Blues With Friends
By Chris Wheatley
Released June 5th on KTBA Records (Joe Bonamassa’s new record label), Dion’s first album of new recordings since 2016’s New York is My Home, nails its colors to the mast with its title. Musically and literally, Blues With Friends is as honest as they come, and when your friends include Stevie Van Zandt, Billy Gibbons, Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Springsteen, Samantha Fish, Sonny Landreth and Bonamassa himself, any self-respecting Blues fan can’t help but get excited.
It’s fair to say that star-studded collaborations don’t always live up to their promise. But even a cursory examination of Blues With Friends, however, reveals something quite different. There are no covers here–instead we are treated to 14 original songs. Add to that not only the aforementioned quality, but the variety of collaborators, from guitar legend Jeff Beck to pop songwriting supremo Paul Simon and rockabilly maestro Brian Setzer. Liner notes are penned by Bob Dylan.
Opening statement “Blues Comin’ On” (with Joe Bonamassa) removes any lingering doubts. It’s a quite wonderful, high tempo burst of blues-rock. Shuffling, no-nonsense drums, bouncing bass and jangling, loose-edged rhythm guitar, shot through with piercing wails from its electric brother. Lyrically, this is classic blues territory and all the better for it. “Well I wrote you a letter, sent a telegram, postman said you don’t know who I am.” Dion’s vocals remain as strong and as supple as ever.
The strength of the writing and easy mastery of the playing lift each track way above the realms of the ordinary. There’s also a pleasing diversity to this album, which never strays far from the roots of its title. “Can’t Start Over Again,” (with Jeff Beck), for example, is a lilting lament, coloured by some beautiful and sparingly used strings. On the other hand, “My Baby Loves to Boogie” (with John Hammond) is straight up classic rhythm and blues. “Sweet as sugar in the morning, in the evening she comes on strong,” sings Dion, over an infectious backing, swirling harmonica and some beautiful, dancing guitar.
Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Dion DiMucci has long been something of an outrider as a 50s pop sensation who crafted music of undeniable depth and quality. A smooth crooner with a distinctive edge to his voice, Dion started out on Bronx street corners, before making it big with The Belmonts, scoring a hit in 1959 with the quintessential doo-wop ballad “Teenager in Love.” A successful solo career followed, throughout the early 60s, producing such enduring records as “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer.” Struggles in his personal life clawed Dion away from music at the height of his fame, yet he rallied and returned and has never stopped recording. Blues With Friends is a worthy reminder of his talent.
Of particular note is the collaboration with Paul Simon, “Song for Sam Cooke,” which revisits Dion’s long-time song-writing theme of ‘life in America.’ Tinged with Southern-Country, it stands as a worthy paean to the cross-cultural influences which color the blues and therefore every song presented here. “This land is meant for you and me,” Dion sings, and means it, calling to mind Woody Guthrie’s pioneering “This Land is Your Land.”
Production, as you would expect from any project associated with Joe Bonamassa, is punchy yet also smooth and uncluttered. That same smooth/edgy dichotomy runs through the entire set. On the beautiful closer, “Hymn to Him,” as Dion sings “walk with him from misfortune, walk with him from the pain,” you can feel the man’s life history pouring from every word.
Many pop stars of the 50s and 60s, who found themselves somewhat displaced by the British Invasion and the rise of The Beatles, turned to the ever-reliable country-music audience. Dion turned to the blues and Blues With Friends is a full-tilt blues offering. “The blues have been at the heart of my music since the early 1960s,” he explains. “’The Wanderer is a twelve-bar blues and I was covering Willie Dixon and Jimmy Reed in my early years at Columbia—much to the dismay of my corporate masters.”
Listen to “Can’t Start Over Again” feat. Jeff Beck
Pre-order Blues With Friends
Dion Online
Outstanding Album. Dion sets the bar up!
Who’s playing bass? Drums? And keyboards? Those positions were not credited.
Wayne Moss Also the producer
I love this album. Congratulations to Dion for writing such a great collection of songs with varied musicians. I feel like I found a $100 bill on the ground when I wasn’t expecting it. I hope people discover this beautiful set.