Wily Bo Walker & Karena K
Album: A Long Way FRom Heaven
Label: Mescal Canyon
Tracks: 6
Website: http://www.wilybo.com

If you like your blues with a funky feel and lush vocals, then this should be for you.

The opening title track - A Long Way From Heaven - features the distinctive bass-rich raspy vocals from Wily Bo, that will surely rock your speakers. Next up is Love Will Find A Way - a do wop tune complete with birdsong.

Angels in The Night is a brooding slower number with the emphasis on the vocals. The rest of the instrumentation is mixed way back in the mix with guitar only coming through towards the end.

Did I Forget (To Tell You I Love You) another smaltzy slow shuffle. Rendezvous des Cheminots is more upbeat featuring horns from the Danny Flam Big Band. This really swings along very nicely.

The closing track Light At The End of Tunnel was one of my personal favourites. A slow burner that just oozes style with some sympathetic guitar cutting through the vocals.

All in all, a well-produced set of songs.

A word, too, on the cover artwork by Susan Shulman - very colourful and intriguing.

John Knighton