Customer Reviews

Rituals

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I am not going to write a lot of words about this latest release of Jimmy. Simply, it is one of the best collections of musical influences mostly centered on blues. It has haunting lyrics that captures the feelings of our souls as well as our basic instincts. One that got to me is Undercover Man. If you appreciate good music that is fun musically and mentally as well as relaxing this is it. If you like great musicianship this CD also works extremely well. If you are a musician in one of those terrible funky periods where nothin' grabs ya and makes ya want to play, listen to this CD. It will get you going again. It is our blessing to have someone like Jimmy out there doing things that will inspire us to do the same. If you get a chance to see him, like I did for the first time recently, it is worth every dollar you spend and every mile you drive. His music captured my attention like a freight train on a night that I was not prepared to be alert. It only took a few minutes and I knew this was special. If you like Clapton, Stevie Ray, Robert Cray, Dylan, John Fogerty, and the blues masters we are indebted to, this will be one of your favorites. But it is not just blues and that is the beauty of this CD, it is a unique rare blend of styles with a heart of blues infuence. Most of all, it is an honest "make ya think, make ya dream, and make ya wanta play your guitar" CD. For all ages and for all people who appreciate great music.

Paul Meehan

With "Rituals", Jimmy Dillon veers towards the blues, with mixed results. The dobro that pops up here and there sounds sweet and suits his voice well, and 3 or 4 of the songs are up to the quality of his earlier "Bad and Blue" album, but too many of these songs sound generic, and the overall shift to the blues feels like a marketing ploy. But after so many years of wowing them in the clubs while the labels remained indifferent, if marketing ploys are what it takes to get Jimmy Dillon's music out there, I'll take it...

Jimmy Dillon is a local blues guitarist and vocalist who has also played all over the US. He runs a summer blues camp for kids about 45 minutes from where I live every summer. I first was exposed to him when he opened for someone (I don't remember who) at a local theater. He played an all acoustic set, and totally blew me away. I picked up this album after the show and was very glad I did as it is a good one. I honestly cannot praise this album enough. This is what a great blues album should sound like. To me the thing that separates Jimmy from the masses is the songwriting. Many artists can sing and play the blues well, but few are actual good songwriters. Just about every song on this disc is well written and crafty. Dillon is an excellent musician and he spreads his guitar stylings throughout this disc. Playing electric, acoustic, steel and slide guitar he is comfortable with any of them and they compliment his lyrics and voice. Highlights include "Mighty Long Road" with its rockin blues shuffle. "Undercover Man" and the rocking "Trouble" are great tunes. The ballad "Louisiana Rain" takes you down to the crescent city in a classic "baby I miss you" tune. My personal favorite tracks are "Heaven", which tells the story of a gambler in Las Vegas that sounds like it could have been recorded in the 40's with its muted trumpet background. The other one is the all instrumental title track "Rituals" which shows off Dillon's chops. Jimmy Dillon deserves headline status as "Rituals" is one of my favorite blues albums in my collection.