest, Naftaly puts down a rootsy slide guitar solo before the sisters claim in unison that together they will take the world, ending quickly by shouting the word "Sisters" in unison. Man, this is some powerful stuff. That's followed by a short 38-second interlude with a slow snippet, "Kept On Moving On."

Harmony vocals open "Back To What Feels Right," leading into an up-tempo soul rocker. Naftaly lays down slide guitar breaks, with the tempo remaining high and the hearts keeping pounding. "Flying" is a slow, heavy blues about their mama's fear of flying, countering her fears by singing, "... If I die, at least I'll  die flying ..." Naftaly's heavy guitar chords complements the sisters' expressive and sincere vocals quite well.

Another short, slow number, "Believe," this one checking in at 47 seconds, comes next, with the sisters giving the message that "... We were taught to believe in ourselves ..." That leads in nicely to the closing number, "We Are," a mid-tempo declaration of who they are, proclaiming they are love, peace, music for the soul, triumphant, and more adjectives describing themselves. What an incredible ending to a superb and emotionally cleansing album.

This band has already been making a lot of noise on various circuits, touring North America, Europe, and Australia, as well as joining the Outlaw Music Festival tour for several weeks and appearing on the big stage at the Chicago Blues Festival. The release of Family will only enhance their reputation. After writing this review, I'm already jumping online to check their touring schedule, because I really, really want to see them live.

But for now, I'm just happy that I have this album in my possession. It warms my soul with every listen.

--- Bill Mitchell