| Blue Blazes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Alligator | |||
| Producer | Sugar Blue, Fred Breitberg | |||
| Sugar Blue chronology | ||||
| ||||
Blue Blazes is an album by the American musician Sugar Blue, released in 1994. [1] [2] Alligator Records secured the rights to the album from the Japanese King label. [3] Blue supported the album with a North American tour. [4]
The album was coproduced by Fred Breitberg. [5] Blue was left alone in the studio to record the album he wanted. [3] He typically played his harmonica solos without any vibrato. [6] Lurrie Bell accompanied Blue on acoustic guitar on the cover of "That's All Right". [7] The Chicago Horns appeared on a couple of tracks. [7] "Miss You" is a cover of the Rolling Stones song; Blue played on the original track. [8] "Back Door Man" was written by Willie Dixon. [8] "Help Me" is a version of the Sonny Boy Williamson II song. [9] "I Ain't Got You" is a cover of the Billy Boy Arnold single. [10] "Country Blues" and "Out Till Dawn" were cowritten by Blue; they were influenced by his appreciation of country music. [11] [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| Edmonton Journal |  [7] |
| MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | [5] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [14] |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | [8] |
| The Press of Atlantic City | [15] |
| Tri-City Herald | [11] |
The Edmonton Journal wrote that Blue "does blow a powerful, wailing harp sound tune after hopping tune." [7] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that "Blue's smoky, passionate vocals can be just as torchy or tough, a fine complement to his harp." [8] The Washington Post noted that, "when the music is moody, it often a conjures a familiar shade of blues... And when the music is hot, it's ablaze alright, fueled by the sort of incendiary, upper-register runs that ignite the solo on 'Out Till Dawn'." [9] The Boston Globe stated that "few blues artists in recent years have come up with a sound this personable and recognizable, or pushed the frontiers of their instrument this far." [16]
The Press of Atlantic City deemed the album "both old and new, uptown and down-home" with "a solid rock flavoring." [15] The Journal & Courier called it "typical Alligator Records fare—substantial, if not a little slick." [17] The Austin American-Statesman opined that "guitarist Motaoki Makino is especially sharp." [18] The Detroit Free Press wrote that Blue's "sexy blues vocals are driven by some of the sweetest high-end harmonica around." [19]
AllMusic determined that "harmonica player and vocalist Sugar Blue isn't a singer who doubles on harp; he's an extraordinary instrumentalist who's also a quality vocalist." [13]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Ain't Got You" | |
| 2. | "Help Me" | |
| 3. | "Miss You" | |
| 4. | "I Just Got to Know" | |
| 5. | "One More Mile to Go" | |
| 6. | "That's All Right" | |
| 7. | "Country Blues" | |
| 8. | "Back Door Man" | |
| 9. | "Just to Be with You" | |
| 10. | "Out Till Dawn" |
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