As far a vocals go, there are few around these days who can compare to Candye Kane when it comes to power and expression. While there are a lot of big voiced women out there, and women who have a larger range than Candye, there are very few who can do as much with their voices as she can. Not since Mae West has there been a woman who can put so much innuendo into her voice. Unlike many people with large voices though, Candye doesn't just attack her songs and try to bluster her way through them. At the same time she doesn't try and milk them for emotion that isn't there like far too many of today's pop divas. Instead she gives as a true a reading of a lyric's meaning as possible, while always remembering her purpose on stage is to entertain those listening.

While Candye Kane is a hard act to follow, Deborah Coleman doesn't have any trouble grabbing an audience's ear. While Dani Wilde is a talented player, Deborah Coleman's playing shows what experience adds to someone's guitar work. There's an intangible quality to her playing that says, "this is a blues woman" that can only be achieved from a combination of life experience and years of playing. I talked earlier about the history of British blues guitarists, but that pales in comparison to the history that's evoked by Deborah's singing and playing.

That's a point driven home firmly by her version of Willie Dixon's "Whole Lotta Love". While Led Zeppelin might have made a name for themselves covering it as a hard rock number, Deborah's version reminds us where it came from. Instead of pummeling the listener into submission with volume, she digs deep into the emotions of the song and makes it real. There's an authenticity to Deborah's playing that makes her performance live long after she's done on stage; she brings the blues to life in a way that few other performers, male or female, can.

Ruf records' Blues Caravan recordings have provided showcases for their talent in the past, and has proven to be a great vehicle for exposing an audience to a variety of blues styles in one package. Blues Caravan: Guitars & Feathers is no exception as its an opportunity to hear three very unique women performing their music on one great disc.