Crystal Shawanda has a new record, Midnight Blues, due to be released on September 30 via True North Records. Midnight Blues was produced by Dewayne Strobel; engineered by Dewayne Strobel with assistant engineer Zhaawande Strobel. It was mixed by Dewayne Strobel, Ross Collier, and Benny Quinn; and mastered by Benny Quinn.
Crystal is a Canadian JUNO award winner and with a serious command of blues energy that runs all through the album. Pick any one of the songs and put on your dancing shows and listen. Crystal’s voice really shines through on every one.
“Midnite Blues: kicks off the album, with: “I’ve been good to my baby” and Crystal’s amazing powerhouse vocals. “What Kind of Man Is This?” is a twist on the blues, as the man is, well, listen and find out. Hint: he is a sight for her sore eyes.
“Rumpshaker” leads with gritty harmonica and again, Crystal’s vocals are stunning, as she hurls out Iines like “Keep your troubles I got my own…”
“How Bad Do You Want It” is a complex number with a mid tempo pace and low shimmering harmonies. The whole album is nicely balanced with full throttle numbers and pull-up-a-chair-and-listen numbers.
All guitars on the album were performed by Dewayne Strobel; with bass guitars by Dave Roe; drums by Mark Becket, Pete Abbott, and Louis Winfield on “How bad do you want it.” Piano and B3 were contributed by Peter Keys and Jessie O’Brien, with background vocals by Angela Hurt, Crystal Shawanda, Zhaawande Strobel, Dewayne Strobel. Harmonica is by Steve Marriner and Harpdog Brown. Special guest Sean Jones appears on “How bad do you want it.” Photos on the album are by Nora Canfield, and album design was by Antoine Moonen.
If you want a new, classy blues album for your collection this year, this is the one. Find more information here: http://crystalshawanda.co