MITCH KASHMAR "NICKELS & DIMES" Source: Edmonton Sun Date: 04/2005 Writer: Jerremy Loome

Wow! Mitch Kashmar, where have you been?

Chances are even ardent blues fans won’t have heard of Kashmar unless you’ve lived on the U.S. west coast.

It’s a crime that he hasn’t recorded more. Combining soulful vocals, a wonderful vibrato and gritty harmonica, Kashmar has put out of the best blues discs releases any time recently.

Kashmar writes a good swath of his own material and the strongest cuts here aren’t the covers. The title track is driving, funky hard blues that veers strongly away from that soft, jazzy west coast lilt.

Now that there isn’t west coast soul on evidence. It may be called “New York Woman,” but the disc’s third cut is strictly latter-day, L.A. – style T-Bone Walker.

Along with the aforementioned Watson, “Nickels and Dimes” features guest shots from Arthur Adams, and in a welcome return, former Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf sideman Freddy Robinson, who has changed his moniker to Abu Talib. From first cut to lat, it’s a brilliant, must-have disc.