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Zac Harmon
From The Root
Northern Blues, 2009
Zac Harmon’s impressive credentials placed him solidly in the blues of his Mississippi heritage with early stints as guitarist for Z.Z Hill, Dorothy Moore, McKinley Mitchell and Sam Myers, among others. Conversely, as a Los Angeles studio musician and writer/producer in the 80’s and 90’s, he widened his horizon by working with mainstream popular groups and produced songs for Black Uhuru that received a Grammy nomination in 1994. In 2002, his first CD “Live at Babe & Ricky’s Inn” got notice on the blues scene and his next CD “The Blues According to Zacariah” in 2005 solidified his standing in the Mississippi blues sound. This latest effort pulls all those experiences together and captures the spontaneity of his live shows with an eclectic mix of styles.
This new CD has Harmon in good company with an impressive host of rotating musicians. On the opening cut, “Don’t Give Me Another Reason,” Harmon’s smooth vocals complement the R&B melody of this insistent lament to love gone awry. “Hattie Mae” is a hot blues number with Jimmy Z on harmonica with Harmon professing undying love with driving vocals. He warns his woman on “Since You Been Gone” saying, “I been doing good on my own” with vocals filled with conviction and a dynamic guitar excursion.
One of the outstanding cuts is “Back Bitin’ Back Stabbers” with Harmon’s jaunty vocals and a great guitar excursion on this pulsating rocker which relates to his woman Mary and back stabbing friend Bobby. On “That’s What A Woman Needs” the reggae beat is infectious but this one missed the mark for me since its flowery vocals and melody were just a little too saccharine. He hits his stride on the next cut giving a nod to gospel and a healthy dose of soul on “The Price of Lovin’ You” with Sue Ann Carwell joining him on backup vocals. “Honey Bee” is definitely a winner, showcasing Harmon’s versatility and vocal range on this boisterous romp.
Venturing into some new territory, Harmon’s southern-fried soul permeates the romantic slow-burner “Smile On Your Face” and “The Older Woman” has a bouncy tempo in an ode to the value of a certain segment of the female audience. “Keep The Blues Alive” is a shuffle with the repetitive cliché …“that’s what you gotta do to survive is keep the blues alive.” Harmon takes full command on the last cut, “Man Is Not Made To Be Alone,” with a potent slow country blues to polish off this delectable concoction of fourteen original tunes.
Hold on tight—Zac Harmon will rock your socks off with this CD!
(C) 2009, Dorothy L. Hill
BluesSource.com
2009-06-23
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