With 40 years of being in the blues, it's no wonder that Dwight Edwards (http://dwightedwardsbluesband.com) sounds like he stepped out of some crackling vinyl. "Heart of the Blues" is raw, passionate blues, the real stuff, 100% authentic, no artificial ingredients added. It tastes like a hot, thick steak with a sauce that stings your tongue and then melts in your throat.
They should call Edwards "slow hand" because his style is that of the gradual build, creating ripping, emotionally charged solos that move about ten miles an hour until they explode into waves of melancholy and released tension. "I'll Always Be Around" is probably the best example of this. The mellow, sultry riffing on "I'll Always Be Around" is the perfect dressing for Edwards' soulful, magnetic, and deep voice, which sometimes recall B.B. King, especially on the opening cut, "Love Somebody."
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To call Edwards a bluesman, as appropriate as it is, is only presenting half the picture. The guy is pure soul. There are traces of Gospel in his vocal style like on "Mama Blues," an autobiographical tale of parental dissent towards his blues mission. On "Mama Blues," Edwards' voice reaches up into the heavens; it's a spellbinding, spine-tingling moment that will leave you absolutely breathless.
Edwards is a phenomenal guitar player. Check out his Eric Clapton-ish leads on "Stop Loving You," his icy fingers plucking every feeling from those guitar strings. This is an outstanding work of the blues and deserves the highest recommendation.
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