Good blues music is meant to take your mind of your troubles and your troubles of your mind, if so, Edmonton based blues collective the Boogie Patrol succeeds in spades. 

While their CD  “Groove on or Bug Out,”  doesn’t quite capture the  intensity of their live show it comes very close, the overall groove and feel are there, not to mention some wicked harp chops,  fact  there is a lot of impressive playing throughout.

 It is full of uptempo, feel good blues and good times.

Rotten Dan is  the man with the big voice and gut-wrenching vocals who sounds  like a big black guy from the south side of Chicago instead of a skinny white guy from Edmonton. He howls like he’s fronting the Commitments, plays harp like Little Walter and basically gives it everything  from the gut.

He has a crack band behind him who know how to groove on and bug out, be it on uptempo foot stompers like “Ain’t Much For Talking,” and  “Lazy Man,” or slower, soulful numbers like “Camielle.” and “Can’t Help Myself¯” which has a really tasteful guitar solo.

The Boogie Patrol tries they hand at a little zydeco on “Celebrate.”

 There are plenty of outstanding tracks  here  including “Grubline,” “Celebrate,” and especially “Thrills I’m Chasing.”

 If you’re feeling blue, the Boogie Patrol may be just what you need to blow those blues away.

 — By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

CD: Groove on or Bug Out

Band: The Boogie Patrol

Genre: blues

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