Reviews from Blues Called My Name

Reviews from "Blues Called My Name" by Anthony Geraci

Blue Heart Records 2022

Blues Matters

ANTHONY GERRACI

BLUES CALLED MY NAME

Blue Heart Records

Over the 10 tracks that make up, Blues Called My Name the multi-award-winning Anthony Geraci shows why he has earned his reputation as a keyboard player, composer and band musician. The mood ranges across the album from upbeat boogie stomps to slow, down-home blues, with five original songs and five instrumentals. A series of guest musicians add to the mix, with the guitarists Monster Mike Welch and Walter Trout being two of the more notable names that add fire to the songs that they feature on. With only one song sung by Geraci, the upbeat jump jive I Go Ooh, singers such as Sugar Ray Norcia, on the opening title That Old Pine Box and the title track The Blues Called My Name and Erika Van Pelt on Corner of Heartache and Pain add their bluesy heartfelt efforts to the mix. It is on the instrumentals that Geraci�s talent shines the brightest, with the Latin feel of About Last Night and the boogie-woogie trio playing on Boston Stomp that are the two best examples of his talent. Into the Night, which features the legendary Walter Trout playing the guitar shows a lot of restraint, with very little of the showboating that many lead guitarists lose themselves in. It is not just the internationally known names that add value to the mix, the guitars of Charlie O�Neal on that Old Pine Box, Barret Anderson on I Ain�t Going to Ask, and the Violin of Anne Harris on the moodier tonal poem of Wading in the Vermillion also set very high musical standards. The album closes with the solo piano playing of Song for Planet Earth. The musicianship is of a uniformly high standard, matching the material and it is a worthwhile listen, just to hear talent like this playing together.

BEN MACNAIR

5/22/2022
http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/wn0522.html
Anthony Geraci is a long-time keyboard player well-known in the Northeastern U.S. hotbed of blues activity, most notably with the Boston Blues All-Stars. He's also earned a reputation internationally through recent albums on Delta Groove and Shining Stone. Geraci's latest, Blues Called My Name (Blue Heart Records), is another essential keeper in this man's discography, with special guests like Sugar Ray Norcia, Walter Trout, Monster Mike Welch, and more joining the Boston Blues All-Stars throughout this collection of 10 recordings, split evenly between vocal numbers and instrumentals.
The absolute slow blues killer here, "Corner Of Heartache And Pain," features Erika Van Pelt on vocals, and she rips every possible emotion out of the listener. Geraci shines on the Hammond organ on this one, as he also does on the Latin jazzy instrumental, "About Last Nigh," with Charlie O'Neal tearing it up on guitar.
Geraci prefers to let others handle the vocal work, but he proves that he's not a bad singer on the up-tempo boogie woogie number, "I Go Ooh." Sugar Ray Norcia, who has teamed with Geraci in the past, handles vocals on three numbers --- the up-tempo opener, "That Old Pine Box," the 12-bar blues "I Ain't Going To Ask," and the slow blues ballad "The Blues Called My Name." Norcia is very fine, as usual. Trout gets the guitar solos on a jazzy slow blues instrumental, "Into The Night," while Welch appears on the aforementioned "The Blues Called My Name."
Every cut on Blues Called My Name is solid, with Geraci showcasing his outstanding keyboard work throughout. It's just one more piece of evidence that Geraci is one of the better instrumentalists in the blues world today.
--- Bill Mitchell...Blues Bytes

