THE IGOR PRADO BAND
AND THE DELTA GROOVE ALL-STARS
WAY DOWN SOUTH
DELTA GROOVE RECORDS DGPCD 167
MATCHBOX–RIDE WITH ME BABY–SHE’S GOT IT–BABY WON’T YOU JUMP WITH ME–WHAT HAVE I DONE–SHAKE AND FINGER POP–TALK TO ME BABY–IF YOU EVER NEED ME–YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES–BIG MAMA BLUES–YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT–ROOSTER BLUES–TRYING TO DO RIGHT
At eleven years old, Igor Prado of Sao Paulo, Brazil, fell in love with blues guitar. Left-handed, Igor taught himself to play a right-handed guitar upside-down. With brother Yuri, on drums, they soon became the “go to guys” whenever American players would venture south of the border. Add in Rodrigo Mantovani on bass and saxman Denilson Martins, and the Igor Prado band became a reality. Over the last fifteen years, they have backed many American players, and that is the theme of their latest release for Delta Groove, “Way Down South.” It culls thirteen of the best performances from over the years, with many of the players coming from the Delta Groove stable.
Igor’s talent on guitar is tremendous for a self-taught player. He can channel the styles of many classic bluesmen with ease, and does so with a whole lotta soulful expression as he goes along.
Every cut is a winner, and highlights abound. Sugaray Rayford starts the party with a cool take on Ike Turner’s “Matchbox,” with Igor’s tremolo guitar and Denilson’s saxes bringing the heat. The late Lynwood Slim, to whom this album is dedicated, gets in a fine, swingin’ “Mama Won’t You Jump With Me,” and comes back later for “You Better Believe It, yes I’m in love with you!”
Delta blues are well-represented, too. Check out Sugaray’s haunting read of “Big Mama Blues,” featuring Igor and Monster Mike Welch on guitars, and Randy Chortkoff on harp. The set closes with an all-acoustic affair, featuring Igor on guitar and Omar Coleman on harp, for “Trying To Do Right.”
We had several favorites, too. Igor’s vocal prowess shows thru on the soul-blues of “Shake And Finger Pop,” while he and J. J. Jackson share vocals on a rhumba-ish read of “You Got What It Takes. And, the vastly-under-recorded Wallace Coleman rocks a while with the good-time fun of “Rooster Blues.”
The Igor Prado Band are doing all they can to keep the blues alive.” “Way Down South” proves they can play with the best players in the world, and this is sho’ nuff a red-hot set! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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