St Louis native Mike Zito and guests release a tribute to St Louis legend...

[The Polack MSgt]

Mr. Charles Berry
https://bluesrockreview.com/2019/10/mike-zito-and-friends-rock-n-roll-a-tribute-to-chuck-berry-review.html

Chuck Berry, the artist, was a genius. We owe just about everything great about rock and roll to Berry (and his pianist/collaborator, Johnnie Johnson). Singer/guitarist Mike Zito pays tribute to the artist on Rock ‘n’ Roll – A Tribute to Chuck Berry.

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Zito says the album originated from his time living in St. Louis, Berry’s hometown, where he got to know Berry’s drummer and son. I suspect Zito also hoped to introduce Berry’s music to younger fans, who might not be familiar with many of these classic songs. Similarly, Zito features an impressive array of guests across the album, using this as an opportunity to promote lower-profile artists (although there are also big names, like Joe Bonamassa and Luther Dickinson, who finds time to appear on what seems to be thousands of albums a year).

There are also some cool surprises. “Downbound Train” is trippier than Berry’s original, featuring guitar right out of Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused.” The guitar comes courtesy of Alex Skolnick, best known for this work with the thrash-metal band Testament (but also an accomplished jazz guitarist). “Rock and Roll Music” is re-imagined with slide guitar and backing vocals from the amazing Joanna Connor. And “Too Much Monkey Business” features a laid-back Dickinson co-vocal that gives the song a different complexion than Berry’s higher-energy original.

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I love this take on his classic "Never can tell"

But my happiest surprise was Mike including Joe Bonamassa's smoky, guitar heavy take on one of Chucks best straight blues songs.

This song may be unfamiliar with most fans, but all the young blues and blues rock kids playing up and down Broadway - in the blues and jazz bars of St Louis - They know it.

Chuck's

Joe and Mike's take