JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD "DONE WITH THE DEVIL" Source: Blues in Britain Magazine (2) Date: 05/2009 Writer: Mick Rainsford

Jason Ricci’s second CD for Eclecto Groove continues where “Rocket Number 9” left off – with Ricci exploring new ideas and expanding his musical vision whilst delivering a masterclass in harmonica virtuosity that despite it’s eccentricity is always deeply rooted in the blues.

Ricci’s music reminds me in many ways of the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch – canvases that reveal something new, something hidden, something bizarre, but always relevant, every time you look (in Ricci’s case hear) them.   And … In Shawn Starski (guitar), Todd Edmunds (bass), Ed Michaels (drums) and Phillip Wolfe (keyboards), Ricci has assembled a band that not only fully understands but embraces his vision.

Ricci’s musical influences are both varied and inspiring – ranging from the title track where he and Starski come over like a punk version of RL Burnside and Johnny Woods to the eccentricity of Sun Ra on “Enlightenment” where the band take you on “Magical Mystery Tour” of a fairground ride – capturing the atmosphere with chord, diatonic, polyphonic and bass harmonicas, swirling slide and chugging accordion; the number at one time forsaking the fairground for a mournful Crescent City funeral procession.

“Keep The Wolf From My Door” bizarrely reminds me of “Electric Mud”, Michaels taking the vocals on a walking blues replete with “parping” sousaphone whilst harp and guitar crawl sinuously across the mix.  “Sweet Loving” has a country soul feel infiltrated with shades of Rod Stewart – “Holler For Craig Lawler” melds elements of Sugar Blue’s “Paris To Chicago” with Miles Davis’ “Bitches Brew” with it’s horn-like harp, muscular guitar and call and response choruses – whilst Larry Adler comes to mind in the harp on “Broken Toy” which has a Latin feel to the guitar and wistful yet anguished vocals that again hint at Rod Stewart.

The wild and stomping “I Turned Into A Martian” could easily crossover into today’s pop charts – “Ptryptophan Pterodactyl” is a moody jazz inflected piece that recalls Sun Ra and James Blood Ulmer replete with expansive harp, percolating Fender Rhodes and great percussion (Rudy Miller) – whilst those who like their blues deep and straight will love Ricci’s rendition of Willie Dixon’s “As Long As I Have You” with it’s snakey guitar and harp that melds the influences of both Walters.