“Joined At The Hip”, June 8, 2010, Telarc  Records

 If Snooky Pryor is the Blues Shuffle King, here are the contenders for the crown.  This new venture from these two blues icons proves you can boogie at any age. 97 year old, (yes, that’s not a typo) Pinetop on the piano and drummer cum harp player Willie have put together one of  2010’s top blues albums. Shuffles, boogie, straight blues, you’ve got it all. With Willie handling most of the vocals & all the harp work, they’ve turned in some great Chicago blues with a hint of the Delta to boot. I’ll be reviewing the five great dance tunes, but, believe me, you’ll want to pick it up for all the songs. “Grown Up To Be A Man” kicks things off with just the right beat to move your feet. Dancers will be rushing to the dance floor. Whether you shag or bop, you’ll find this one to your liking. Strong vocals & harp work.  Track #6 is our next dance tune. “I Would Like To Have A Girl Like You” is a bit faster, so the boppers will like this one better. Sound quality is great, with a bit of the old time “live’ studio sound coming through. May not be as popular as the others, but, still a great song. We move on to Track #8, “You’ve Better Slow Down”. If you’re a fan of the stop & go blues beat and call and response, this is your ticket to the dance floor. Shaggers may find this annoying, but boppers will eat it up. Great harp solo and killer beat make this one a must for your playlist. #10 is “It Feels So Good”, still in the same pocket but, they’re not made to play back to back. I like the vocals on this one and the guitar work is excellent.  Nice shuffle beat will keep you interested while you’re dancing it up.  The last cut is the best cut on the album. #13, “Eyesight To The Blind” will be enjoyed by the shaggers and boppers. Nice up-tempo shuffle with great lyrics and vocals. This one is destined to be played by all the bop DJs and the adventurous Shag DJs. Give it a try and it will fill your dance floor.  Pinetop is in fine piano form on this one. I can’t wait for their next release, on Pinetop’s 100th birthday! Check it out at all the usual suspects. A+