Blind Lemon Pledge 'Evangeline' - Ofeh Records

This singer-songwriter, based in San Francisco, has released three previous records and this collection of ten songs clocks in at just over 40 minutes with a variety of musical styles. We visit the blues, prison chants, salsa beats and ballads from the heartland. The playing is sparse and rootsy with an authentic feel and the ensemble of 8 musicians blend well together, as they deliver a mix of all that is strong in folk, roots and blues based music.

From the southern swing and jive of Brimstone Joe we visit the prison farm Jubilee singers and we can detour into a light jazz workout with Go Jump the Willie before parking into the salsa beat of The Language of Love.  The easy shuffle of Ham and Eggs is an early morning blues, while the closing title track is a deeper version of the slow blues with some fine playing.