Ronnie Earl – Deep Blues – Black Top Records CD 1033

A 1988 release that was compiled from the majority of songs collected from two of Earl’s earlier albums, Smoking (recorded in 1982 in Brighton, MA and released in 1983), and 1984’s They Call Me Mr. Earl (recorded in 1984, also in Brighton, MA, and released in 1985), this original Black Top Records label release represented the early period of Earl’s blues journey.  Omitting only two of the earlier CDs’ collective cuts, it holds up well these 34 years later, and includes a group of blues musicians who would rise in prominence over the ensuing years, as certainly has Earl.

Supporting Earl on these fine blues is the following robust roster of talent: Michael “Mudcat” Ward (bass); John Rossi and Neil Gouvin (drums); Kim Wilson and Sugar Ray Norcia (harmonica and vocals); Greg Piccolo and Kaz Kazanoff (tenor saxophone); Doug James (baritone saxophone); Anthony Geraci (organ); Anthony Geraci and David Maxwell (piano).  Obviously, Earl’s vision was to surround himself with some of the finest practitioners of tasteful interpretation of the blues available, and he surely succeeded in that regard.

Earl’s career has shown him to be a tasteful and understated interpreter of the blues, with a tone and touch that remains unparalleled.  Capable of sensitivity and incredible discretion in given background or solo passages, so too is he proficient of delivering an astonishing solo burst, though it is one rooted in taste and controlled respect for the overall structure of the song; not volume and a bombastic approach just to be heard.  Earl is abounding with the knowledge of those blues guitar elements that provide the ideal framework for a given outing, and his lifelong dedication to his craft speaks to the principles of a skill set knowing where the spaces of silence should be, what supportive context works well in the background, and what guitar curlicues emphasize the points trying to be made via a particular song’s solo break. 

As Earl has matured through his career (he has over 30 albums under his and his band’s name, The Broadcasters, and also appears on the works of others), the Deep Blues compilation is some of his best genuine blues work.  As Earl’s guitar work in latter years has perhaps a more jazz-tinged, yet marvelous, quality to it, here his guitar is found, at times, to be rough and tough in presentation, as in his penned “Ronnie Johnnie”, on Lonesome Sundown’s “My Home Is A Prison”, or as displayed on Billy Boy Arnold’s “You’ve Got Me Wrong”.  His guitar efforts swing in an urban west side Chicago sort of way ala Magic Sam on “Some Day, Some Way”, in a swinging-chugging manner reminiscent of Gatemouth Brown on “She Winked Her Eye”, provide subtle, delicate support and soloing as on his reading of Brook Benton’s “I’ll Take Care”, and struts confidently through his rendition of Freddy King’s “San Ho Zay”.  These guitar aptitudes, along with others on exhibition here in this early period of Earl’s maturation and recording output, signaled that his was a gift to be watched with high anticipation.

It cannot be understated how important the company of blues musicians Earl assembled for these tunes were to their uniformly high quality.  Wilson’s and Norcia’s strong, assured vocals and dynamic harmonica skills add immeasurable depth to the songs.  Ward’s bass work weaves in-and-out at the proper levels of strength and volume, providing the song-within-a-song characteristic that abundantly strong low-end work should deliver.  Rossi’s and Gouvin’s drumming propel the proceedings along with rhythmic dynamism.  The collective horn work of Piccolo, James, and Kazanoff add layered splashes of excitement, and the total of Geraci’s and Maxwell’s keyboard efforts seamlessly blend roiling swirls of sounds into the mix.

In the late 1980s, roughly the period represented by the Deep Blues collection, Earl brought his act to Mishawaka, IN’s Center Street Blues Café.  It simply was a master class of blues awareness, the likes of which many of us were still having our eyes opened to; it left us speechless.  Through all three sets of Earl’s music that night, uncovered was the depth and complexities inherent in his blues vision.  The sheer magnitude of Earl’s myriad influences and skills loudly announced to us that we had much yet to learn about the blues.  A talent such as Earl’s did not pass our way every day back then.

Earl has gone on to great professional and critical acclaim, and his latest incarnation of The Broadcasters continues to smolder with their unique meld of blues and jazz-tinged excitement.  Earl’s band, over the years, has included many fine blues artists, including one vocalist in particular, Darrell Nulisch, who was wonderful in his work with Earl.  The group now has its first woman vocalist, Diane Blue, and Earl and his band remain equally accomplished as ever.

This collection may take some work to find, whether an original copy on the Black Top Records label, or a re-release on the Hep Cat Records label, but the unearthing and acquisition of it would greatly enhance any worthy blues collection.  In this age of the Internet, I am confident that you will be able to find it, and should you do so, sit back and prepare to be introduced to the impressive early work of Ronnie Earl.

This one is, without qualification, highly recommended.