ANTHONY GERACI � BLUES CALLED MY NAME

Anthony Geraci wist als vierjarige al dat hij ooit pianist wou worden. Zijn ouders waren zelf niet erg muzikaal, maar steunden hem in zijn passie en voornemens. Hij volgde eerst piano lessen in New Haven, Connecticut en later aan het Berklee College of Music in Boston. Op school raakte hij bevriend met Ed Cherry, die later jazz gitarist werd. Veteraan Anthony Geraci zit ondertussen al m��r dan 40 jaar als blues/jazz pianist en componist in het vak. Geraci is nog steeds een origineel lid van Sugar Ray & the Bluetones �n van Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters. Hij had ook een eigen band, Little Anthony & the Locomotives. Opnoemen met wie hij al op het podium stond en tijdens welke festivals (waaronder Blues Peer) of voor wie hij al componeerde, is een onbegonnen taak (en kan je op zijn site in detail terug vinden). Aan Geraci�s album �Why Did You Have to Go� (2018) nodigde Geraci een indrukwekkend aantal vrienden -Blues Music Awards winnaars & leden van de Bluetones- uit: Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray Norcia, Monster Mike Welch, Michael �Mudcat� Ward & Neil Gouvin. De lijst is nog niet volledig, want er ontbreken nog zangeres Michelle �Evil Gal� Wilson, zangers Sugaray Rayford, Willie J.Laws, Dennis Brennan & Brian Templeton, gitaristen Kid Ramos & Troy Gonye, bassist Willie J.Campbell, drummers Jimi Bott & Marty Richards en een blazerssectie (Sax Gordon Beadle & trompettist Doug Woolverton). Voor zijn nieuwe album �Blues Called My Name� trok hij naar de studio met o.a. Sugar Ray Norcia (zang), bassist Paul Loranger & drummer Jeff Armstrong, gitarist Charlie O�Neal �n meerdere gast gitaristen waaronder Monster Mike Welch en Walter Trout, zangeres Erika Van Pelt en violiste Anne Harris.

Anthony Geraci knew at the age of four that he wanted to be a pianist one day. His parents were not very musical themselves, but supported him in his passion and intentions. He first took piano lessons in New Haven, Connecticut and later at Berklee College of Music in Boston. At school he befriended Ed Cherry, who later became a jazz guitarist. Veteran Anthony Geraci has been in the business for more than 40 years as a blues/jazz pianist and composer. Geraci is still an original member of Sugar Ray & the Bluetones and of Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters. He also had his own band, Little Anthony & the Locomotives. Mentioning who he has already performed on stage with and during which festivals (including Blues Peer) or for whom he has already composed is an impossible task (and you can find more details on his site). On Geraci's album 'Why Did You Have to Go' (2018), Geraci invited an impressive number of friends -Blues Music Awards winners & members of the Bluetones-: Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray Norcia, Monster Mike Welch, Michael �Mudcat� Ward & Neil Gouvin. The list is not exhaustive yet, as we are still missing singer Michelle �Evil Gal� Wilson, singers Sugaray Rayford, Willie J.Laws, Dennis Brennan & Brian Templeton, guitarists Kid Ramos & Troy Gonye, bassist Willie J.Campbell, drummers Jimi Bott & Marty Richards and a horn section (�Sax� Gordon Beadle & trumpeter Doug Woolverton). For his new album 'Blues Called My Name' he went to the studio with Sugar Ray Norcia (vocals), bassist Paul Loranger & drummer Jeff Armstrong, guitarist Charlie O'Neal and several guest guitarists including Monster Mike Welch and Walter Trout, singer Erika Van Pelt and violinist Anne Harris.

Lees meer...ROOTSTIME.BE

Anthony Geraci Blues Called My Name
May 1, 2022
Blues Called My Name

Blue Heart Records

The first time I ever heard Anthony Geraci was on his previous recording �Take It from Me� where he was paired playing piano with Sugar Ray Norcia who was on harmonica and vocals. At the time Geraci also fronted his own band and the previous year had in released �Anthony Geraci and the Loco-Movites Can�t Take It� with his own band. He has since recorded several jazz albums showcasing his strength on the keyboards.

When Sugar Ray retired Geraci recorded as Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-stars with the rhythm section of drummer Jimi Bott, and bassist Willie J. Campbell, along for the ride were guitarists Kid Ramos, Ronnie Earl, and Monster Mike Welsch. Vocalists included Michele �Evil Gal� Wilson, Sugar Ray Norcia and Sugaray Rayford. Later Geraci recorded with the �The Proven Ones�, a new super group with guitarist Kid Ramos, bassist Campbell, and singer Brian Templeton.

