Al Lerman - Country-Fried Blues (2024)

Al Lerman is a veteran bluesman with a highly personal musical style. Possessing a great knowledge of the blues tradition on both harmonica and guitar, he brings that sensibility to songs that he’s written about his own contemporary life and times. For two days, he and an amiable group of A-list musicians hunkered down in an 1830s farmhouse, which had recently been converted into a studio known as the Ganaraska Recording Company. They hung out, laughed, played, and carried on into the wee hours. That joyful mood made its way onto this recording. The songs were recorded live off the floor, with minimal overdubs added in one final session.

Acoustic instruments prevail here – a nod to the early rural blues styles, while a rock-steady rhythm section keeps things moving with modern vitality. Multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Bowskill shines throughout, colouring the mix with mandolin, fiddle, and guitar. Al’s guitar is sometimes plugged into a tremolo effected amp, conjuring up swampy, aural imagery. It may surprise listeners to learn his fluid harp work was played on a rack while simultaneously playing guitar. Over the years, Lerman’s masterful prowess on the harp has earned him several prestigious Maple Blues Award nominations for Harmonica Player of the Year.

Produced by Alec Fraser, Country-Fried Blues features nine greasy-good original songs peppered with a handful of covers bearing Lerman’s unmistakable stamp.