Reviewed by Paul Poulton

Bluesman Larry Howard invited some friends to play with him at the Cornerstone Festival, USA, and this album is the recording of the show. Larry's methodical guitar playing and rasping voice betray his delta blues influences - he's in the Muddy Waters tradition rather than Freddie King. The blues subdivides into many styles but still remain the blues, the same way as Christianity has many denominations but all have the same basic message, and this gig is a perfect example. Mark Farner (ex Grand Funk Railroad) sings a couple of songs, his guitar playing is so hot the notes shoot out of his axe like bullets from a Terminator's uzi while his voice demonstrates more acrobatics than Chipperfield's Circus. Without a doubt Mark steals the show. Jessy Dixon tries to steal it back with a moving performance of the '50s song "Operator", Margaret Becker covers Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" and Elsa Harris sings a tribute to Mahalia Jackson. It's slightly misleading calling this a Larry Howard album, there are twelve well-known artists altogether making an appearance. The recording is not as clean as a studio album and some of the rehearsals were done over the phone. But out of the 18 songs there is something for everybody.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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