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11/1/2006
Jeff Tamarkin
Fiona Boyes has recorded several albums in her native Australia and won just about every “Best Blues Guitarist” award that country has to offer. But she’s especially stoked about Lucky 13(Yellow Dog), her first U.S. release. With assistance from such American talents as Kaz Kazanoff(harp, sax, producer), Bob Margolin (guitar) and Marcia Ball (piano), Boyes has turned in one of the most sizzling blues albums — by anyone — in years.
Her vocals and songwriting are impressive, and on both acoustic and electric guitars, Boyes is consistently dynamic and inventive. Now, perhaps, the critics will stop pigeonholing her as a great female blues artist and simply recognize Boyes as a great blues artist, period. Says Boyes, “It’s frustrating for any artist to be marginalized as a mere novelty. With blues there are more interesting issues, like how do I stay true to the traditions of the genre while finding my own unique voice within it?”