look: Charlie Wood - Lucky - Inside Sounds, 2006 - BUY

listen:

Can't Teach That Stuff

What's It Gonna Take

One of These Days

buy:

Charlie Wood is like a whirling dervish. On this CD, he wrote all the songs, did all the arrangements, plays all the keyboards, along with the guitar, bass, drums, sings lead and background vocals and I think, walks on water. A 15 year veteran of playing with the legendary Calvin Newborn's house band at King's Palace in Beale Street in Memphis, Wood has nothing to prove here, he's done it all.

The opening cut, Can't Teach That Stuff has Woods tearing it up on a boogie piano along with Kirk Smothers on sax. The River's Invitation totally changes direction as Woods moves to the B-3 for a slow grinder. Never Gonna Stop New Orleans is filled with syncopated swampy rhythms and funky tempos. The title track, Lucky, has hooks and rhythms worthy of any song.

Charlie Woods deserves much more attention that he's getting, if for no other reason than his brilliant keyboard work. Beale Street Blues wraps up the CD with guest, harpist extraordinaire Billy Gibson. This CD isn't just for lovers of keyboard work, but it is for anybody who enjoys quality talent.

(©) 2006, Tim Richards
BluesSource.com