Slide guitarist
Dave Hole
kicks up a fun ruckus on
Ticket to Chicago
, his fourth album for
Alligator Records
. This native of Perth (Australia), the Chicago blues label's first overseas signing, realizes for the first time his dream of playing with Chicago blues musicians -- bassist
Johnny B. Gayden
(
Albert Collins
), pianist
Tony Z
Larry McCray
,
Buddy Guy
), and drummer
Ray "Killer" Allison
), along with (on several tracks) a horn section and harmonica (courtesy of
Billy Branch
). The opening
"Out of Here"
serves as the starter's pistol --
Hole
and company play too fast, too loud, and sound too rowdy on just about every one of these 14 songs (13
originals and
William Harris
'
"Bullfrog Blues,"
here dedicated by
to late blues-rock guitarist
Rory Gallagher
). In other words,
is a wonderfully high-spirited blues album, the kind to listen to when you're in the mood to go out and raise some hell but you're either too tired, too broke, or too ripped up to actually go out and do it. ~ Chris Slawecki