Piano player and singer Mitch Woods has spent most of his life in front of the piano keys, performing all over the world. Besides, he is one of the regular pianists at the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise that sails every year around the Caribbean Sea. All that has allowed him to back and perform with the most outstanding blues names.

Over the years Mitch has established a good friendship with many of the musicians he has shared stage with. To delight most blues lovers Mitch has decided to release a double cd with twenty-one songs in duo or trio format with some of his good friends and great musicians and, what better than to open the first cd with the song “C.C. Rider” performing with Van Morrison and Taj Mahal, an impressive cut that will put your hair stand on end. But the rest of the twenty songs you will find in these two cds are at the same level of the opening one, with really outstanding artists, all them backed by Mitch Woods, like the just mentioned Taj Mahal and Van Morrison, but also Elvin Bishop, Ruthie Foster, John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite, Maria Muldaur, Kenny Neal, Cyril Neville, James Cotton, Joe Louis Walker, John Lee Hooker and Marcia Ball. Of course, Mitch excels on piano with an intensity, groove, attack and an overflowing tone, while the songs selection is superb and has been carefully done.

With this double album Mitch Woods wants to pay tribute to these great bluesmen and friends, as well as giving to listeners a masterpiece of BLUES with capital letters.

“Friends Along The Way” is certainly one of the best albums I have listened to in recent times.