On this new album �Blues Called My Name� not only does Sugar Ray guest as a vocalist on three tracks including �That Old Pine Box� where he sings of his own mortality, but they are joined by guitarists Welsch, Barrett Anderson, Walter Trout, and Charlie O�Neal. Also included are Paul Loranger, or Chris Rathbun acoustic bass, Jeff Armstrong drums, John Vanderpool, tenor saxophone, violinist Anne Harris and vocalist Erika Van Pelt. All of the new songs are originals while the album is dedicated to the memory of keyboardists Gene Taylor, Mike Finnigan (Phantom Blues Band, and Bonnie Raitt), and the spirit of the late great James Harman. It just doesn�t get any better than this.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

"Blues called my name"

Blue Heart Rec. (USA) - 2022

That old pine box/The blues called my name/About last night/Boston stomp/Corner of heartache and pain/I go Ooh/Into the night/A ain't going to ask/Wading in the vermillion/Song for planet earth

Del tema dell�amor perduto � pieno il blues. The Blues Called My Name, inteso non come album ma come brano che, a quest�album, d� il nome, non fa eccezione. �...I said the blues whispered she ain�t coming home no more/I just cried like a little bitty baby when she walked on out that door...� canta, in questo pezzo col suo tipico ed elegante crooning Sugar Ray Norcia, voce, armonica e leader dei Bluetones, band nella quale Anthony Geraci � stato a lungo membro, cos� come Monster Mike Welch che, nel medesimo brano, affonda decise le note della sua aguzza, affilata chitarra.
Fin dall�introduttiva Old Pine Box, arguta ode alle umane spoglie mortali, ci � chiaro che Geraci non soltanto � un consumato pianista/organista blues, ma anche un sagace autore, nel pieno possesso di quella finezza espressiva tipica dei migliori poeti del genere. Anche se non tutto � lirica in questo disco: non poche tra le tracce presenti, infatti, sono strumentali (dovessi sceglierne uno, sarebbe About Last Night con i suoi seducenti ammiccamenti latini). Tuttavia, con l�ausilio non solo dei gi� citati Norcia e Welch, ma anche con l�apporto della chitarra di Walter Trout, del violino di Anne Harris a dare un sentore di Big Easy in Wading Through Vermillion e la voce di Erika Van Pelt in Corner Of Heartbreak And Pain, il disco mostra, di Geraci, il profilo migliore. Giovanni Robino

HTTPS://GLIDEMAGAZINE.COM/275699/NEW-ENGLAND-BLUES-STALWART-ANTHONY-GERACI-LEADS-QUARTET-ON-BOISTEROUS-BLUES-CALLED-MY-NAME-ALBUM-REVIEW

A stalwart on the New England blues scene for decades as a key member of both Sugar Ray & the Blue-Tones and Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, keyboardist Anthony Geraci continues to deliver stellar work as a bandleader. A GRAMMY winner, BMA winner, and multiple BMA nominee, the well-respected Geraci yet finds another new label, in the dwindling number of reputable options for blues musicians. In fact, the emerging Lancaster, PA-based Blue Heart Records should receive some kind of award as the Label of the Year given their roster of Veronica Lewis, Teresa James, and Malaya Blue, to name just a few. Blues Called My Name is another gem for Geraci in a line of albums that includes Anthony Geraci and the Boston All-Stars (2015) Why Did You Have to Go? (2018), Fifty Shades of Blue (2019), and Daydreams in Blue (2020), the latter of which we covered on these pages. Also, Geraci plays brilliantly as a guest on Ronnie Earl�s stellar Mercy Me, also covered here. Geraci�s core band has been revamped since that last outing. He leads a core quartet of Paul Loranger (acoustic bass), the returning Jeff Armstrong (drums), and guitarist Charlie O�Neal. Just as he�s customarily done, he not only calls on his friends but features them on select tracks. His buddies from Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, guitarist Monster Mike Welch and vocalist Sugar Ray Norcia are prominent on the title track while Norcia also sings on two others in this mix of vocal and instrumental originals. Also aboard are renowned guitarist Walter Trout, violinist Anne Harris, vocalist Erika Van Pelt, guitarist Barrett Anderson, and Boston Blues All-Star members tenorist John Vanderpool and bassist Chris Rathbun. The album kicks off, with a tune that actually makes a dying sound like a cause for celebration in the rollicking �Old Pine Box� as Sugar Ray Norcia sings about the angels �calling to me� while following with the title track wherein the blues are calling � �I said the blues whispered she ain�t coming home no more/I just cried like a little bitty baby when she walked out that door� to the commanding, searing guitar of Monster Mike Welch as Geraci delivers his signature barrelhouse piano rolls. We then hear a couple of instrumental pieces, the first, the Latin-tinged �About Last Night,� rendered with his core trio as Geraci takes to the Hammond B3, another instrument that he has clearly mastered. Geraci is the purest, sticking with acoustic piano and genuine organ. And, the rocking piano trio rendering �Boston Stomp� has the kind of boisterous appeal one could apply to any location. He shows his natural knack for blues titles in �Corner of Heartbreak and Pain,� sung with passion by Erika Van Pelt, and follows with a rare vocal of his own, �I Go Ooh,� an ode to physical attraction replete with �baby blue eyes� and �thick in the thighs� imbued by early R&B tenor sax from John Vanderpool. Blues-rock guitarist Walter Trout steps in for a trademark spiraling flight on the instrumental �Into the Night� while Sugar Ray returns for the swaggering boogaloo �I Ain�t Gonna Ask.� Geraci teams with violinist Anne Harris on the expansive �Wading Through Vermillion,� which begins by evoking a sweaty journey through a humid swamp before becoming triumphant and celebratory in its latter alf. Fittingly, Geraci ends with a solo excursion on �Song for Planet Earth,� a throwback sound to the early stride pianists of the �30s. Yes, as a Berklee graduate, Geraci knows his blues and jazz history too. Geraci joins his New England blues brethren Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl with one of this year-to-date best blues recordings.

