Bingo!
is the
Steve Miller Band
's first studio record in 17 years. Thematically, it's a look back at the the electric blues and R&B that influenced him as a young man. Issued on his own
Space Cowboy
imprint, is also the final recorded appearance of blues harmonica great
Norton Buffalo
who passed away in 2009. Blues classics by
B.B. King
,
Lowell Fulsom
Otis Rush
Howlin' Wolf
Earl King
Jimmy Reed
, and
Jessie Hill
are here, along with three selections by contemporary bluesman
Jimmie Vaughan
. What all of these tracks all have in common is
Miller
's signature approach: he is a stellar guitarist who has no need to show off, a tight arranger, and an intuitive modern producer (with help from
Andy Johns
).These 14 tunes (all under four minutes) actually extend the electric blues tradition. While paying tribute to his heroes and contemporaries, there are also nods to his own history as a recording artist. Check
Vaughan
's
"Hey Yeah,"
with wah-wah guitars and killer solo breaks in the intro and verses.
's and
Buffalo
's harmonies are tight, and evoke the early fusion of blues with psychedelic rock (a la the earliest
). One can also hear traces of
Jimi Hendrix
's production style in the tune as well as in his stellar version of
Rush
"All Your Love (I Miss Loving),"
that adds some gorgeous Latin percussion -- courtesy of
Michael Carabello
and
Adrian Areas
--to the silvery, reverb-laden guitar work.
Fulsom
"Tramp"
has that trademark opening chord, but the rest is pure
. He plays sparely, but with swagger aplenty, the funky shuffle at its heart played by rhythm guitar ace
Kenny Lee
is deep in the pocket; the vocal trade-off between
Sonny Charles
is priceless. The lone ballad on the set is the
/
Nile Rodgers
' tune
"Sweet Soul Vibe."
With
Joe Satriani
guesting (he appears on
"Rock Me Baby"
as well) it touches on gospel, soul, and modern R&B.
Satriani
's alternate leads are deceptively sweet, but they feel more like knives being sharpened and carried confidently in sheaths.
"Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)"
is a burning solo workout and takes the party jam into an entirely new musical dimension. Vocally,
touches on his '70s persona, but it's only a glance; the rest is burning blues. There are also four bonus tracks, the most notable are readings of
Elmore James
'
"Look on Yonder Wall"
-- with a killer vocal from
Charles
-- and the closer,
Roosevelt Sykes
"Drivin' Wheel,"
with
's filthiest guitar work of the set. This is a welcome return for
, and a must for modern electric blues fans. ~ Thom Jurek