Free To Fall - Beaucoup Blue

When we first encountered the father and son duo, David and Adrian Mowry, 
who call themselves Beaucoup Blue, we were immediately struck by David's 
slide work. His energy and virtuosity seemed to be the foundation for their 
harmonies and skill in translating the blues in a variety of forms. It underscores 
his rich, beefy vocals and his son Adrian's soulful croon.

While we were marveling at their great sound and versatility, our awareness of 
their mastery of the songwriter's craft didn't fully hit home until hearing Free To Fall. 

Now in retrospect, the cumulative effect of all three of their albums shows that 
they possess the all the tools to consistently write superior original blues material. 
Although their material may, at times, reach toward jazz and pop, for this author, 
steeped in Sun Records sensibility, their blues is what I love best.

That said, one of this reviewer's favorites, "Delta Rain," has an Allman Brothers 
Southern rock touch. At its core is the setting of 9/11. David and Adrian went to 
Arkansas after the planes hit the towers. As they rode down highway 61,
"the hay bales as big as buses" left their imprint and found their way into the lyrics. 
This novelistic touch, one of many, is what makes their writing so involving.
The pulsating drive of the song helps to push the point of their angst home as they sing:

Delta rain, wash these blues away
the dust of Armageddon is blowin' your way… 
What better thing to do when your world's in an uproar 
Sing your broken heart out on the brink of a world war

"Hesitation Blues" is a joyful boogie romp. With Jeff Sheard on drums and Bill Zinno on 
acoustic upright bass it's like a beer-soaked afternoon spent in a bar with a live band. 
In addition, the bodacious blues harp of Bob Beach matches Adrian's slide work stride for stride. 

There are duets with Philly thrush Melody Gardot and the Americana female trio Red Molly

"Bluer Than The Midnight Sky" with Melody, very Motown-like, drips with soul.

"Oh, America," with support from Red Molly, takes our consumerist ways to task behind a 
driving beat that suggests a ride across the continent.

Well, it's all about bargains, everything you see 
There ain't nothin' that ain't for sale in the land of the free…"

With the third album of what promises to be a very long career, Beaucoup Blue has already 
built a body of work that is seething with passion and intelligence.