MAKING A SCENE INTERVIEW MP3

Anthony Geraci
Blues Called My Name
Blue Heart Records
Publicity: Blind Raccoon
By Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro � May 2022

The latest release from Anthony Geraci is titled Blues Called My Name and from what I'm hearing, it should easily raise the number of times Anthony's been nominated for a Blues Music Award from fifteen to sixteen or more, and it could very well add one or more trophies to the one he's already got.
Surrounding himself with a supporting cast of monsters of the genre, Anthony Geraci - on piano, Hammond organ and vocals - is joined by: Sugar Ray Norcia on vocals; Charlie O'Neal, Monster Mike Welch, Walter Trout and Barrett Anderson on guitar; Paul Loranger and Chris Rathbun on acoustic bass; Jeff Armstrong on drums and percussion; Erika Van Pelt on vocals; John Vanderpool on tenor sax; and Anne Harris on violin. Blues Called My Name contains ten of Anthony's self-produced originals of which five are instrumentals.
The disc opens with a smoker about a vehicle that will ultimately carry Anthony home - "That Old Pine Box". Let's all hope whenever it does pull into his driveway the model of that vehicle is a 2044 or later. That said, whenever it does arrive Anthony appears to be prepared, according to him it will be driven by angels 'cause he's already on a stairway to heaven.
The title track, "The Blues Called My Name" has song of the year written all over it. It's old school, slow blues at its absolute finest, being done by some of the genres finest. Knowing his tenure and how many greats he's played with over the decades, right now, Anthony is at the top of his game on the keyboards. Vocally, there aren't many that can touch Sugar Ray on these types of songs and surely the same could be rightfully said for Monster Mike on guitar. It's no wonder why when they all played together, the Bluetones were a constant force to be reckoned with.
The first of the discs five instrumentals is titled "About Last Night". Since there are no lyrics, I'm not exactly sure what last night was about, but it's Latin Jazz vibe has me thinking some cha-cha, rumba and/or salsa dancing was involved. It features brilliant Hammond organ work by Anthony; dazzling guitar leads by Charlie; lively rhythm led by the outstanding percussion work of Jeff. Definitely different from anything I've heard Anthony do but nonetheless, very interesting and very well done.
Some of the most notable intersections I've stood at were Haight & Ashbury in San Francisco; Thirty-Third & Third in Manhattan; Hollywood & Vine in Los Angeles and, of course, Highway 49 & 61 in Clarksdale. On the other hand, one that I hope I never find myself at is the "Corner of Heartache & Pain". Lyrically it describes a place I never want to be a part of yet musically, it's something I always enjoy: a slow bluesy ballad being sung by a female vocalist with a strong and sultry voice - enter Erika Van Pelt; slow, and in this case, organ led rhythm; extended piano leads with most of it being at the high end of the keyboard; and scorching blues guitar licks.
If you're wondering what might make Anthony say, "I Go O Oh" (actually, it's o oooh o ooooh ooooo), among other things, one is making love in the afternoon until it's time to go. Being the only track on which he sings, Anthony does quite an admirable job. With Anthony flailing away at the keys; John wailing away on the sax; and Paul and Jeff at disc's best on its most profound rhythm; this is by far the hottest track musically.
I know this is his album and not hers, but Anthony added Anne Harris to the ensemble for a reason and since it's her only appearance, I can't help but focus on her. With Anthony, Paul and Jeff putting out such an exotic danceable rhythm - which is actually highlighted by Anne's own violin playing - I just can't get the picture of her rubber band like body making those attention commanding gyrations. Anyone who has seen her knows exactly what I'm talking about.
Many years ago, while walking down a street that was off the beaten path in the French Quarter of New Orleans, I was drawn into a joint by the sound of a piano that could be heard from the street. It was midday and the dozen or so of us that were in the place were treated to a most memorable and magnificent performance by none other than the late, great Al Broussard. "Song For The Planet", the disc's closing track featuring just Anthony and a piano, very much reminded me of that day.
Other tracks on Blues Called My Name include two more instrumentals: "Boston Stomp" and "Into The Night" which, because of Walter Trout, features some of the disc's best blues guitar leads; and "I Ain't Gonna Ask", again featuring Sugar Ray on the vocals.
To find out more about Anthony Geraci and his newest release, Blues Called My Name, just go to - www.anthonygeraciblue.com - and should you have not yet received your copy for airplay, please contact Betsie Brown at www.blindraccoon.com. Remember, wherever you go and whoever you contact, please let them know the Blewzzman sent you.

Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro
Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com
2011 Keeping The Blues Alive Award Recipient

By Mike O�Cull, RockandBluesMuse.com

Blues Music Award-winning keyboardist, songwriter, and composer Anthony Geraci unleashes a lifetime of greatness on his new solo album Blues Called My Name. Available now on Blue Heart Records, the set finds Geraci sounding better than ever on a winning mix of vocal tracks and instrumentals.
Geraci produced the record himself and did a fine job of showcasing his mighty style on piano and Hammond organ. He�s backed on these wonderfully-captured moments by Paul Loranger on acoustic bass, Jeff Armstrong on drums, and Charlie O�Neal on guitar, a tight and capable trio with a deep pocket. Special guests including Monster Mike Welch, Erika Van Pelt, Anne Harris, Sugar Ray Norcia, and Walter Trout augment the core four-piece studio band in the best-possible ways and bring their heavyweight vibes to Geraci�s blues experience.
Anthony Geraci has been playing the daylights out of the blues for the last 40 years. Originally from New Haven, Connecticut and now based in Boston, Massachusetts, he�s an original member of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones and Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters. He has performed with the likes of B.B. King, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers, as well as countless other legends of the blues and important contemporary acts. In addition, Geraci graduated from Berklee College of Music with a B.A. and earned an M.A. from Skidmore College. He�s been nominated for a Grammy Award, nominated fifteen times for Blues Music Awards and won a Blues Music Award. He�s considered one of the top keyboard players in the blues scene and anything he�s involved in is worthy of your listening time.
Geraci kicks his party off with �That Old Pine Box,� a hard-punching song about dying that features Sugar Ray Norcia on lead vocals. It�s an energetic ode to the acceptance of one�s mortality and is less threatening and more spiritually enlightened than typical blues fare. Here, the pine box isn�t a trap but a vehicle going home, which is an entirely different point of view than the �Hellhound On My Trail� Robert Johnson-isms so prevalent in blues lyrics. Geraci tears it up on the piano like the big dog he is and will get you dancing and thinking quickly.
�The Blues Called My Name� is pure vintage heartbreak blues and absolutely smolders with the pain of it all. Monster Mike Welch jumps in on guitar and contributes some hot, snarling licks while Sugar Ray again croons out the vocals. Anthony Geraci plays this old-school blues style extremely well, anchoring his piano accompaniment and solos way down in the groove. This is high-end playing and songwriting that demonstrates Geraci�s commitment to the blues and to the nuances involved in getting it just right.
Speaking of vintage, Geraci�s original instrumental boogie track �Boston Stomp� displays his mastery of the old ways and how he can make them jump once again. His left hand pumps out unstoppable bass lines while he takes commanding and intricate solos with his right. This one is nothing but fun and will light you up with a single spin.
Geraci takes the lead vocal position himself for the only time on the record on the upbeat �I Go Ooh.� The song is a dance floor filler that features a delicious swing feel and more big boss piano. Anthony�s vocals are just as enjoyable, however, and he should consider singing more of his own tunes. In any case, this is a rocking cut that�ll get you feeling good and isn�t that why we�re here?
Geraci and friends dip into Big Easy territory on the hip-shaking instrumental �Wading In The Vermilion,� which brings in Anne Harris on violin. Her presence and texture change the feel of the group in a subtle way that makes this one of Blues Called My Name�s best selections. There are no missteps on the record, though, and nothing here misses the mark. Anthony Geraci is a beast on all levels and may well be the finest keyboardist in roots music today. Give this one a revolution or two and see if you don�t agree.
Listen to �Into The Night (Feat. Walter Trout)�

