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Guitarist Ronnie Earl's realization that you don't need a vocalist to sing the blues freed him up to roam across the vernacular music landscape, dipping into jazz, gospel, and soul, and has made him one of the most innovative and interesting musicians working in contemporary blues. It's hardly a radical step, since scores of jazz musicians have been mining the blues for 80 years without vocalists, and in Earl's case it was a natural shift -- maybe even an obvious one given that he has often cited John Coltrane as a predominant influence. On Now My Soul, his second release from Stony Plain Records, Earl moves a bit back to neutral ground on the vocal issue, with roughly half the tracks featuring singing from either Kim Wilson or Greg Piccolo, and one track, the delightful "Walkin on the Sea," showcases the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers. But the instrumental pieces are the most powerful, allowing Earl's inherent jazz sensibilities to surface, and as an ensemble player, he shines. The album opener, Jimmy Smith's "Blues for J," does a masterful job of capturing Smith's easy-grooving sense of the blues (Dave Limina handles the B-3 duties here), and Piccolo's tenor sax pairs nicely with Earl's guitar for a track that shows nicely how much joy can reside inside the blues. "Kay My Dear" visits the same territory, only in darker hues, and when the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers hit with "Walkin on the Sea," one is reminded that the blues is really more about releasing what haunts us than it is about bottling things up in a primal moan-and-groan session. Of the vocal pieces, a cover of Otis Rush's "Double Trouble" works best, with Wilson's singing and ghostly harmonica runs slipping in and out of a wonderfully ominous and atmospheric soundscape. An untitled 13th track finds Earl sincerely thanking God, friends, and fans for the privilege of playing, and it touches on his battles with manic depression, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Perhaps that's what comes through in the best moments on this album -- that sense of joyous deliverance Earl's guitar playing reaches when the blues becomes a vehicle of release and transcendence and he takes himself (and his audience) to a place where the pain drops away. In the end, the blues isn't about pain at all. It's about what resides (to quote Blind Willie Johnson) in the soul of a man, and what he chooses to do with it. For that you really don't need words. ~ Steve Leggett
Liner Note Author: Ronnie Earl.
Recording information: Wellspring Studios, Acton, MA.
Photographers: Dave Limina; Marc Norberg; Ronnie Earl.
Personnel: Ronnie Earl (guitar); Greg Piccolo, Silver Leaf Gospel Singers, Kim Wilson (vocals); Jose Alvarez (guitar); Dave Limina (piano, organ); Lorne Entress (drums).
Audio Mixers: Huck Bennert; Ronnie Earl.
Living Blues (pp.52-3) - "[H]earty jams....This disc proves why Ronnie Earl is considered one of blues' finest guitarists."
Ronnie Earl - Now My Soul Songs
| 1 | Blues For J | | | |
| 2 | Double Trouble | | | |
| 3 | Feel Like Goin On | | | |
| 4 | Abandoned See All 2 | | | |
| 5 | Walkin on the Sea | | | |
| 6 | Black & White | | | |
| 7 | Kay My Dear See All 2 | | | |
| 8 | Maxwell, Mudcat and Per | | | |
| 9 | My Buddy Buddy Friends | | | |
| 10 | Walter Through Kim | | | |
| 11 | #7 | | | |
| 12 | Magic of Sam | | | |
| 13 | (Untitled Hidden Track) | | | |
Now My Soul Music Review
Average Rating: (4.7 out of 5 stars)    Blues album of the year!
This album by Ronnie Earl and his latest incarnation of the broadcasters is an exhilarating listen. This is music from the heart, soul, and mind of Earl and musicians that have transcended the ordinary to connect with the listener on a lot of different levels. Dave Limina's B3 grooves are sublime. A great guest lineup including Kim Wilson help fuel the fire.
Submitted by b3jack (Delray Beach, Fl) 
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He Just Keeps Getting Better
Ronnie Earl is without doubt the best blues guitarist around at the moment. He has it all. Since he started producing predominantly instrumental blues albums some years ago, he has set a very high standard in quality blues recordings. The last few albums have had a smattering of vocals. This time around half the tracks have vocals. It was an inspired choice having Kim Wilson on four of them. Kim proves to be the perfect vocal partner to Ronnie’s fantastic guitar work. There is the added bonus of Kim’s top-notch harp playing. Ronnie Earl is comfortable in any musical style or tempo He is truly the master of his instrument. Greg Piccolo is on board for a vocal on one track. His singing has improved out of sight. He also plays great sax on another track. Dave Limina on organ and piano, Jimmy Mouradian on bass and Lorne Entress on drums are Ronnie’s newest Broadcasters and have settled in very comfortably as the rhythm section. But the highlight as always with a Ronnie Earl recording is his terrific tasty fretwork. Not many artists can put out a recording of new material and maintain quality over much more than 50 minutes. This album is more than 70 minutes and it wasn’t long enough! Quality and quantity. Who could ask for anything more? I envy the new listener who discovers Ronnie Earl for the first time and has the opportunity to delve into his back catalogue.
Submitted by tonym (Brisbane, Australia)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  Smooth, Blue and "Kim fueled".
Tone, touch and emotion, Ronnie has it all. A distintive guitar voice in an ever increasing homoginized and profit drivin music environment. With Kim Wilson on harpand vocals, this disc won't be coming out of my deck anytime soon. I appreciate the heart drivin as opposed to testosterone drivin music here. Do not deny yourself, purchase this CD. peace, baby
Submitted by BLUESCOCK (RockCafeBattleCreekMI)
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