Carmen Ratti Band featuring Jill Dineen – Come to Me
Momojo Records
11 Tracks – 52 minutes
Carmen Ratti has been involved in all aspects of the Northern California music scene. As a teen, he started playing drums but shifted to the guitar at age 20. Since then, he has played with many of the best musicians in the Bay area as well as producing, writing, and recording. Carmen has played with Johnny Burgin, Lynwood Slim, and Lara Price among others. Jill Daneen fronted the Chicago band Nora Blue before landing in Charlotte, North Carolina where she formed the Jill Dineen Band and recorded two albums. She studied vocal performance with The San Francisco Girls Chorus and the California Jazz Conservatory. Her tremendous vocal abilities led her to perform with gospel’s Laura Davis, jazz performers Laura Antonioli and Theo Bleckman, and with opera singer Mary Beth Puton in Paris. But blues drew her back, leading her to share the stage with Bob Margolin, Marcus King, Bob Corritore, Albert Cummings and many other blues artists. The blues moved her to join Carmen Ratti in 2019 and led to their debut album release, The Road Back, in 2021.
Carmen and Jill share the lead vocals on this, their sophomore album. Carmen also leads on guitar. Tony “Macaroni” Lufrano on piano and organ has played with Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Robben Ford and Boz Scaggs, among others. Bassist Steve Hazelwood played with Elvin Bishop. Drummer Randy Hayes toured with Chris Cain, Charlie Musselwhite, Laura Chavez, Tommy Castro and Debbie Davies. Carmen and Jill wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album. Christopher “Kid” Andersen produced both albums for them at his Greaseland Studio.
“No Delusion” is delivered with a deep growling vocal as Carmen establishes a smooth, supple guitar rhythm that dominates the song with a pulsating drumbeat and solid organ underneath the sound as he declares, “Look Left, look right, somebody’s changing the world tonight.” Jill takes the lead vocal on “Get in Line” as she declares, “I know you are leading me on. That is just fine. You got to get in line. Just one smile across the room and it will turn into a laugh and a hand on the back. Just one word out loud got me talking to strangers and changing my standards.” Lisa Leusschner Andersen guests on backing vocals on the slow burning title song. Jill invokes a smoldering touch with Tony’s organ floating with the pinched notes from Carmen’s guitar emphasizing the emotions of the song. Jill smoothly tells him, “When the best of your nature just is not enough, can’t find your rest, it all seems to be too much. When the world cuts too close, gotta lick your wounds I know.” “Let me take it for you.”
They get things jumping again on “I Can See” as Jill tells, “Open up my eyes, scroll through the news. Looks like you’re messing around with anyone with shoes. I can see plain as day about you. I got a half a mind to tell the world the whole damn truth.” “Riley” is an instrumental tribute to B.B. King flitting through some touches of “The Thrill is Gone” with some superb piano and organ slid within Carmen’s guitar. “Blessing in the Blues” moves into a gospel and soul mix as Jill says, “We’ve come so far and then got so lost. So separated, just look at us. But if we face each other, tell the truth. We will find blessings in the blues”.
“Coming Down” features Tony’s Hammond with Carmen closing the song with a rousing solo. Jill cites “Sun comes up, I’m coming down. Too many nights wasted in this town. Out of control, living in a daze.” Carmen takes the vocal lead on the funky “About You” declaring “when you decide to make it all about you, you gave so little. Little won’t do.” “I will talk but I’m the only one there. Late night selling you in my air’. “Uncle Joe” is a second instrumental teaming Carmen’s jazzy guitar with Tony’s Hammond and piano and a solid drum beat from Randy.
Jill jumps back in with a declaration that she is looking for a “Pretty Good Man” and states, “Lord, don’t give me a pretty man. I don’t need all that show. Give me touch. Give me trust. Give me something down to love. I don’t need no man trying to tell me how to live. Don’t need no man trying to make me his wife.” The album concludes with “Come to Me (Extended Version)” which extends the song by two minutes and provides the opportunity for the instrumentals to stretch. Tony’s guitar resonates with a sound reminiscent of Peter Green,
Jill proves she has the vocal pipes to croon in a deep soulful cry, finding the emotions in her blues but easily jumps to driving, powerful rock when the music pushes that way. Carmen clearly is of the school that a guitar is not meant to be an instrument that constantly is used to deliver notes at a rapid speed. His touch is slow allowing his guitar to find the notes and feel of the emotions being delivered. Tony’s organ and piano playing are ever present taking his cues from Jill and Carmen keeping his playing solidly in tune with their approach but providing a smooth background or a jump into the foreground when called out. Randy and Steve add a solid rhythm section in every song. The album in total is a comfortable and passionate slice of soul and blues.
