Gina Coleman – Unequivocally Blue
Guitar One Records
11 tracks, 39 minutes 14 seconds
Gina Coleman has one of the most interesting back stories in the contemporary blues world. Through a series of serendipitous events, she changed her life’s direction in 1999 and became the leader of Misty Blues, a band that has gained a solid following over the years. Coleman and Misty Blues have received a lot of airplay from B.B. King’s Bluesville station on Sirius XM. That band’s creative cover tunes featuring Coleman’s unique voice bring fresh, high-energy interpretations to familiar to blues classics.
With Unequivocally Blue, Coleman has stepped out of the Misty Blues large band format to showcase her skills as a singer/songwriter with a much smaller group. The album sticks close to blues and roots territory, with Coleman’s throaty contralto front-and-center. She has brought two of her Misty Blues bandmates into the studio to record these songs. Guitarist Stuart Fleischman provides harmonic support and contributes agile solos. Coleman’s multi-talented son, Diego Mongue, is the rest of the rhythm section, multi-tracking bass, drums and percussion on the album. In addition to providing all of the vocals, Coleman contributes some tasty cigar box guitar work. The recording was produced and engineered by Ronan Chris Murphy.
The record opens with “No More To Give”, a moody, G minor lament about the pain of an exploitive romantic relationship. Coleman’s cigar box guitar riff underpins her vibrato-soaked vocal work. Mongue adds rumbling drums to the foreboding mix. The combination evokes emotional darkness.
The second track shifts the mood completely. “Days Gone By” opens with a jaunty strut that sounds a bit like Johnny River’s 1964 hit record, “Memphis Tennessee. Some tasty slide guitar and a driving rhythm create a dance-able tune. Coleman’s lyrics describe nostalgic memories that will “never get old.”
The title track, “Unequivocally Blue”, is a swinging, jazzy blues with Mongue’s bass figuring prominently in the mix. His walking bass line anchors the tune, and he contributes some short solo passages before Fleischman’s guitar takes over. Coleman sings about the varieties of blues music and asserts that she is “unequivocally blue.”
“Let Them Blues” is an old-school shuffle with Coleman encouraging troubled people to “let them blues fill your soul.” “Ain’t No Giving Tree” is a blues rhumba, with lyrics expounding on Coleman’s unwillingness to be a doormat. “Fly With Me” uses a 6/8 time signature to provide drive for Coleman’s minor-key ode to freedom and companionship. “Up Above My Head” features Coleman’s gospel-tinged vocals as she celebrates the spiritual aspects of music. “Nothing’s in Vain” is a slow, deep ballad. “Stomp Stomp” is the funkiest track on the album.
The album closes with “Will My Blues”, which features Mongue’s work on Latin percussion and his wistful bass solo. Coleman’s poignant lyrics touch on mortality and the legacy of music left behind.
Unequivocally Blue is a solid effort by Coleman and her supporting cast. This album should please fans of Misty Blues.
