Don Scott and Rosanne Licciardi – Glad to Have These Blues | Album Review

Don Scott and Rosanne Licciardi – Glad to Have These Blues

Self-Produced

www.donscottblues.com

CD: 10 Songs, 39:27 Minutes

Styles: Blues Covers, Traditional and Contemporary Acoustic Blues, Piedmont Blues

In the Bible, 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” When a blues artist has been performing, producing and perfecting the art he loves for over 45 years, it’s easy to forgive his voice for lacking a young musician’s range and zesty energy. Such is the case with Minnesota native Don Scott, who has been doing just that. Accompanied on his new album by Rosanne Licciardi on cajon and OctoSnare, this harpist, vocalist and acoustic guitar veteran is Glad to Have These Blues. A musical “sin” that can also be forgiven is the lack of original material on his newest release: seven out of its ten tracks are perennial covers. They include Jimmy Rogers’ “What Have I Done,” Brownie McGhee’s “Move to Kansas City,” Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business,” and Muddy Waters’ “Catfish Blues”. Scott is far more than a half-decent harmonica and acoustic guitar player, showcasing a distinct Piedmont style in his songs.

His website states, “Don Scott has surely kept the flame burning with his finger-picking style and foot-stomping rhythms in the tradition of the Delta masters and Piedmont stylists…A Minnesota native, Scott started the legendary Dust Bowl Blues Band in 1970 and never looked back. Over the years he’s shared the stage with Lazy Bill Lucas, Mighty Joe Young, The Legendary Blues Band, James Harmon, William Clark, Chris Cain, Janiva Magness and countless others. Whether in a full band or solo, Scott pays his respects to the originators while putting his own stamp on the classics with self-penned originals as well. In 2012, Scott hooked up with Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame member “Harmonica” Curtis Blake. A stellar performance at the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth earned them a standing ovation. Sure Thing, their first CD, was named “Best Self-Produced CD” by the Minnesota Blues Society and nominated for a BMA award in Memphis that year. His song, ‘JP Morgan, Citibank, Wells Fargo,’ was nominated for the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame award for Best Original Song in 2014.”

When it comes to blues festivals, Don Scott is no slouch. He’s graced the stages of Blues on the Chippewa in Durand, MN; Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth MN; Blues on Belgrade, Mankato, MN; Smokin’ in Steele BBQ and Blues Festival in Owatonna, MN; Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in Davenport IA; Tucson Blues Festival in Tucson, AZ, and the Pecan Festival in Florence, SC.

One of the following original songs on Scott’s new album may not be blues, but it IS great:

Track 05: “Samba for Zihua” – As demonstrated at the Rio Olympics last year, the samba can either be done slowly and sexily, or at a blistering tempo that non-native dancers can rarely match without a ton of practice. The instrumental “Samba for Zihua” is of the relaxing variety, featuring Don Scott’s guitar at its sweetest and most melodic. Grab a partner and dance, because fabulous track five is tailor-made for it.

Don Scott, after more than forty-five years, is Glad to Have These Blues. His fans will love it!

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