Cheryl Arena - Blues Got Me

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2003
Time:49:51 
Size:116,6 MB 
Label:Self-Released 
Styles:Blues/Harmonica Blues/Jazzy Blues/Jazz 
Art:Front+Back 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Blow My Blues Away - 4:20
 2. Love Gone Wrong - 3:43
 3. Shave It - 2:54
 4. Listen To What I Say - 4:42
 5. Blues Got Me - 6:27
 6. It Aint Right - 4:53
 7. About To Break My Heart - 2:47
 8. Living In The Moment - 3:07
 9. Baby - 2:59
10. Any Day Now - 2:24
11. He Aint No Prince - 4:27
12. You Better Change - 3:04
13. Grazing In The Grass - 3:58 

It’s been about 23 years since Cheryl Arena released her debut CD Blues Got Me. After all of this time, the disc still serves as a fine document of her abilities and she can still use it as a calling card to get into all kinds of venues. Her songs range from inventive originals clever of arrangements of timeless classics, from basic, assertive guitar driven blues songs to more elaborate horn laden material for big bands. Produced by the legendary Duke Robillard, Arena’s talents on vocals and harmonica manage to standout among her impressive song craft and imaginative arrangements. Arena really gets her harmonica groove on during her cover of Little Walter’s “Baby.” She rides the classic harmonica line well, keeping it flinty, emotive, and tasteful while making those notes spiral off in a pleasant direction. It’s uncanny how her smooth, pretty vocal sounds so natural and empowered next to her horn section’s thrusting tuft of musical muscle.Arena gets into more witty writing with “He Ain’t No Prince,” turning the fairy tale metaphor around to make a point about disappointment and disillusionment. Her sultry approach makes one realize this lady just elevated her taste and will be on the prowl for a finer gentleman. Matt McCabe’s piano here is another highlight, a classy series of notes that makes one imagine Arena wearing a long black dress and white velvet gloves and pearls as the lights come up over her in the city’s finest establishment.Arena gets to showcase more of her harmonica zeal on Charles Grossley‘s “You Better Change.” This time around, Arena commits herself to a fierce line, one she blows out with melodic precision and emphatic boom. She has to. She’s blowing alongside ace guitarist Matt Woodburn and over bassist Ted Bukowski and her CD drummer Michael Dunford. This one is just a spinning top of excitement.Arena closes out her incredible album with an arrangement of Philemon Hou’s “Grazing In The Grass.” Her lilting harmonica line wafts beautifully over a rhythmic piano line and peppy percussion. It’s a fine farewell for now song and the harmonica player leaves us with a sweet desert to remember the main courses of her CD.Arena had much to be proud of with this Blues Got Me masterwork and to this day it helps her win over new fans as much as her live shows, live performances that run the gamut from classy chanteuse to high energy aggression. We can only hope that Ms. Arena is around the scene for a long, long time.

Blues Got Me