Keb' Mo'/G. Love and Special Sauce

Last week, we previewed Taj Mahal’s gig in Kent and wrote that there’s a lot to admire about a musician that bridges traditional blues sensibilities with more contemporary styles. Keeping the blues alive amid a quickly paced culture is terrific. With that in mind, Keb’ Mo’ dropped Bluesamericana this year, merging the traditional scene from which he grows with the finger-pickin’ uber-popular world of indie Americana music (a la the Lumineers, etc.). And it’s a great album. Fits in nicely with 2014’s steadily growing cache of fine sounds. Album opener “The Worst is Yet to Come” sets the stage with the blues great’s deep voice arcing across banjos, harmonicas, and a steady six-string lope. Throughout, the album teeters expectedly more toward the blues, but Keb’ Mo’ injects enough “new” influences to make it an intriguing collection of songs for anyone interested in fine guitar work. And while we’re at it, don’t sleep on his 1994 debut. Stellar blues. (Sandy)