Robbin Kapsalis plants her flag firmly in the tradition with her latest release The Blues Is In The House. Produced by harmonica ace and husband, Giles Robson and tracked at AGP Studio in Nozay, France, the album bears the sonic fingerprints of Arnaud Fradin and Albert Milauchian, with Fradin also overseeing mixing duties at Mojo Hand Studio. Giles’ harmonica cuts through like a second voice, threading the record with raw, soulful urgency.
The opener and title song penned by Terry Abrahamson (of Muddy Waters fame) and Derrick Porceli, is a barnburner with Joe Louis Walker on guitar, setting the tone with grit and fire. From there, Kapsalis digs into a treasure chest of blues standards and deep cuts, breathing life into Walter Jacobs’ Up the Line, Deadric Malone’s Lead Me On, a homage to Bobby "Blue’’ Bland, and L.C. Frazier’s The Comeback, once immortalised by Memphis Slim.
She tips her hat to tradition with Sittin’ on Top of the World, the Mississippi Sheiks classic carried through Howlin’ Wolf and beyond, and tears into Elmore James’ Rollin’ and Tumblin’ with conviction. The rhythm section of Arnaud Gobin bass guitar and Cyril Durand on drums holds it all down tight, especially on the funky revival Love Hangover (Redux). Closing with Gotta Hear the Blues, Kapsalis makes her mission plain, this isn't nostalgia, it’s testimony. So, the blues is truly in the house.
The Full Album:
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