Just a Lucky So and So

A person can use up all the applicable superlatives on recent Charles Brown titles such as All My Life, One More for the Road, Blues and Other Love Songs, and Someone to Love. That series of recordings established Brown, who's career dates back to the '40s, as less a admired senior statesman than the most consistently engaging bluesman of the '90s, age be damned. Brown's latest release is every bit the treasure the aforementioned albums are. The centerpiece of the 10-track collection remains Brown, whose deft and regal phrasing is framed by his own expert piano as well as the full ensemble (guitarist Danny Caron, saxophonist Clifford Soloman, bassist Ruth Davies, and drummer Gaylord Birch) that supports him on stage. In addition, producer Ron Levy has brought strings and horns into the mix without robbing the recording of too much intimacy. --Steve Stolder