THE HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES "ROAD TO RIO" Source: Baltimore Blues Society Date: 08/2006 Writer: Bob Coffey

If you’ve noticed a trend in your blues preferences for the West Coast based harmonica-swinging blues guitar driven bands, this is a must-have double CD. Hollywood Fats is a modern blues legend who died in 1986 of a heroin induced heart attack at age 32. By that time he had played with John Lee Hooker, J.B.Hutto, Albert King, and Muddy Waters to name a few. He even did a stint with roots rockers the Blasters. A single Hollywood Fats band album was recorded and is considered a classic. All of the players here were associated with Fats with the exception of Kirk “Eli” Fletcher (Fabulous Thunderbirds) who fills in for the big man on most cuts. Al Blake reprises his role on most vocals and harmonica. Kim Wilson guests on one cut, Jr. Watson for three bonus tracks. The real find is disc two which are twelve previously unreleased tracks of the Fats band. Two cuts feature sax man Eddie “Clean Head” Vinson doing his best know tunes “Kidney Stew” and “Cleanhead Blues. “ Two with seminal blues shouter Roy Brown find Fats channeling T-Bone Walker perfectly. No matter what your preferences somewhere in the 27 cuts you’ll find a new favorite song.