Graná Louise - Gettin' Kinda Rough! (2011)

Tracklist

01. Stagger Lee
02. Lead Foot Mama
03. Where You Been?
04. Learning How to Cheat On You
05. Big Dick, M'isipi
06. Bang Bang Ba-Bang Bang Bang Bang!
07. Gonna Get 'Cha
08. Wet Match
09. Queen Bee
10. Back Door Blues
11. I Can't Stand the Rain
12. Hey Joe

Graná Louise represents a species often forgotten among the many reissues of blues and jazz legends: the contemporary blues singer. Louise (whose first name is pronounced Gra-Nay) has been singing in clubs and at festivals for years, and she was the winner of the ‘09 Chicago Blues Challenge. As must any contemporary musician working in such a long-established tradition, Louise displays impressive versatility, tackling blues numbers from every part of the musical map. Gettin’ Kinda Rough, the singer’s second full-length and her first for Delmark, showcases Louise’s rough-and-tumble voice in its many guises, from the soul classic “Can’t Stand the Rain” to the traditional ballad “Stagger Lee” to the blues rocker “Hey Joe”. She handles them all with ready energy, but Louise shines brightest during the CD’s last half, recorded during a live set at Blues Chicago. She clearly feeds off the crowd’s energy, and her bawdy interjections and free ornamentation feel more natural in a live setting than they do during the studio numbers. Gettin’ Kinda Rough may not be essential listening for the music historian, but it’s one argument that blues lovers don’t always have to live in the past.

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