LARRY THURSTON

“Schools For Fools”

Cousin Moe Music, Inc.

There’s nothing finer than a really good blues singer’s interpretation of, well, really good blues songs. And, in singer Larry Thurston’s easily assured performances and songwriter Jeff Alexander’s tunes, the combination really cooks.

In a straight-ahead, confident approach to these songs, Thurston manages to coax just about every nuance he can from them. And, since Alexander wrote them so well, Thurston’s job is just that much easier.

Thurston, who used to work with Matt Guitar Murphy and the Blues Brothers, tackles the soul, blues and R&B influenced songs with the self-assuredness of a singer who knows where he wants to go. Backing him is a crackerjack band of blues professionals, including Band drummer Levon Helm and the incomparable pianist Johnnie Johnson, from Chuck Berry’s seminal recordings.

It’s a sometimes tricky proposition to have one singer come into a studio and interpret one writer’s work. Yet, here, the experience and talent of both the singer, Thurston, and the writer, Alexander, make it work.

- Mark T. Gould

***1/2