Johnny Drummer, a fine vocalist and composer, wrote 12 of the 14 songs on this CD. His singing is soulful and the music goes far beyond blues into R&B, soul, pop/rock, and modern folk music. Most of the selections are taken at slow-medium tempos and many emphasize minor chords. The backup group is fine (with plenty of guitar solos), but the main spotlight is on the leader. Since Drummer crosses many stylistic boundaries, this set is definitely not for blues purists, but it is well-worth checking out by most other listeners interested in these genres. – Scott Yanow