MITCH KASHMAR "WAKE UP & WORRY" Source: Blues In Britain Date: 08/2006 Writer: Mick Rainsford

Mitch Kashmar’s debut CD for Delta Groove Productions, ‘Nickels & Dimes’, was on of last year’s finest releases – deservedly resulting in his nomination for “Best New Artist Debut” by the Blues Music Foundation. Following up such a successful recording must have been a daunting task for Kashmar and Delta Groove – but they have succeeded. Not only have they succeeded, they have eclipsed ‘Nickels …’ by releasing one of the finest blues CDs it has been my pleasure to hear this year.

Once again Kashmar has surrounded himself with great musicians – artists like Junior Watson, Richard Innes, Rusty Zinn, Rick Reed, John Marx and Fred Kaplan having the blues pedigree to perfectly complement his robust vocals and superb harp, creating a musical pot-pourri that will delight blues aficionados of all persuasions.

Kashmar opens with ‘I got No Reason’, a rollicking shuffle where his booming vocals and Little Walter inspired harp are underpinned by Kaplan’s hot rocking piano and Watson’s stunning guitar that is permeated with elements of Jody Williams and Hollywood Fats. Maintaining the Walter feel is a great rendition of ‘Dead Presidents’, where Kashmar’s harp owes more to Rice Miller, his vocals oozing with humour and character, Jim Calire’s “parping” baritone sax and Zinn/Watson’s tantalizing guitar licks adding contrasting textures to the mix.

‘Green Bananas’ finds Kashmar’s Big Walter styled harp underpinned by Calire’s New Orleans’ piano, infectious Caribbean rhythms bringing to mind Gary U.S. Bond’s ‘Twist Up Calypso’ album. ‘Funky Dee’ is an instrumental driven by Kashmar’s multi-hued, fat-toned, iridescent harp, which is permeated with shades of Sugar Blue, Zinn’s wah-wah guitar embellishing an already potent mix.

‘Wake Up And Worry’ is a swinging West Coast blues replete with military drumming, and beautifully understated guitar (John Marx), Kashmar’s harp melding the influences of George Smith and Big Walter – ‘Night Creeper’ is a James Harman styled stomper fuelled by a thunderous backbeat, dirty harp and “fuzzed-out” guitar – whilst ‘Black Dog Blues’ takes you deep into Mississippi, Kashmar’s harp permeated with the spectre of Papa Lightfoot and perfectly complemented by Alastair Green’s churning Delta slide.

Add in the mellow jazz inflected “I’m Sorry’, the Presley/Sun inspired ‘Up The Line’, and ‘You Dogged Me’, a Jimmy Reed styled shuffle where Randy Chortkoff duets with Kashmar on vocals and harp – and you have a sure-fired winner that I have no hesitation in recommending.