As front man of legendary West Coast blues band Hollywood Fats Band, a group which was active from 1976 to 1980, singer and harmonica player Al Blake and the rest of the band created a style based on 40’s and 50’s blues, swing, boogie-woogie, jump and jazz, giving to all these styles a personal and genuine touch that has influenced many musicians and lasted till now.

Since the nineties on, Blake has devoted himself to investigate and learn about the roots of 30’s, 40’s to middle 50’s blues, and he also has been busy practicing extensively with the guitar, developing a particular style based on both Mississippi guitar players and Piedmont blues style that comes from Virginia East Coast, Virginia, Georgia and the Carolines guitar techniques

His knowledge of rural blues can be found in this album which includes eleven own compositions and seven versions of songs coming from artists like Charles Davenport, Clarence Williams, Joe Willie Wilkins, Arthur Jackson, Big Bill Broonzy, Arthur Petties and Tampa Red. Al Blake’s slow wrapping vocals, guitar and harmonica playing are only backed by Fred Kaplan on piano in some cuts and Kirk Fletcher on guitar in the song “Too Many Drivers”.

An album that, although at first glance may seem to be a simple one, if you carefully listen to it, you will realize it has much more substance and a good number of things to discover.