Kim Wilson – Tigerman – Antone’s Records ANT 0023

This 1993 release on the Antone’s Records label finds the modern-day blues harmonica giant and founder of the famed Texas band The Fabulous Thunderbirds plying his substantial blues aptitudes, vocally, on harmonica, and via his band leadership traits with a sterling assemblage of extremely talented co-conspirators.  Those grand collaborators include exalted guitarists Duke Robillard, Junior Watson, Rusty Zinn, and Derek O’Brien, solid low-end bass man and Muddy Waters Band alum Calvin “Fuzz” Jones, Jack Barber, and Preston Hubbard, rhythmic framing drummers Fran Christina and George Rains, piano legend Gene Taylor, and sonically pleasing horn men John Mills, Mark Kazanoff, Michael Burgland, Rocky Morales, and Ronnie Cuber.  This impressive bunch only further raised Wilson’s inspired singing and stupendous harmonica ventures.

This blues excursion was the first solo endeavor of Wilson’s outside of his celebrated work with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Wilson marvelously brings forth his obvious affections for both Chicago- and Texas-influenced blues, shuffles, and boogie quests, with the whole of this outing being a completely satiating blues jaunt.

Wilson remains a guiding light with the likes of Arizona’s Bob Corritore, the west coast’s Mark Hummel and R.J. Mischo, and Chicago’s Martin Lang and Joe Nosek as those whose reverence for the timeless sounds of post-war blues harmonica never borders on slavish imitation.  No, what Wilson provides here is his exclusive and always evolving take on those classic resonances, and with his illustrious music partners in tow, this collection is a joy to behold.

Highly recommended!