Kim Wilson – Blues And Boogie Vol. 1 – Severn Records 0070 

This 2017 release is so packed with outstanding blues competencies as to be absurd if one were trying to convey its merits to the uninitiated.

Wilson awards the listener with 16 astounding selections from his vast blues influences, 12 being covers from the likes of blues titans such as Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, Magic Sam, Elmore James, Lightning Hopkins, and John Lee Hooker, among others, while bringing to the outing four tremendous originals.

Wilson is known for his highly respectful nature as it relates to the blues, and this reviewer can attest from having the privilege of seeing him with his touring all-star blues shows that his admiration for the music borders on the fanatical.

On these astonishing cuts, his vocals are strong and well-considered, his harmonica playing reaches his normal astounding heights of precision and achievement, and his songs’ frameworks are works of blues art.

Surrounding Wilson on this phenomenal collection are some of the heaviest blues hitters in the land, including greats Billy Flynn, Nathan James, Big Jon Atkinson, and Bob Welsh on guitar, the amazing Barrelhouse Chuck on piano, west coast tenor saxophone giant Jonny Viau, a combination of Atkinson, Larry “The Mole” Taylor, Kadar Roy, and Troy Sandow on bass, and Richard “Big Foot” Innes, Malachi Johnson, and Marty Dodson on drums.

Recorded at Sacred Cat Studios and Big Tone Recording Studios, from front-to-back, this superb outing proves, yet again, that Wilson is an American blues treasure.

There is so very much here to appreciate and revel in!

Highly-recommended, indeed!