Blues Called My Name: If that long ago first wave of white boys that rocked up the blues knew the difference between a groove and a jam, there would have been a lot fewer records in the bargain bins that eventually got scrapped. This cat that�s proven his piano/organ mastery in the past delivers the penpenultimate set this time around. With a guest list worth the price of admission alone, this is the text book on how to get it done. Just plain sizzling.
(Blue Heart 28)
Volume 46
May 9, 2022
MIDWEST RECORD

http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1891.html

Kentuckiana Blues Society. Louisville, Kentucky. June 2022 news letter.

Written by Fred Delforge

Thursday, 02 June 2022 Blues called my name (Blue Heart Records � Blind Raccoon � 2022) Duration 46'54 � 10 Tracks https://www.anthonygeraciblue.com Native of Connecticut, Anthony Geraci felt a very strong inclination for the piano from the age of four and even though his parents had no interest in music, they decided to support the will of their son and the accompany in a direction that will lead the artist to create his first band with a high school friend as a teenager to finally find a place of choice by accompanying big names like Muddy Waters, BB King, Otis Rush, Chuck Berry, Big Mama Thornton , Big Joe Turner, Jimmy Rodgers and many more. Studio musician, Anthony will record alongside Big Walter Horton, Ronnie Earl, Big Jack Johnson, Zora Young, Sugaray Rayford, Debbie Davies or Kenny Neal and will build a reputation that today precedes him and makes him a very popular musician. in the whole world. Nominated for the Grammy Awards in 2000 but also fifteen times for the Blues Music Awards, the pianist will finally receive his statuette in Memphis in 2021 and it is this time on the Blue Heart Records label that he returns with "Blues Called My Name", an effort on which he invites accomplices like Anne Harris, Walter Trout, Sugar Ray Norcia, Monster Mike Welch, Erika Van Pelt and the Boston Blues All-Stars. Between blues songs and instrumentals, Anthony Geraci delivers a carefully dosed prescription in which he goes from the piano to the Hammond organ and where he indulges in compositions that highlight his talents for everything related to blues, boogie , rhythm'n'blues, rock'n'roll and all the genres that revolve around it. We will appreciate titles like "That Old Pine Box", "I Ain't Going To Ask" and the tittle track on which Sugar Ray Norcia lets his voice enchant us, which won't prevent us from adoring the discovery of cracks like "Boston Stomp", "I Go Ooh" or even "Wading In The Vermillion" on which the violin and the acoustic bass bring very interesting colors. Available since the end of May, "The Blues Called My Name" is a very successful album by the pianist from Boston who, in addition to being a very talented musician, is a man of great kindness and a real transmitter of knowledge who gives a lot for the training of young people! "I Go Ooh" or "Wading In The Vermillion" on which the violin and the acoustic bass bring very interesting colors. Available since the end of May, "The Blues Called My Name" is a very successful album by the pianist from Boston who, in addition to being a very talented musician, is a man of great kindness and a real transmitter of knowledge who gives a lot for the training of young people! "I Go Ooh" or "Wading In The Vermillion" on which the violin and the acoustic bass bring very interesting colors. Available since the end of May, "The Blues Called My Name" is a very successful album by the pianist from Boston who, in addition to being a very talented musician, is a man of great kindness and a real transmitter of knowledge who gives a lot for the training of young people!

