Based in San Diego, California, the duo of Chris James & Patrick Rynn really belt out some good blues, and Gonna Boogie Anyway is an exceptionally good follow up to Stop & Think About It, which was their debut album on Earwig Records.

The album contains 12 tracks, of which four are covers – “Money Don’t Like Me” (Robert Lockwood Jr.), “Dearest Darling” and “Little Girl,” both Bo Diddley numbers, and Jimmy Reed’s “Can’t Stand To See You Go.” All four covers are excellent and feature some classy piano work from David Maxwell and Henry Gray, who take two tracks each.

The CD opens with “Money Don’t Like Me,” featuring two saxophones from Jonny Viau and Allen Ortiz backing up the rhythm section. This is a well chosen opening track and sets the pace for the rest of the album, making the listener want more and more.

Bo Diddley’s “Dearest Darling” follows with guitar work from Chris James that could be the great Bo himself. Tinkling piano from David Maxwell backs up the upright bass of Patrick Rynn and the drums of Willie Hayes, with Rob Stone on maracas. Then it’s the turn of the first of the original numbers written by Chris James, Patrick Rynn and Rob Stone – “You Can’t Trust Nobody” – which goes to show that these guys can write as well as they perform.

“Life Couldn’t Be Sweeter” features some Elmore James-inspired slide guitar, and the two saxophones pop up again, giving a slight ’50s feel to the tune, and then we’re into track five, “H.M.Stomp,” which is one of those tracks that you can’t listen to and sit still at the same time – my favourite track on the album, and I’ve played it so many times that I’ve almost worn it out!

“Headed Out West” is played by a duo of James & Rynn, and it doesn’t suffer from having a smaller line-up. Unfortunately, it’s one of two tracks played just by the duo, and it’s a shame that there’s not one or two more.

The Jimmy Reed track, “Can’t Stand To See You Go,” features Rob Stone on harmonica and Henry Gray on piano, and it came a very close second to “H.M.Stomp” as being my favourite – Jimmy Reed would be proud to put his name to this one.

“Money Don’t Like Me” has a part two, an instrumental version which nicely compliments the earlier track and it leads into the last two tracks of the album, “Black Spider Blues” – another track played by the James/Rynn duo – and finally Bo Diddley’s “Little Girl,” a neat way to tie up a really good CD.

This is one for any blues collection, and I’m going to play it and play it.

--- Terry Clear