Description
Sixteen tracks in a new release from Bay area label Reference, show-casing the evidently earthy, considerable talents of Ozzie picker Boyes, Professin’ The Blues is an outstanding offering allowing full free-rein to Boyes who moves effortlessly from resonator, to the ever-popular resurrected cigar-box slide and straight acoustic formats with barely a shrug.
Boyes has a strong, searching voice and tackles a variety of blues genres without missing a beat, skipping lightly from a strong Texan, Lightnin’ Hopkins opener through ragtime rhythmic drive and reggae-inspired numbers that also include light jazz touches and some absolutely top quality fretwork. This is an album that is immediately gripping from the very off and hi-lights Boyes’ own song-writing strengths, with only two covers in the mix, one being he ever-popular “Baby Please Don’t Go.”
