Shawn Kellerman - Blues Without A Home

www.shawnkellerman.com

Shawn Kellerman is from Canada but has planted himself and his guitar in the roots of the blues having lived in Mississippi. He is considered by critics a guitar wizard who defines modern blues. He has performed with Mel Brown,Deborah Coleman and Bobby Rush.

The album starts with the Robert Randolph instrumental "Ted's Jam". It features some great guitar playing and a stand-up rythym section with Joesph Veloz on bass and Andrew "Blaze" Thomas on drums. On "Good Times" there is some fantastic B3 by Lucky Peterson. The song reminds me too much of the 80's hit by Robert Palmer "Addicted To Love".

"Counterfeit Man", I just couldn't get into. It was just not my type of feel. "Give me the Blues' is a good song and Kellerman can really play. The band really smokes on this cut. Shawn brings it down on "Love is Sweet" with some inventive guitar, nice tone and chord changes while Lucky Peterson jams on the B3 and Clavinet. This track is exceptional. The musicians feel it and in listening to it so did I.

"Love is Music" boogies along and you can tell Lucky Peterson and the band are having fun. Great Hammond work! "Big Mama's Door" is another form of modern blues but sounded a bit long.

"Pretty Woman" by A.C Williams is a great song but all this version didn't add much to the original .The CD ends with "Jelly Roll" a modern blues in the Led Zeppelin vein.

Shawn Kellerman can certainly play the guitar and maybe considered by some a guitar wizard and innovative.  I didn't hear it all the way through on this album but I did hear moments of brilliance.

I did not care for Shawn's vocals. No soul or passion in his delivery. He sounds like he doesn't mean it.

Shawn was smart to add Lucky Peterson to the mix on this recording. Lucky Peterson is the real deal. My favorite track which is very close to a masterpiece in modern blues is "Love is Sweet". Check it out.

Reviewer Michael Packer  is a singer-guitarist from NYC who fronts his own band "The Michael Packer Blues Band". He has been performing for over 40 years and has recorded on major labels Atlantic and RCA.

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