FRANK GOLDWASSER "BLUJU" Source: BluesCritic.com Date: 02/2007 Writer: Dylann DeAnna

He's been attuned to sunny California's West Coast Blues sound for a couple decades now so it only makes sense France's "Paris Slim" Frank Goldwasser would hook up with the redhot West Coast label Delta Groove Productions for "Bluju" (*** 1/2). Well, that opening sentence was just too smooth not to write but truth is...this record this was already a hit overseas (since 2003) before us snobby yanks got hip. Okay that's not true either for it was in fact produced by Delta Groove's Randy Chortkoff and features an All Star team of Blues pickers and players Stateside. Kirk "Eli" Fletcher, Phillip Walker, Alex Schultze, J.J. Malone, etc. Goldwasser may be merely middling vocally ("I Can't Stand It") but he's a terrific, fast-fingered guitarist ("Twelve Year Old Boy"). Listen to him shred on "Melba's Bump"!. "Paris Slim" released released his first single in 1984 on the Bay Area label Backtrack. He followed this up with two two acclaimed records (the W.C. Handy-nominated "Blues For Esther" and then "Bleedin' Heart") before becoming a part of the Mannish Boys. The domestic release of "Bluju" adds two bonus cuts ("She's Gone", "55th Street Boogie") and packs a sonic wallop as do all records from this label.