I first came across Pat Fulgoni years ago as singer with Kava Kava, and these days he can be found fronting his own blues band which includes Jacob Beckwith (guitar), Rory Wells (bass), Zebedee Sylvester (drums) and Sam Bolt (piano). I must confess to not listening to enough blues, although I do own quite a few albums by Lightnin’ Hopkins and T-Bone Walker and feel that pre-war acoustic blues is incredibly under-rated, so when given the opportunity to sit down and let the genre wash over me, especially when it is an album as special as this, I grab it with both hands.

Fulgoni has an incredible vocal range, going high when he needs to, always in control, but it is the breadth and soulful emotion which really makes this stand out. One of the worst inventions ever in the musical world is that of autotune, and those million-selling “singers” who can’t actually sing without artificial help should listen to him and Sam demonstrate all you need is one instrument and one voice, no trickery, on tracks like “Thrill Is Gone” and then disappear from the scene, totally embarrassed at their failings. The band are cooking, and while always tight they can be clean on one song and then down, dirty and sleazy on the next. There is no way an album like this should exist in the plastic world of today when true artists are unappreciated, as if we were 60 years ago there is no doubt they would be one of the leaders of the UK Blues explosion.

This is music to fall down deep inside, and when one finally awakes out of the trance when the last note fades from “Stickin The Knife In Blues” the only thing to do is play it all over again. I am so jealous of you in the UK who are able to catch these guys play live as this is the real deal, blues from a singer and band who are sticking far away from fickle fashion and instead are delivering the blues in an honest and traditional way which is ultimately refreshing. Miss this at your peril.

Rating: 9/10

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/PatFulgoniOfficial/
https://x.com/chocfireguard