October 29, 2023

Blues Magazine, Netherlands
written by: Martin van der Velde 

Philadelphia blues-soul singer and songwriter Deb Callahan has just released her 6th CD. She has dedicated the album to Tom Walling, the drummer she has worked with for the past 16 years, who sadly passed away after recording ‘Backbone’. In the past she had often worked with producer and guitarist Chris Arms, who is also now responsible for the production and supports Deb Callahan with writing the songs. Her permanent backing band guarantees a solid foundation. In addition to the aforementioned Tom Walling, the band consists of bassist Garry Lee and guitarist Allen James. The horn section, saxophonist Jay Davidson, and trombonist and bugler Steve Jankowski, who have been invited as guest musicians, can immediately get to work on the funky and groovy sounding ‘What Im Workin’ With’. Immediately the clear and powerful singing voice of Deb Callahan stands out. She sits nicely at the top of the mix. Only with the fourth song, the ballad ‘Rogue’, does the grooving train calm down a bit and Allen James fills the spaces with atmospheric guitar playing. The dragging shuffle ‘A Few New Tricks’ is a delight to the ear!

Time for a first cover song ‘Danger Zone’ by Percy Mayfield, which, as you might expect, is wonderfully jazzy, just because of the guitar playing of Allen James, but Deb also shines in this song, which seems to be written for her body. Then ‘Still Figtning To Be Free’ sounds completely different with the acoustic guitar playing of Alen Glass, the slide playing of Chris Arms supplemented with the harmonica playing of John Colgan Davis. As guest bassist Dave Arms creates groovy lines in the funky played ‘Don’t Tread On Me’. Minimal accompaniment on ‘Cleaning Home’ on which Chris Arms’ slide playing has a prominent role. The following ‘Thought You Were My Girl’ moves towards Americana. Funky keyboard work by Danny Schogger in ‘Just What The Doctor Ordered’. Deb closes her new album with a song by Sean Costello, ‘Anytime You Want’ has a Hammond foundation on which Allen James plays wonderful licks and briefly and powerfully solos. All in all twelve songs, ten of which are self-made, which you can call modern blues with a funky slant, with a small foray into Americana. A nice introduction to Deb Callahan.