Harmonica Fats & Bernie Pearl - Blow, Fat Daddy, Blow! (1995)

On their third album, the duo of Harmonica Fats and Bernie Pearl turn in a typically engaging set of acoustic blues. All of the songs on Blow, Fat Daddy, Blow! are originals, and it is to the duo's credit that they manage to sound respectful to tradition without being enslaved to it. Certainly, the quality of the material fluctuates somewhat -- not every song cuts as deep as the rootsy "Why Should I Holler?" or the powerful "Blues Kaddish" -- but the interaction between the two musicians is stellar. Pearl's guitar playing is subtly impressive and Harmonica Fats simply wails, making the set worthwhile for fans of good-humored, stripped-down blues. ~Thom Owens