Jus’ Blues 25th Anniversary Legends Collection
A 10-track, late-coming release that’s worth a listen is a pristinely recorded blues set, featuring a variety of artists to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Atlanta, Georgia’s Jus’ Blues Music Foundation. The set offers a look at their various artists, & styles offered to listeners that include soul, R&B, gospel & of course, blues. This CD has some previously unreleased nuggets, newly recorded classics & some legendary remastered artists.
Diunna Greenleaf opens with her original — the sprightly “Sunny Day Friends” with its fiery guitar & her bellowing vocals on target. Her track features Anson Tunderburgh (guitar), Johnny Bradley (bass), John Street (B-3 organ), Wes Starr (drums) & Ron Jones (horns) — a good start for a unique, cleanly recorded set. Jimmy Burns (vocals/guitar) follows with his original & accessible “Stranded In Clarksdale” that finds him sounding like a young Ray Charles. He also lays down his catchy guitar lick throughout.
Though to some, not all artists will be familiar. The majority of the selections are all well-recorded & the singers not only sing their songs, they also embody the genre. Jus’ Blues 25th Anniversary Legends Collection (Drops May 2/Jus’ Blues Foundation) adds some interesting exhibits since many of these are going to be “new” to younger ears.
The artists featured include Trudy Lynn with 2 songs & the late Lucky Peterson. Two artists provide newly recorded 2025 versions of their classic songs recorded for this album. Blues/soul artist Bobby Rush performs sparingly on his tune (“Garbage Man”) with his harmonica. Lattimore offers (“Let’s Straighten It Out”).
There are tracks by Benny Turner, Theodis Ealey, Zakiya Hooker & Teeny Tucker. Turner records a hot “Who Sang It First,” followed by a funky-soul rock piece “Turnin’ the Same Ole Corners,” by Trudy Lynn. Trudy’s would’ve been a hit in the ’60s for sure. I could easily hear the late Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops cover this song. Lucky Peterson provides the electric guitar & B3 organ on Trudy’s original. Theodis Ealey adds a modern-blues with a B.B. King influenced lead guitar that’s colorful & impressive on “Blues Is Callin’ My Name” with David Savage’s piano notes under the Sultan Mohammad, Abdul Ra’ool, & Lloyd Oby horns.
We’re a long way down the road from Robert Johnson & Muddy Waters now. So, it isn’t Okeh, ABC Paramount, Bluesway, Impulse, Motown, Tamala, Stax, Wand, or Parkway – but these tunes sparkle in their special way. I found them memorable. But I grew up on this kind of music, so my ears, like a morning rose, open when they hear sunny day friends like this. Now, where did I hear that before?
Highlights – “Sunny Day Friends,” “Stranded In Clarksdale,” “Garbage Man,” “Let’s Straighten It Out,” “Who Sang It First,” “Turnin’ the Same Ole Corners,” “Blues Is Callin’ My Name,” & “Ain’t That The Blues.”
CD @ Bandcamp & Apple + https://www.jusblues.org/