
Steve Freund
I'll Be Your Mule
Delmark
Whoa,
where did this one come from? I've always considered Steve Freund to
be one of the better unsung guitar players on the scene today. But he never
showed more than passable vocal skills on his previous solo discs. I'll
Be Your Mule is a quantum leap forward for Freund, and should catapult
him up a few levels in the blues hierarchy.
Freund's vocals on
this album possess a richness not heard on his previous releases,
immediately audible on the opening slow blues "I'll Be Your Mule."
This number, as on many of the following cuts, showcases the excellent piano
accompaniment of Mark "Mr. B" Braun, a recording artist in his own
right.
At the risk of going
overboard in my praise for Freund's vocal work, he almost sounds a little
like Magic Sam on the energetic B.B. King shuffle "Fine Lookin'
Woman."
The slow number,
"Hung Down Head," is highlighted by the work of a solid horn
section as well as hot blues guitar from Freund.
Kenny Smith's primal
rhythmic drumming, Freund's rawer guitar and Harlan Terson's nasty bass
playing come together on a fine original instrumental, "Fittin' To
Go."
My favorite cut is the
double-entendre novelty shuffle "You Were A Good Old Ride," with
great lines like "...you need way too much work, darlin', I ain't
gonna ride you no more..." This is a good example of creative
songwriting from Freund. Fellow Delmark artist Dave Specter contributes a
tasty guitar solo in the middle.
Another guest artist,
harmonica player Steve Guyger, contributes nice harmonica on the original
shuffle "A Dollar A Mile," a song detailing the ever increasing
"out of pocket" expenses incurred by musicians in traveling to
their gigs.
Freund plays some fine
guitar licks on the New Orleans-sounding "When I Was Young," with
Mr. B also playing a big part in the success of this number. Veteran Chicago
session man Bob Stroger lays down a solid bass groove here.
"Bill Reed's
Blues" takes the listener on a complete turnaround, as it sounds like a
slow, late night jazzy blues from an earlier era. Freund, Mr. B and soprano
sax player Clark Dean all get the chance to solo on this relaxing number.
My hope is that I'll
Be Your Mule is the spark for Freund to put together a touring band and
hit the blues circuit. All of us blues fans will make sure he gets his
"dollar a mile." Check out this CD, and I'm sure you'll agree.
--- Bill Mitchell
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