MITCH KASHMAR "LIVE AT LABATT" Source: Blues Wax Date: 02/2009 Writer: Steve Daniels

It's always gratifying to see a talented, but previously under-recognized musician finally hit the big time.

Mitch Kashmar started his career in his home town of Santa Barbara, California, where he led the Pontiax during the 1980s; the band backed many Blues luminaries but never achieved renown. Kashmar soldiered on as a respected sideman for the next 20 years until signing with new label Delta Groove and releasing Nickels & Dimes in 2005. That lauded album, and its sequel 2006's Wake Up & Worry, established Kashmar in the upper echelon of contemporary Blues performers and earned him a 2007 Blues Music Award nomination as Harmonica Player of the Year, as well as a spot as harp player for the venerable band War.

Live at Labatt was recorded in August 2007 at Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival in Edmonton, Canada. There is no way will you be immobile while listening to it! Following is "Dirty Deal," another original tune featuring Kashmar's stunning harp virtuosity as he plays in the high registers and evokes memories of Jimmy Reed's style. "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman" slows down the pace and showcases the guitar wizardry of John Marx, former axeman for the late William Clarke and another under-recognized Southern California Bluesman. "Evil Man Blues," an adaptation of a Bessie Smith classic, gives center stage to the prowess of keyboard man Jimmy Calire. The next cut, an extended version of pianist Horace Silver's "Song for My Father," demonstrates the Jazz-inflected chops of Kashmar and this hot band.

"Sugar Sweet" presents a long harmonica stretch-out, interplayed with Calire's piano response. "You're the One" is a straight, 12-bar, Chicago-style Blues number, with an irresistible beat and fine sequential guitar, organ, and harp solos. "Lollipop Mama" is a salacious tribute to William Clarke and "Wake Up & Worry" gives Marx plenty of room to display his six-string taste and creativity. The album closes with "Castle Rock," a long instrumental that ended this live performance with a flourish.

Throughout, Tom Lackner on drums and Steve Nelson on bass provide a solid base and Kashmar's smooth and strong vocals are almost as impressive as his harp playing, which maintains the superior tradition of SoCal harp standouts like James Harman, Al Blake, Rod Piazza, Johnny Dyer, and Kashmar's late mentor and buddy William Clarke.

In my opinion, Live at Labatt is one of the best Blues releases of 2008.
Steve Daniels is a contributing editor at BluesWax. You may contact Steve at blueswax@visnat.com.