EDDIE TURNER
THE TURNER DIARIES

NORTHERN BLUES CD NBM 0036

DANGEROUS--SO MANY ROADS--COST OF FREEDOM--I'M A MAN, I'M A MAN--SAVE MY LIFE--CONFESSIONS--NEW DAY--SHAKE 4 ME--POMADE--JODY--THE TURNER DIARIES--I'M TORE DOWN

     Eddie Turner's first CD, "Rise," also on Northern Blues, brought him a Blues Award nomination for Best New Artist of 2005. With his latest, "The Turner Diaries," Eddie appears on the threshold of blues stardom.

     He has the chops, killer vocals, and great writing ability. And, many have paid him the ultimate compliment by comparing him to Jimi Hendrix. We'd like to say that these comparisons are indeed well-deserved, but this CD is strong enough to stand on its own merits.

     Eddie got his start with Mother Earth before moving to Colorado and joining up with Otis Taylor and bassist Kenny Pasarelli, and can be heard on some of Otis' prior CD's. It is during this time that his creative juices began to flow, leading to his own solo releases.

     Born in Cuba and raised in Chicago, he fused the polyrhythms of his native land with the workingman's blues he picked up in Chicago. Adding to that was Otis Taylor's penchant to allow his musicians to play what they felt, which gave Eddie the chance to experiment with free-form guitar lines, while remaining true to blues form.

     Check out the leadoff "Dangerous," full of swagger and braggadocio and fueled by some downright funky guitar. A fine duet presentation of Freddie King's "I'm Tore Down" features some cool dobro work, giving a fresh "kick" to this chestnut. This dobro shows up again in "I'm A Man,I'm A Man," a brooding tale of spirits, mojos, and "two trains running."

     Hands down, tho, our favorite was the topical "Cost Of Freedom. Ok, this one will bring to mind Hendrix, what with its red-hot guitar, but the lyrics are strong here as well, with its call to politicians to determine "just how much we are willing to pay."

     The Northern Blues label is known for bringing cutting-edge artists to the fore, who may not adhere to playing straight-ahead blues. If you are looking for "three chords and a cloud of dust," then Eddie Turner may not be your cup of tea. But, if you want something with a little "edge" from a killer guitarist and performer, take a chance on one of the bright young stars in the blues constellation.

     Also, do yourself a favor and go to www.eddiedevilboy.com. There, you can check out full versions of some of Eddie's live performances, available as free downloads. By all means...ENJOY!!

     Until next time....Sheryl and Don Crow.

From Music City Blues