Customer Reviews

What's It Gonna Take?

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One of the best CD's in my collection...they play songs from this album on the radio station here on the Vineyard on the blues show every night (WMVY) ...Red Sunglasses and Alligator are just way too cool...
Forrest is one of the greatest guitarists in the world and his leads rip on this CD... PLAY IT LOUD!!!!

It's hard to be as erudite on this disk as some of the other critiques that I have read in this space, however I feel compelled to add my voice to the chorus for this collection. I have been collecting blues music for some time now and have rarely heard a band as proficient as this one. they are tight, well controlled and perfectly modulated. Every one of them excels in his own space. Together they deliver some blues standards with respect, taste and impeccable artistic interpretation.

Both Forrest's ability to project effortless energy on his guitar solos without overwhelming the troupe's renditions, and the vocals by Raymond Victor are truly something to behold.

I had only recently even heard of Forrest McDonald. I'm really impressed and I think you'll be also.

with his guitar licks that showcase his love for the blues forrest has produced a great cd with mostly covers he does respect the blues. there are songs by louis jordan to t bone walker to jimmy witherspoon. great version of early in the morning that is worth the price of this cd

Austin, TX has weaned many a Blues guitar player and Forrest MacDonald can boast being a native son all he wants, but there's a lot more than Texas grease in his latest offering "What's It Gonna Take?" - New Orleans heat and West Coast class play a large role too. Let's get to the special guests first, and leave the rest of the review to the featured McDonald, Victor, and the 3D Blues Band. Roy Gaines, a Texas guitar master of the highest order stops in for a simmering vocal on the self-penned penned "Slippin' Out" and leaves the guitar chores to McDonald where he proceeds to blow the top off it. James Montgomery, long an East Coast favorite, also rolls in with his harmonica for T-Bone Walker's "Two Bones and a Pick" and "Mean Old World." He's not afforded much space on either, but what he does add is tasteful and far more restrained than what he does 'live,' and while McDonald's guitar work owes a lot to Bone, he's comfortably in his own zone.

Raymond Victor gets the keys going in a boogie piano intro for "Work Work," and vocally, he reminds this writer of RJ Mischo in more than a couple places. Dave Parnell takes a fine tenor sax break, and McDonald broils though a good solo. Louis Jordan's "Early In The Morning" is done in fine style, but things get even better for "Times Getting Tougher" - Victor's piano is tasteful and understated - just as it should be for a Witherspoon gem, and his voice has the right balance of smooth grit. Josh White's "Southern Exposure" wilts like kudzu in the Georgia humidity with McDonald's good acoustic guitar and Victor's soulful vocal. "Bad Day" is a groveling slow Blues from Victor's hand and it gets a grilling with the band; McDonald's solo is tough, matching a blazing vocal.

"California Baby" is a jumping West Coast romp and makes way for a good reading of "Roll On Katy." McDonald gets some muscle behind his playing, but it's Victor's strength in singing that stands out here. Some good restraint by the band shows they're seasoned well and can do justice to all the bases they step through. "Red Sunglasses" takes some flavor of jazz and rock making for another strong Raymond Victor original. The breaks sound a bit pedestrian but don't detract from the heavy work by the band and McDonald leans into a distorted solo. Jimmy Witherspoon's "Skid Row Blues" is done with respect, shuffling slowly through some more fine guitar and sax. The final two are written by Victor with the instrumental "Alligator" more than a bit out of place in a set of driving Blues. This would fit comfortably on new jazz radio, and while it isn't bad, it comes from way out of left field. Thankfully it closes on better ground with the reserved "Rolling Down The River" a slow and sweet Blues with some Longhair inspired whistling at the end.

There's a lot to like on this disc... McDonald gets top billing, but his work succeeds even more due to the fine work of the 3D Blues Band. Diane Dutra and Chuck CapDeVille anchor the bass and drums respectively working well together, Victor's vocals and keyboard work are a fine mix of roadhouse grime and society Blues sophistication, while Parnell's sax is flavorful whenever he takes front space. A fine tuned band, a solid guitar player with good chops, and lots of variation make this CD well worth tracking down.