https://www.keysandchords.com/album-review-blog/anthony-geraci-blues-called-my-name

Piano and Hammond organ virtuoso Anthony Geraci is one of the most influential artists of his generation. Anthony was barely four years old when he told his parents that he would become a pianist. He literally and figuratively plays with the 'who's-who' of this blues world. He is also an original member of both Sugar Ray & The Bluetones, and Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters. Anthony was also nominated several times for his contributions to various albums. Boston-based pianist/songwriter Anthony Geraci has a new album on the shelves with 'Called My Name', the successor to 'Daydreams In Blue' from 2020. In the opener 'Old Pine Box' Sugar Ray Norcia can perform the vocal part. . A lost love has always been one of the most popular themes in blues, and Geraci continues the tradition in the title track "The Blues Called My Name." Guest Monster Mike Welch's guitar licks go hand in hand with Geraci's barrelhouse piano tunes. The next highlight is 'About Last Night', a Hammond organ Latin groove song. Just like the steamy piano arrangements from 'Boston Stomp'. In 'Corner of Heartbreak and Pain' we are introduced to the vocal timbre of Erika Van Pelt, just as Geraci spreads out his one-off vocality in 'I Go Ooh'. Guitar wizard Walter Trout colors 'Into The Night', and Sugar Ray takes on the vocal part in 'I Ain't Gonna To Ask'. To close the release with the instrumentals 'Wading In The Vermillion', with a musical acceleration by violinist Anne Harris and 'Song For Planet Earth', in which Geraci reminds us one last time what a dazzling talent he is.

https://www.soundguardian.com/index.php/blues-corner-kolumne-53/59345-anthony-geraci-blues-called-my-name

Sound Guardian BLUES CORNER
Sjajna predodređenost izvrsnosti albuma "Blues Called My Name" Anthonya Geracia je nedvojbena. Album je objavljen 20. svibnja od strane Blue Heart Records i uz radijsku promociju Blind Raccoona.

I, na�alost, slijedom razno raznih, većinom privatnih obveza, nisam ga uspio obraditi u razdoblju njegove ekskluzivnosti, ali priča sada poprima potpuno novi kontekst i dr�im da se uopće nije udaljila od tog njenog atributa.
Anthony Geraci svojom je reputacijom, izvrsnom svirkom i apsolutno fleksibilnim stavom prema svojim kolegama glazbenicima, iz njih uspio, po tko zna koji puta, izvući doista ono najbolje. Svi oni svakako u studiju �ele stvarati opu�teno, bez pritisaka i kada im je to omogućeno, njihova glazba doslovno će vam cvjetati pred očima i u�ima.

Anthony je dobio svesrdnu potporu od svojih kolega glazbenika i da, doista nema nikakve dvojbe, ovih briljantnih 10 pjesama će biti stra�ni poticaj svima vama koji volite blues i sve �to je u bliskoj vezi s njim.

Upravo to nam govori da je Anthonyjeva ekipa odlučila imati ama ba� sve u svojim rukama. Rezultat? Istinska u�ivancija u svakoj od 10 snimljenih i ponuđenih pjesama. Za�to? Pa, Anthony je već sa svojih nepune 4 godine �ivota tra�io roditelje klavir, glazba je jednostavno dio njega i on je doista �ivi svim svojim bićem. Glazba je nesumnjivo njegova najveća strast, kojom se budi i lije�e ama ba� svaki dan.

Od samog početka njegovi mentori i učitelji prepoznavali su njegov talent i apsolutno izgrađene velike osjećaje za improvizaciju. Svoje obrazovanje nastavio je i zavr�io na Berklee College of Music u Bostonu. No, izvan ovake presti�ne institucije Anthony je svoje �kolovanje i glazbenu edukaciju dobrano nastavljao i provodio sve vi�e i vi�e. Kao mladić, Anthony se sprijateljio sa Edom Cherryjem, koji je postao vrstan jazz gitarista. Kao i mnogi drugi mladi glazbenici, njih dvojica iz dana u dan, iz godine u godinu, odlazili su kući poslije �kole i slu�ali su blues. Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy i Jimmy Rogers bili su predmet dugotrajnih studioznih preslu�avanja i pronicanja u vrijednosti ove jedinstvene glazbe. To je, zapravo, i najveća vrijednost i ljepota bluesa, koji je toliko slo�en u svojoj jednostavnosti. Kada imate 16 godina i kada se palite na album, poput briljantnog "Chicago Bound" Jimmy Rogersa, pri tome do�ivljavate istinsku oluju u va�em biću. Da, tu oluju ne mo�ete obasniti, ali ona je tu i ona vam je sve. To je to, doista, uvijek nevjerojatno poimanje i percepcija blues glazbe. Kada tome dodate činjenicu da je samo pet godina kasnije Anthony dijelio sobu upravo s velikim Jimmyem Rogersom, svojim istinskim glazbenim guruom onda je to ispunjenje svih snova.

