THE HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES "ROAD TO RIO" Source: Blues Bytes Date: 07/2006 Writer: Kyle Deibler

The opening song, ‘Road to Rio’, was originally written by Al Blake almost 25 years ago and reflects the direction the Fats Band was heading toward before Fats himself passed away. A highway song, Blake was hitch hiking his way to Rio after his woman did him wrong. “Won’t you stop and let me drive….I’ve got to go on down to die.” Kirk Fletcher’s guitar licks ably fill in for the departed Fats and bring this song to life. ‘Everybody’s Blues’ finds Blake reflecting on his departure from Kokomo. Same song, different verse. His woman walked out and left him. Treating her badly left him out in the cold and the result is ‘Everybody’s Blues.’

Being a coffee drinker myself, I can’t help but be drawn to “Coffee Grindin’ Man’. Fred Kaplan on the piano provides a consistent palette for Al Blake to tell us his story of coffee grindin’. “Here papa daddy…I like it’s when it’s good and hot…one more thing papa daddy….does your coffee really hit the spot?” Blake’s harmonica fills round out this story of coffee made good and hot. The other song originally written for the Hollywood Fats Band, ‘Steady Rollin’, features a blistering harmonica lead in by Blake and has a hypnotic 60’s feel to it. “My brother’s life is across the line, I’d do it again, it feels so fine….steady rollin.”

‘Long Black Cadillac’ refers to Al’s favorite mode of transportation. He has an enemy who’s done him wrong and now Al is gloating over the man’s misfortune. “Now you aint nothing but a rattlesnake…I’m coming down to your funeral…ridin in my long black Cadillac.” ‘Gumbo Grinder’ is the first of four instrumentals to be found on Road to Rio. Featuring Fred Kaplan on piano, ‘Gumbo Grinder’ plays tribute to New Orleans own Professor Longhair and other great Louisiana pianists. ‘Gumbo Grinder’ has an upbeat kind of Zydeco feel to it and is an enjoyable interlude on the record. Things slow way down on the acoustic duet, ‘Gone Away’, which features Al Blake on vocals with the legendary Kim Wilson playing harp. “Has anyone here seen that girl today….she left me this morning….she’s gone away.”

The band kicks back in with Kirk Fletcher’s guitar featured on the instrumental, ‘3rd Degree Burn.’ Fletcher, twice nominated for a Blues Music award as guitar instrumentalist of the year, showcases why his talents are worthy of the award. ‘Let’s Rock a While’ finds Blake enamored with a new young woman. “Now you’re such a fine young thing, baby you got style….I bet you could drive me wild….hey baby….let’s rock a while.” Blake’s soulful harmonica lead scintillates with desire for this fine young thing. I’m not sure he catches her but Lord knows he tried.

Al’s harmonica is the featured instrument on ‘Dr. Blake’s Boogie’, the third instrument of Road to Rio. Blake is a brilliant harmonica player and it’s nice to hear him have a chance to cut loose. ‘Black Chili Pepper’ refers to a woman that’s to hot to handle. “Too hot to cool down and you’re just too wild to tame.” Even though she’s more than he can handle, Blake just can’t stay away and you can rest assured this is one girl that will definitely get away. I find myself enjoying Kaplan’s piano and the sax playing of Tom Fabre on ‘Sharpest Man in Town’. “Babe you would not listen…when I laid my ruler down…not you’re falling at my feet…I’m the sharpest man in town.” The girl learned her lesson but it was too late for her to stay.

Road to Rio is unique in that it features three bonus cuts with guitar legend Junior Watson as well. The first, Junior’s Boogie Rocket, is an up tempo jump instrumental that features Junior on lead with Kirk playing second guitar. ‘Let Me Love You’, the classic Willie Dixon song is the second bonus track and features Al Blake on vocals. Blake’s harmonica intro highlights the third bonus cut, ‘Honeydripper’ and rounds out a wonderful record that has provided a unique musical journey for the listener to appreciate.

Road to Rio by itself is a very satisfying record. The inclusion by Delta Groove of the second cd, ‘Larger Than Life’, by the Hollywood Fats Band almost makes it mandatory that any blues fan buy this record. Culled from cassette recordings horded by Al Blake for the last 25 years, ‘Larger Than Life’ is a virtual treasure for any blues fan to enjoy. There are very few recordings featuring the guitar work of Hollywood Fats in existence and just the opening instrumental, “Fats Fries One”, is worth the price of admission alone. The rest of the record is just a testament to the greatness of one of the West Coast’s most legendary bands, the Hollywood Fats Band.