There must be something in the water down there, some sort of magic that seeps out of the river into wells and springs across northern Mississippi. It starts down around Clarksdale and reaches as far north as Memphis, but something is surely going on 'cause this small region has produced some of the damn finest musicians that you'll ever hear play.
North Mississippi Allstars Shake Hands With Shorty
You'll find a trio of such talented musicians in the North Mississippi Allstars, one of the hardest rocking, electric-blues bands you'll find on the planet. Luther and Cody Dickinson - the real "Blues Brothers" - and bassist Chris Chew have kicked around in various northern Mississippi bands for years now, but they've hit the proverbial bull's eye with the release of their phenomenal debut, Shake Hands With Shorty.
With a help with some friends like Garry and Cedric Burnside (the other "Blues Brothers," and sons of blues great R.L.), Alvin Youngblood Hart, East Memphis Slim, and fife-and-drum legend Otha Turner, the Allstars kick out ten fine blues tunes on Shake Hands With Shorty. They don't stray too far from what they know best, drawing their material from local talents like "Mississippi" Fred McDowell, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Memphis legend Furry Lewis. They embroider this classic material with a few instrumental flourishes, creating an original and individual sound that should appeal equally to blues purists and rockers alike.
Guitarist Luther Dickinson, in particular, draws a favorable comparison to the elder Burnside, playing his axe with the same sort of bent-string technique as the late blues statesman. You'll also hear strains of Stax soul, Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughan in the material, the resulting clash of rock and blues influences branding the band as unique.
The Reverend's Bottom Line
The brothers Dickinson come by their blues roots honestly - their old man Jim is a legendary musician and producer, and the brothers have grown up among some of the most creative and original artists in American music. The result of the brothers' unusual childhood shines brightly on Shake Hands With Shorty, a highly recommended first effort from the Northern Mississippi Allstars.
