3/2/2007

Michael Toland

John Bigham, AKA The Soul of John Black, began his musical career in Miles Davis’ band, before serving a tenure in funk rock godhead Fishbone. How he got from that to this I don’t know, but I ain’t gonna argue. On The Good Girl Blues, Bigham augments the blues with grooving beats and synth bleeps, not as gimmicks, but as accents—the spotlight remains on his soulful singing and acoustic guitars. The record is distinguished by strong writing, as well; “Fire Blues,” “Moanin’” and the cheeky “Deez Blues” demonstrate Bigham’s ability to uphold tradition while pushing it forward. The C&W-tinged “One Hit” and the funky “Feelin’s” and “The Hole” show off a broader range as well. Really good stuff.