Danny Brooks: Texassippi Soul Man (HHR Records)

Danny Brooks is an amazing man, he is a survivor, re-born thru his faith and thru that faith he brings us some very fine blues music. His life story reads like a blues novel with ties to the past that bind him and the music together forever, I urge ya’s to check him out.

With this, his tenth release, we get a soul-drenched collection of sixteen original songs that work the genre in and out much like a professional boxer works the jab, punch and uppercut. It is a knockout!

‘Soul Man’ is his biography, from the age of fifteen when he first saw Muddy Waters and decided to devote his life to the blues, covering his travels – all done with a tasty beat and country blues feel that contains a steady back beat. Verbally toasting his influences and flatly stating that he, “…God Almighty is a soul man”.

‘Let It Rain’ is a gospel like slow testimony to watching his child self destruct, knowing that there is nothing one can do – and also acknowledging that this is what he had done to his parents in his youth. The good news is that his daughter is doing fine.

Mr. Brooks treats us to his version of what could be called a Howlin’ Wolf song. ‘I Wanna Be With You‘ . Spot on with it’s Wolf groove as he growls lyrics that speak of the thin disguise that we hold over our real emotions and the old familiar needing to laugh from crying. As we listen to the quite spooky guitar work from Lou Erlanger we are driven to the dark delta and hear ‘the Wolf’ howlin’ “ahhh oooh”.

A Nawlins second line feel is what ‘Middle Of A Miracle’ has to it. It is Mr. Brooks song to us all reminding us to take notice of the miracles that happen around us everyday, to step back from the daily grind that we are caught up in recognize the joy each day brings. It finishes up with Mr. Brooks taking us to church with a chorus of yells exhorting us to stand up and realize what we have around us.

This release is a celebration of life, and yes life is not always an easy road, but that road gives us strength and with the bad comes good and from failure we learn to succeed The alternatives are not pretty, so take heart share the love with one another and by all means listen to this Texassippi Soul Man. This is one release that certainly brings the true spirit of Christmas home to the listener, one of thankfulness, of joy and a celebration of life.

Mr. Brooks firmly resides inside the house of the Lord, but on the web he can be found