Robert Lucas - Completely Blue (1997)

Right from the bongo drum intro on the first number, it's apparent that this album veers in a different direction for Lucas. Add the eerie organ sounds and the jazzy guitar licks, and this album has great musical depth. Even his songwriting expands topic-wise, whether warning his one night stand the consequences of telling all to his wife, or society's lack of common sense while suffering economic woes, even giving a little snippet of commentary on the O.J. Simpson case. There's some magnificent and expansive keyboard work by Fred Kaplan, both on piano and B-3 organ. Along with co-writer/guitarist David Melton, Lucas' "Two for Nothing" is a nice Stax-sounding duet. Joining Melton on guitar duties is former Mighty Flyer Alex Schultz, who can flesh out equally well on rhythm as well as burn on solos. Rounding out and heading for home, Lucas ends with an acoustic interpretation of Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile," which presents how Robert Johnson might have performed it had he lived into the latter half of this century. ~Char Ham