Review: CHILLS & THRILLS

Review of Thrills & Chills from —Jim DeKoster , Living Blues Magazine BERNARD ALLISON Chills & Thrills CCE-CD-9372  When I sat down to review Bernard Allison’s new CD, it came as something of a shock to realize that Luther Allison’s young son is now 43 years old and has been recording for close to twenty years. For his latest effort, which was recorded in New Hope, Minnesota in the autumn of 2007, he’s joined by Eric Gales on second guitar, Rusty Hall on keyboards, Jassen Wilber on bass and Mario Dawson on drums. A catchy guitar riff launches the opening title track and continues to drive a hard-hitting funk beat that underpins solos by both guitarists, Allison’s sounding like it was played through a Magnatone amp ala Robert Ward or Lonnie Mack. Jagged funk rhythms also propel  “When I’m Gone”, where Gales takes the vocal, “Just My Guitar And Me” with its introductory lick coming straight from the Mississippi Delta, “Black & White” and “Groove With Me”. Alison slows the tempo to good effect on “So Devine”, a sort of update blues ballad, and the two versions of his dad’s “Serious”. There are also covers of Luther’s “Compromising For Your Needs”, the daunting “That’s Why I’m Crying” from Magic Sam and “Boogie Man” from Freddy King, while Allison channels King’s former valet Tyrone Davis on the easy-loping “Missing Tyrone”. The sinuous “Heart Of St. Paul”, from the pen of Andy Bailey, rounds out the program and provides a platform for one of Allison’s best performances. This disc confirms that Bernard Allison is doing his father proud and has become one of the few bluesmen whose every release is worth a listen                            —Jim DeKoster , Living Blues Magazine

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