On her new album, A New Day, EG Kight makes a comeback of sorts. Recovering from a tag team bout with meningitis and encephalitis, Kight rehabs with a bluesy, gospel filtered set of songs that celebrate life, perseverance, and down home cooking.

To hear Kight, is to conjure Phoebe Snow singing at a southern gospel convention. Nicknamed “The Georgia Songbird,” Kight started her career in country music, but now works as a blues artist, her voice effortlessly gliding from blues to jazz and back again, seasoned with a touch of red-eye gravy.

“Holdin’ On,” the opening track is a mid-tempo ballad about staying the course when you hit troubled waters. “Graveyard Dead Blues” is next, with Kight promising she can make her man quite happy. But first she has to lay down a few ground rules, “If you ever cheat or beat on me, you might get yourself buckshot.” In the next breath she details more of her arsenal, a stick broom and a large frying pan. The frying pan resurfaces later on in the album, in a slightly more benign manner.

“Low Mileage Woman,” finds Kight advertising her availability while confessing she’s in need of a tune-up. Georgia native Randall Bramblett adds some sanctified Hammond organ when Kight and her band go to church on “Don’t Give Up.” The good time gospel feel, and Willie Morris’ background vocals, along with the rollicking piano of Paul Hornsby would seem right at home on Brother Jimmy Swaggart’s television program. 

Ken Wynn’s guitar drives “Let’s Get Down,” a paean to the back yard barbeque. It is here that the frying pan of death makes its return in a more life affirming manner, with some catfish cooking to go along with the country ham and sweet tater pie. The details prompt the thought that at some point Kight could have a second career on the Food Network.

Tommy Talton guests on four tracks and his tasty guitar work creates the tension that underscores “Misunderstood.” For the rest of the album, Kight's regular guitarist Ken Wynn holds down the fort. It should be noted that Wynn's playing is versatile, nimble and precise. He seems to know just what each song on the album needs, making a strong contribution yet never seeking to challenge his boss for your attention. In fact the entire band is tight and focused on serving the song.

“Coming Down with The Blues,” a slow ballad, is the standout track on the album and a perfect song to proceed last call and closing time at your favorite bar. Kight’s supple vocal will stay in your head for the ride home, and long after.

Harp player and vocalist Rob Stone turns in a fine new album grounded in his love for Chicago blues. Gotta keep rollin’ features twelve tracks, split evenly between originals and covers, which display Stone’s smooth voice and mastery of the blues harp.

Surrounded by Chris James on guitar and Patrick Rynn on bass, his bandmates from the C-Notes, Stone and company strut their stuff, demonstrating the sort of synchronicity that only comes from playing together for two decades.

“Move Baby Move,” written by Billy Emerson seems to define the theme on this release, which feels designed to get the listener on the dance floor. In fact this record would make a great party album for that reason.

While six of the tracks are worthy covers, it is on the original compositions that Stone and band seem to shine the brightest. The new material liberates the band to carry the Chicago style into new territory while staying true to its form. “Lucky 13” features a thumping bass line over which Stone’s smooth voice rides with ease, and sets the stage for harp and guitar solos which complement each other nicely. This is followed by some funky sax work by Eddie Shaw on “Anything Can Happen,” a danceable tune that seems straight out of the 50s. “Wired and Tired” is an excellent picture of a man who “Don’t need hypnotizing, I just need some sleep.” Stone’s protagonist can’t seem to slow down and the only thing that keeps him running is his open tab at the coffee shop. Overall this is a wonderful blues album, and a mighty good time.