DELTA DEEP consists of seasoned and versatile musicians including Phil Collen of Def Leppard, Rob DeLeo, Forrest Robinson, and Debbi Blackwell-Cook. From the first note played a deep root of blues, rock, folk, and a bit of bluegrass can be heard. Evenmore, Debbi brings an utter and immense soul to the music filling in their collective sound to create a deep and lasting aesthetic through her voice. She has sung with the likes of Luther Vandross, Michael Buble, and Gregory Hines. But hearing her from behind the background is where she belongs. In her voice one can hear Mavis Staples, Janice Joplin, Aretha Franklin, and Etta James. Inside the music one can hear the rock of Led Zeppelin, the blues of BB King, the soul of Motown, and the heart of Stax Records.
As I listen to this magic I feel both energized and nostalgic for a time when good music was a way of life and the blues sang the truth of our culture. Where does good music like this belong nowadays? Where can one hear it? Yes, remnants are found in clubs and bars, venues, and restaurants around the United States, but the brilliance of blues is now a novelty. It used to be more. We’d hear it on the radio and it would speak of our woes and worries, our lovers and failures, our culture and politics, and most importantly our life.
My favorite component of the blues is that in order for it to be effective it must be sung by a worthy story teller, a person familiar with life and struggle, pain and suffering. There’s nothing to hide behind. No place to pretend in the blues. Either you know, or you don’t. What DELTA DEEP tells, I imbibe and know it’s real and beautiful. It’s timeless music for it has no expiration date. It is always in style, always important and needed admidst the plethora of bubblegum pop music which too has it’s place if only temporarily.
I love the duet songs especially. They enhance Debbi’s big epic voice and feature a more subtle and rock driven voice of the male vocals. These moments come together the most on songs including “Treat Her Like Candy”, “Miss Me” and “Blocked Number”. Other Songs which are strong include “Bang the Lid” “Whiskey” and “Shuffle Sweet”. Songs that I could do without include “Black Coffee” and “Mistreated”.
DELTA DEEP sounds so strong recorded, they are a band I hope to see live. You can listen to bits of the album here. And stay up to date on their website and Facebook page.
