Reddog & Friends - Booze, Blues And Southern Grooves (2022) [CD Rip]

Fine and mellow.

That’s the description that comes to mind after listening to the latest soulful album from Reddog and Friends, his sixth, and his first since 1993’s “After the Rain.”

And just who is Reddog?

At first it was the name of his band, a staple in the Atlanta area for decades, and now working out of the Pensacola, Fla., area.

“I spotted an advertisement for a vintage clothing store named Reddog, and the ad had beautiful, long, lean, red dogs,” Reddog told author/blogger Cindi Brown. “I thought it would be a good band name. As band personnel changed over the years, everyone just started calling me Reddog.”

Reddog himself is Jeff Higgins, a singer with a laid-back vibe; a songwriter with a lyrical ear, and a guitarist who favors “soulful Southern blues.” His vocals here are mellow; tastefully simmered inside slow-burning guitar licks. His style is a fine example of how less can be more, letting the soul pour freely into the space between the notes.

Right from the opening track, “Love, You’ve Got to Spread the Word,” with its smooth groove and soothing message, sets the tone. Backup singers Carla Russell, Mary Mason and Angela Hacker add authentic harmonious sentiments here and throughout. Their vocals add an excellent touch.

“The Blues Will Get You Everytime” follows, a hand-clapping ode to the power of the music. “Down, Down, Down” is slow and torchy, “She’s a Georgia Peach” is ripe with rhythm. “Simple Song” is anything but, letting gorgeous backup vocals break free. “Searching for Some Soul” shuffles along nicely, sort of a theme song for the entire album. These aren’t all of the excellent original eleven tracks, but they’re some of my favorites. The final cut, “Honest Man,” makes its case as a lyrical summation — possibly Reddog’s personal blues creed.

This is an album full of thoughtful, entertaining, excellent music from someone whose voice needs to added to the blues conversation after a long absence from the national scene. The notes below from Reddog describe his friends, and how they came to record this album.

And by the way, “Fine and Mellow” is not just a clever lead-in to this article, although I think the phrase captures Reddog’s spirit nicely. It was one of the few songs written by the great Billie Holiday, and its presentation in 1957 was arguably one of the great live musical performances in TV history. ~Jim White