Golden State-Lone Star Blues Revue

Capitalizing on the 25th year of hosting his successful harmonica get-togethers that feature a who’s who of the nation’s harp fiends, Hummel—a workmanlike harmonicist—has come up with a winning idea of teaming players from California and Texas for this Blues Revue. Backed by guitarists Little Charlie Baty and Anson Funderburgh, Hummel et al. go to town on the disc’s 14 tracks. With bassist R.W. Grigsby and drummer Wes Starr, this is the core group that played Sierra Nevada’s Big Room last February. Little Charlie gets things underway with his intro (and subsequent solo) on a compelling version of Gatemouth Brown’s “Midnight Hour,” with solid vocals by Hummel, before Funderburgh kicks in. Baty and Hummel conspire to effect on “Prove It to You” (with Jim Pugh guesting on organ), while Funderburgh shines on “Pepper Mama,” another Hummel original. “Dim Lights” features both guitarists—Baty first, then Funderburgh with a typical raging slide guitar solo. Hummel blows some evocative harp on his mournful “End of the World” (“I want to be by your side”) that closes the album.