Curtis Salgado – Legacy Rewind: Live In ’25
If you were to see a head-on collision between Eric Burdon & Boz Scaggs on stage, you’d have a debris field that would start to sound like Eugene, Oregon’s Curtis Salgado swept up on “Wiggle Outta This,” a fiery blues piece with backup singers Keashaun Jones, Margaret Linn & Lindsay Reynolds, that singe the ears delightfully. Heavy organ notes, crisp drums, & the whole 15-piece band are electrifying on this live number.
Some singers have a dominant, distinctive, or sophisticated sound, & some, like Salgado, emanate bluesy soulfulness. His voice projects expressively, & with “Clean Getaway,” a soul brushed with sautéed funk. For a blues singer, this works because Salgado has the delivery in his voice.
There are 13 dips into the blues washbasin where the ripest apples float in Legacy Rewind: Live In ’25 (Drops April 17/Nola Blue Records/63:37) produced by Curtis (vocals/harmonica) & recorded live at The Triple Door in Seattle, WA (April 5th, 2025). The brass is kick-ass & really asserts themselves on the funky “My Girlfriend,” which would put an envious smile on both Sly Stone (Sly &the Family Stone) & the brass era Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The narrative in the deep end of the tune defines why a blues singer can manage this type of song that isn’t a novelty tune despite its title.
There’s old school blues, melancholy, raw & deals with harsh reality & there’s more entertaining blues — flash-in-the-pan with little to do with the emotive end that makes a person sad, distraught & desperate. Curtis deals a different set of cards; his expertise with R&B, soul, funk & blues is measured precision & not just jamming. “Money Must Think I’m Dead” is superb. The live performance is studio clean. The band is as tight as crunched-up aluminum foil. Ron Tuttle’s drums – excellent throughout.
Curtis allows the band to ignite many times & thrash its brass like The Meters or Tower of Power with rippling notes, musical high octane & ankle deep in Garland Jeffries (“The Mystery Kids,” “R.O.C.K”) type smoke on “Sweet Jesus Buddha the Doctor.” The floor thunders with John Linn’s bass & shakes the crowd noticeably.
The only small blemish is “Fine By Me,” which sounds a little too Springsteen for my taste.
However,…
There are many great performances captured on this recording. Many.
Highlights – “Wiggle Outta This,” “Clean Getaway,” “My Girlfriend,” “Money Must Think I’m Dead,” “Sweet Jesus Buddha the Doctor,” “Precious Time,” & “I Don’t Want To Discuss It.”
Musicians – Alan Hager & Ben Rice (lead/rhythm guitars), Kenny Meriedeth (rhythm guitar), Gary Harris (alto/tenor saxes), Tim Bryson (tenor/baritone saxes), Dave Mills (trumpet), Lars Campbell (trombone), Brady Goss (piano), Brian Harris (B3), Ron Tuttle & Patrick Sears (drums/percussion), John Linn & John Wolcott (bass guitars).
Color image courtesy of Ross Hamilton. CD @ Bandcamp & Amazon + https://curtissalgado.com/
Great review! Loved “tight as crunched-up aluminum foil” description. Have been a fan of Curtis since his days performing downstairs in the Eugene Hotel. He and his fellow musicians at this performance hit it outta da park! Loved it! Yeah
If you have yet to catch one of Salgado’s performances, you’re missing out. You’ll bob your head like a slow-walking pigeon and wiggle like a wet-tailed duck.