Review: 'Daydreams In Blue' Anthony Geraci

Anthony Geraci

By Mike O’Cull

Multiple Blues Music Award-nominated pianist/songwriter Anthony Geraci puts down a sophisticated and skilled set of roots music on his new release Daydreams In Blue. The record comes out July 10th, 2020 on Shining Stone Records and features a dozen new songs brought to life by an amazing band. Boston blues music hero Dennis Brennan handles the vocal and harmonica chores, the rhythm section of Jeff Armstrong and Michael Mudcat Ward keep the grooves moving along, and stellar guitarists Walter Trout and Monster Mike Welch bring the serious six-string heat. Geraci’s fluid and articulate piano work binds all of this greatness together and his impressive songwriting chops provide an outstanding roadmap for this mighty crew to follow.

Anthony Geraci has a long history in the American blues scene. He’s an original member of Sugar Ray and the Blue-Tones and Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, and has been nominated for the prestigious Pinetop Perkins Piano Award for the last five years by the Blues Foundation in Memphis. His last album, Why Did You Have To Go, received nominations from the Blues Foundation for Best Album, Best Song of the Year, Best Traditional Male Blues Artist, Band of the Year and more.

Geraci has also recorded with blues legends Big Walter Horton, Carey Bell, Odetta, Big Jack Johnson, Charlie Musselwhite, Lazy Lester, Snooky Pryor, and John Brim as well as contemporary stars The Proven Ones, Kenny Neal, Sugaray Rayford, Debbie Davies, Otis Grand, Welch/Ledbetter, Zora Young, and Duke Robillard. He’s even garnered a Grammy nomination for his playing on the Super Harps I album (Telarc).

“Love Changes Everything” opens the record with a piano and horn-soaked upbeat shuffle that’s slick as all get out. The tune swings hard and outlines the kind of uptown blues Geraci is so good at. His piano licks jump out of the speakers and Dennis Brennan’s soulful vocals are gruff and genuine. “Tomorrow May Never Come” cuts the tempo but adds in a New Orleans-influenced stroll feel that helps this lovelorn anthem cut directly to the heart. Brennan is wonderfully expressive on vocals and the horn section ices the cake for him once again. Geraci’s tight, rhythmic piano playing locks the groove fully down and keeps the entire group glued together perfectly.

Walter Trout slings a big guitar on the hard blues “No One Hears My Prayers” and brings his signature brand of emotive grit to the party. His solo is tense, soaring and brilliant, and gives this one an edge-of-the-seat quality that makes each note seem like the most important thing in the world. Hearing him wailing with Geraci and the rest of this muscular band is the kind of experience blues fans live for.

Geraci takes the lead vocal spot on the 50s rocker “Tutti Frutti Booty,” a playful dancefloor romp that’ll make anybody get up and move. His piano lines are as hot as can be and guitarist Troy Gonyea is absolutely sweet and lowdown. “Jelly, Jelly” is a slow, jazzy blues that opens itself wide to let Geraci and Brennan get smooth with it. Monster Mike Welch turns in one of his many tasty performances on the album here and his solo is a master class on blues phrasing and creativity. Be sure to also spend some quality time with “Dead Man’s Shoes” and “Living In The Shadow Of The Blues.”

Daydreams In Blue is a gem of a record that spotlights Geraci’s epic skills and puts the piano out front, which is refreshing in the guitar-dominated sphere of the blues. It’s a slick set that’s going to make a lot of fans happy. Make sure you’re one of them.