Now Lou Ann isn't just another pretty voice singing doo-wop underneath and behind some male vocalist, she's a powerful, impassioned singer in her own right. Each time she sings, she at least shares vocal duties with Omar by splitting the verses with him and singing the choruses together. Compared to Omar her voice is like the purr of a finely tuned V8 engine that when fully revved you hear the growl of the power that's driving her.
While she's providing a contrast to Omar's growling vocals with her clean sound, you know that she can get just as down and dirty as him if she needs to. In fact that's what makes them work so well together as a team, the underlying potential that lets you know she's his equal any day of the week.
On The Jimmy Reed Highway is a wonderful disc for two reasons. First, it serves to keep the memory of one of Rock & Roll's and contemporary Blues' greatest influences alive and introduces him to a generation that might never have heard of him. The second is that it's a great CD filled with superlative performances by great musicians.
You really couldn't ask for anything more then that.
Article comments