Mr Pittman has an unbelievable feel for groove and funk and this album had me up and shaking my voluminous booty from the first notes of ‘Cold Sweat’, an r&b and funk workout that is just killer. His guitar on this opening track is mellow and full-toned and he has an undeniable Texas twang to his playing. I literally found myself cueing it up time and again.
He moves from there into a deep Blues with an intense and deeply resonant guitar line in ‘Done Tole Ya So’ – the whole number taking a strong Mississippi Hill Country groove with the feel of an early ZZ Top number – completely mesmerising.
As a straight Blues guitarist he is definitely one of the best I’ve heard in a while – surprisingly this is the first time I’ve heard him although he has 10 previous albums out – and his vocals are in the soulful mode. His playing on ‘How Long’ is Blues of the highest order, real ‘chills down the back’ stuff.
He can play in a lighter mood as well and displays a really good voice on ‘For Right Now’, a really mellow number.
There is a lot here that reminds me of the late great Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, that same easy groove and heavy picking style and the whole package just wants me to start investigating Mr Pittman’s back catalogue.
It’s a terrific album, never less than listenable and with a few really memorable tracks – very well worth searching out.