Do danas, Anthony je svirao i snimao sa nekim od najvećih blues izvođača u najpresti�nijim blues klubovima, festivalima, koncertima diljem svijeta. Muddy Waters, Big Joe Turner, JB Hutto, Big Walter Horton, Otis Rush, Big Mama Thornton, Hubert Sumlin te Jimmy Rogers, samo su neki od njih. Anthony bio je i jedan od osnivača Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters. No nekako je Geraci vjerojatno najpoznatiji kao jedan od osnivača Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. I eto, nakon punih 38 godina, Anthony je i dalje bitna komponenta tog benda, koji je jo� uvijek vrlo aktivan, s izuzetno sna�nim utjecajem na općenito dana�nju svjetsku blues scenu. S druge pak strane �to se tiče utjecaja na glazbeno biće Anthonyja, on je vrlo razvučenog, �irokog dijapazona od �boogie woogie masters� poput Meade Lux Lewisa i Pete Johnsona do New Orleans pijanista kao �to su Professor Longhair i Huey �Piano� Smith. Pored njih ne mo�emo zaobići �Chicago blues masters�, kao �to su Otis Spann, Eddie Boyd i Memphis Slim. Na kraju, i bez obzira na sve, Anthony je izgradio svoj vlastiti glazbeni izričaj kojeg je nazvao �Anthony Blues Stew� i to je upravo ovo �to čujem.

Anthony i dru�tvo imali sve u svojim rukama, pa ovih deset snimljenih pjesama zvuči doista svje�e, plesno, grleno i da se uz njih itekako mo�emo dobro zabaviti!

Na kraju, da zaključim, Anthony Geraci i ovakva paklena ekipa ispunili su svoju zadaću, svoju misiju i sada itekako sna�no idu dalje. Jedva čekam da sve to opet čujem!

Preporuka

Anthony Geraci sa svojim bendom i novim studijskim albumom "Blues Called My Name", doista su osvje�ili svjetsku blues scenu. Provjerite za�to?!

Vi�e o svemu saznajte na:
www.anthonygeraciblue.com
www.facebook.com/AnthonyGeraciBlue

Living Blues Click Here for full size review

Lahora del Blues

Artista / Grupo: Anthony Geraci
Album: Blues Called My Name ,
Discografica: Blue Heart Records / Blind Raccoon
Ano publicacion: 2022
Fecha critica: 07/2022
Valoracion: GREAT
Sitio web: http://www.blindraccoon.com

Anthony Geraci is certainly one of the most outstanding classic and genuine blues piano players, framed on a style we could consider as old school urban blues, honky-tonk and boogie-woogie. Years of study and dedication confirm his professionalism and has been one of the fundamental pillars and founder of the legendary Sugar Ray And The Bluetones. He has also been nominated to the Grammy Awards, he was winner of 2021 Blues Music Awards and has graduated with honors from Berklee College Of Music.

This new album features ten own compositions, half of them instrumental and the rest sung by Sugar Ray Norcia, the song Corner Of Heartache And Pain by vocalist Erika Van Pelt and Anthony Geraci himself is on vocals in I Go Ooh. Geraci plays piano and Hammond and has also a deluxe cast of guests like Anne Harris on violin, Walter Trout and Monster Mike Welch on guitars, together with the outstanding support of The Boston Blues All-Stars.

Along the whole album Geraci shows that, not only he is a high voltage blues player, but he is able to also play other styles like jazz, with a remarkable swing and groove.

A fantastic album with remarkable blues songs, lights, colors and beautiful harmonies that, on Geraci's hands, become great masterpieces that will not go unnoticed for listeners.