Big Al Blake & The Hollywood Fats Band - Mr. Blake's Blues (1997)

Blake conquers what few blues artists can do -- overload a listener with old blues styles, shaken and stirred with touches of the era he's living today. His originals serve as vignettes, taking these styles as a jumping-off point, then latching on modern themes such as escaping the formerly nicknamed Golden State, California, or his explanation for what creates the hot Santa Ana winds. These sessions also serve as a reunion of the Hollywood Fats Band with Fred Kaplan, Richard Innes, and Larry Taylor. Rounding out the lineup are two top-notch guitarists, Junior Watson and Kid Ramos, who work as team players, not as substitutes for Fats, who died at a young age. ~Char Ham