Samuel James, For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen

It's hard to think of a contemporary blues artist more true to the origins of the blues than Samuel James. He records live in the studio, accompanied only by his own playing, and is always unplugged. There are others, of course, who perform and record this way, but James' approach to recording is as stripped down and raw as anyone playing today. His new album is For Rosa, Maeve, and Noreen: Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy, and on it, James treads further down the righteous path begun with his debut.

James is an excellent guitarist, and the new album features a great variety of sounds within the fairly narrow framework of the genre in which he specializes. He uses of a variety of instruments on the record, each providing a crucial feel that perfectly complements the essence of each song. He also performs one song a capella, with only the soft tap of his foot to keep time. The perfect sound quality of this album is the only tip-off that the recording is current and not made sometime before World War II. For Rosa, Maeve, and Noreen is a living, breathing expression of the blues as it was when it was born. Recommended.