Libby Rae Watson & Bert Deivert – She Shimmy
Format: CD – Digital / Label: Hard Danger Records
Release: 2020
Tekst: Iain Patience
Now here’s an interesting album, a collaboration between two fine acoustic blues musicians. Deivert is from Boston, Massechusets area but has lived in Sweden for almost forty years; Watson is based in Mississippi. Together, they mix well with a truly delightful blues vibe.
Vocals are shared between the pair and Deivert features on both guitar and mandolin, an instrument that he fiercely and masterfully champions in the blues music world. Watson is a fine picker who learned much of her guitar craft from the late, legendary Sam Chatmon of the Misissippi Sheiks.
On ‘She Shimmy’, they are joined by the ever-wonderful harp master, Charlie Musselwhite at times, and Eric Bibb also lends his weight, giving the album a wonderful downtown, back-porch flavour and feel. In truth, this is an excellent offering with fiery picking, good vocal matches and great material.
Tracks range from I Want You To Know and That’s All Right to Whiskey Blues. Overall, this is top-dollar acoustic blues from a pairing that was booked for this year’s New Orleans Blues & Jazz Festival but are trapped in the Covid lockdowns.
Give this one a listen; hopefully, they’ll be working together again before much longer. An excellent, exciting blues release, full of old-style string-band passion and power, from a colourful acoustic pairing well worthy of discovery.
Tracks:
Website:
https://www.facebook.com/libbyraewatsonblues/
https://www.facebook.com/BudDeivert