ARTHUR ADAMS "STOMP THE FLOOR" Source: Blues & Rhythm Magazine Date: 12/2009 Writer: Gary von Tersch

Medon, Tennessee-born Adams, initially inspired on guitar by Howard Carroll of the Dixie Hummingbirds, has called Los Angeles home since 1964, initially making a living there as a sought-after session musician (Lowell Fulson, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt) along with numerous recording projects for television as well as film and selling his well-crafted, inventive songs – he co-wrote Albert King's 'Truckload Of Lovin'' for starters. Lately, however, he's been concentrating more on the blues as the house band leader at B.B. King's Blues Club in Universal City, California (his latter-day mentor King appears on Adams' 1969 comeback release ‘Back On Track’), touring with his Delta Groove label-mates The Mannish Boys and proffering this Delta Groove debut, all originals project.

Adams, along with co-producer (and bassist on four tracks) Lou Castro, keeps the pot boiling nicely – from the catchy, mood-setting lead-off invitation to 'Stomp The Floor' through a closing pair of instrumental tour-de-forces: the jazzy, melodically inventive journey 'Around The Sun' and the sinuous, guitar-fulcrumed 'Blue Roots' both allow Adams to show off his considerable guitar chops. Other gems along the way are the horns embellished gamblers blues ‘You Can't Win For Losing' and the topical, ear-to-the-pavement observational ‘I Know What You Mean', where Adams' acutely gospel-inflected vocal delivery proves particularly effective – likewise a Chuck Willis-like 'Nature Of The Beast'. On repeated listening, a couple of other Adams originals also rise to the surface – the soulful, steadily pulsing 'Thrive On Your Vibe' and a bluesily downbeat, shrewdly surging party plea, 'You Are Invited'. Adams, seemingly, is one of those artists, similar to Long John Hunter, content to lay low for a while and then really surprise you.

P.S. Harry, John Lennon would have loved him.