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By: Dennis Cook
The blues don't reside only in the American South or Chicago or any other fixed locale. Giving the mercurial fluidity of ideas and sounds in 2008, it makes perfect sense that a rumbling blues stalwart could arise just about anywhere, even France. Don Cavalli struts out with the swampy invitation of "Gloom Uprising," and from the start The Don hooks us with a sharp, grappling cry somewhere between Rev. Gary Davis and Tony Joe White. It is immediate and strong and remains so through twelve more diverse, soul soaked numbers that range into Cajun swing, roots reggae swoon and pounding electric stomp. Blessedly, there's the rattle of strings and shine box thwack here. Nothing is fancied up or given all-too-prevalent Robert Cray touches; these are undomesticated blues with enough flexibility to swim around in other groove music while doing laps (including the bounciest, rawest version of Gershwin's "Summertime" you may ever hear). Cuts like "Aggression" and "Here Sat I (Off Jumps The Don)" straddle the fence between dust field past and modern edginess, and Cavalli seems absolutely comfortable with one foot in each world, building bridges between them with chopping guitars, libidinous slurs, sproingy non sequiters ("New Hollywood Babylon," "Wonder Chairman") and a fatback shakin' beat that make Cryland (Everloving) a must for anyone interested in how tradition can be simultaneously honored and mutated.
Here's Cavalli with "I'm Going To A River."
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