Carlos Del Junco - Steady Movin'

Carlos Del Junco
Steady Movin'
NorthernBlues
Run Time: 49:20

On his fifth disc and second for NorthernBlues, master of the overblow, Carlos Del Junco returns with his eclectic mix of blues, jazz, and folk. This album originally was released last year on the Canadian imprint. It's been given several spins off an on in those months in my player because I didn't know what to say about this very odd disc. Sporting world-reknowned session man Kevin Breit in the back-up band; this album of mostly instrumentals left me with a strange taste in my mouth, being a harmonica afficionado myself.
These often quirky instrumentals are about as manic as Midwestern weather, going from blues-influenced harmonica to avant-garde jazz sounds at the drop of a hat. The three mostly listenable tracks for blues fans will be the opening swing shuffle of "Diddle It," the Aleck "Sonny Boy Williamson II" Miller cover of "Movin' Down the River Rhine" and "Bailey's Bounce" which is dedicated to early blues harp pioneer Deford Bailey. First and foremost, don't buy this record if you aren't a fan of instrumental or harmonica albums. Secondly, don't buy this album expecting mostly blues, as I've already given you the three points of reference. Lastly, don't buy this album if you don't get into self-indulgent over-playing. Yes, I said it. Del Junco played way too much harp on this album. Like Popper, the Harmonicats, or even some of the West Coast Blues guys, and Jason Ricci; the little ten reed instruments gets more than enough of its share of the business here. I found myself yelling at the speakers - "Shut up for a minute, will ya'?" Most of these instrumentals blend together with their oddness, avant garde jazziness "ooo I can play 9th, 12th & 45th chords on my harmonica and you can't" idleness. The one thing that is cyclical in the whole recording is that Del Junco knows how to play his instrument very well and his backing band knows how to keep up with him. Ultimately, he's a victim of his own virtuosity. Getting back to the positives, Del Junco does give a fine reading of the gospel pillar "Amazing Grace." His usage of dynamics in his arrangement are very cool and the overblow technique he has mastered turns the harp sounds into bagpipe-sounding notes at the crescendo of the song. It was one of only a few bright shining moments for me on this disc.
It's obvious to tell that I completely disliked most of the disc from start to finish. It is the antithesis of what I would consider blues harmonica playing and its genre mixing and hopping is what I mostly don't look for in a contemporary blues release, either. Del Junco's won awards and probably has alot of fans. To each their own, but I found little here that would be redeemed as blues. Del Junco needs to get steady movin' down a more bluesy highway, I believe, for him to capitalize on some recognition and fanfare here in the States. For me, I would say its a long road ahead.