JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD "DONE WITH THE DEVIL" Source: Rock n Reel Date: 07/2009 Writer: Norman Darwen

The day will undoubtedly come when singer/harmonica player Jason is no longer referred to as the first open gay blues artist.  It isn’t here yet, but as he points out in the sleeve notes, purists have also struggled with his punk look, dyed hair and tendency to play Sun Ra or Cheech & Chong numbers.  It’s not just titles such as “I Turned Into A Martian” (shades of The Undertones, to my ears) that reveal Jason doesn’t conform to blues stereotypes, other than embodying a fierce individuality and expressing it in a (largely) blues-based format.

His vocals are tough, and though they occasionally seem a little affected (deliberately, I guess – sometimes he sounds a little like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins), are always convincing and his harmonica playing is right to the point.  The music incorporates avant-garde jazz, jazz funk, classic rock, country, punk, and hip-hop.

Jason is also quick to point out that the CD credit is to the band and this is, indeed, band blues.  It’s modern, it’s quirky, it’s eclectic, and whilst it’s mature, it’s also the sound of a band having a lot of fun.