Devon Allman - The Blues Summit (2025) CD-Rip

Devon Allman has just released The Blues Summit—a collaboration of massive talents that introduces several new compositions while joyfully celebrating blues classics.

The Blues Summit comes on the heels of Allman’s Miami Moon, his solo effort released during August 2024. The approach of the two albums is wildly different. While Miami Moon is essentially a rock record with jazz fusion influences and Afro-Cuban rhythms, The Blues Summit is truly a blues offering through and through.

It can be said that the blues is embedded within Devon Allman’s DNA. The son of legendary Gregg Allman, co-founder of the Allman Brothers, Devon has been immersed in blues and rock music his entire life. While Allman naturally looks to the Allman Brothers as a guide, his musical influences are much broader and trace to Santana, the Rolling Stones, The Doors, and Eric Clapton. By listening to his music, one can also hear the distinct influences of legendary bluesmen such as Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King.

Despite his lineage, Devon Allman has made great efforts to create his own style to distinguish himself from his father. The Blues Summit helps to cement Allman’s unique creative voice.

The concept of a ‘summit’ can represent different things. A ‘summit’ can be a physical or metaphorical apex or pinnacle—someplace to aspire to as you reach for the top. A ‘summit’ can also represent a gathering of experts, luminaries, or masters in their field brought together to show their talents.

Allman’s album title, The Blues Summit, fits perfectly. Emblematic of Devon Allman’s career, The Blues Summit highlights his immense talents as a singer-songwriter and guitarist while also bringing a collaboration of musicians who are masters of the blues and at the peak of their craft. While Allman is steering the ship here, he shares the spotlight with his compatriots on at least half of the songs on the album.

In addition to Allman, the core of The Blues Summit includes Jimmy Hall, lead singer and harmonica player for Wet Willie, Arkansas-born blues guitarist Larry McCray, and New Orleans vocalist Sierra Green. Allman wrote three of the songs and shares co-writing credits with McCray on a couple of songs.

“Runners In The Night” is the first offering on The Blues Summit. The song features the guitar wizardry of Christone “Kingfish” Ingram alongside Allman’s lead vocals. Ingram is an amazing young talent who is rapidly rising to the top of the blues and R&B charts and amassing a large following.

Jimmy Hall’s edgy vocals are featured on “Blues Is A Feeling,” accompanied by his wailing harmonica.

The Blues Summit includes three well-known tributes. The gospel influenced “Peace To The World” comes first again featuring Jimmy Hall’s lead vocals as well as Robert Randolph’s distinctive pedal steel.

Sierra Green’s breathy and sumptuous voice is the star of “Real Love.” Her emotions and passion are palpable as she longs for a true and lasting love. The heartbreak in her voice comes through as she sings “every time I thought I had true love in my hands, it’s gone.”

“After You” is an Allman composition. Leading off with a staccato drumbeat, Allman shows off his vocal talents. Throughout the song, and during the chorus, it’s a treat to hear the separate voices of Allman and Sierra Green dodging and weaving in the background.

Allman offers a couple of instrumentals on the album. Larry McCray’s “Getting’ Greasy With It” starts as a funky jumble of a song punctuated by The Memphis Horns for a full sonic explosion. David Gomez’s extended jazzy/bluesy sax solo winds the song down.

Allman’s interpretation of Willie Dixon’s classic “Wang Dang Doodle” is a foot-stomping, hand-clapping marvel. With Jimmy Hall wailing as the lead vocalist and with a harmonica accompaniment, this version is sure to get the audience on their feet.

Self-described rust belt blues shouter and guitar slinger Larry McCray takes on lead vocals and guitar on his composition “Hands And Knees.” McCray’s voice is simply captivating throughout the song, with his playing drawing an instant comparison to B.B. King. The Memphis Horns also appear on the song bringing a distinct down-home feeling.

Adding Jimi Hendrix’ “Little Wing” to the album was, perhaps, a courageous move. Covering the song runs the risk of simply falling into the same rhythm and tempo of the original. However, by changing the styling and adding layers of rhythm guitars, Allman succeeds in adding his originality to the track.

The last song on the album, Devon Allman’s “Midnight Lake Erie,” offers a slower, more moody instrumental expression highlighted by John Ginty’s keyboards. Said to be a companion piece to Allman’s “Midnight Lake Michigan” from his 2014 release Ragged & Dirty, the tune carries you away on an imaginary and mysterious midnight watery excursion.

The immense cast of The Blues Summit includes Allman (vocals, lead and rhythm guitar), Jimmy Hall (lead vocals, harmonica), Larry McCray (vocals and lead guitar), Sierra Green (lead and background vocals), Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (lead guitar), Jackson Stokes (lead and rhythm guitar), John Lum (drums), Robert Randolph (pedal steel), Justin Corgan (bass), John Ginty (keyboards), David Gomez (saxophone and percussion), and Mark Hockberg (strings). The Memphis Horns and the Funky Butt Brass Band provide the horn sections.

The Blues Summit was produced by Devon Allman and co-produced by Jackson Stokes. The album was engineered and mixed by Chris Turnbaugh and mastered by Brad Sarno. Thomas Ruf was the executive producer with the album released by Ruf Records.

The Blues Summit is an immersive tribute to the storied musical genre of the blues and a wonderful addition to Devon Allman’s extensive catalog.

Devon Allman’s Blues Summit U.S. Tour will kick off on August 1 in Pontoon Beach, IL, and will wrap up on Sept 12 at the Telluride Blues & Brews festival. The touring lineup will include Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray, and Sierra Green as well as Devon Allman’s traveling band.