Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King - Have Blues, Will Travel [V2]

Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King - Have Blues, Will Travel [2010] [Album]
Original Release / Alligator Records / CD

In 1989, Kubek met guitarist/vocalist Bnois King at a Monday night Dallas jam session. The two became fast friends, and melded their seemingly divergent styles—Kubek a rocking and fierce picker and slider, King a jazz-inflected chorder (who could also solo with flaming electricity)—into one of the most potent guitar combinations the Southwest had ever produced. Kubek explains the relationship succinctly: “I pull the blues out of him, and he pulls the jazz out of me. Bnois knows so much about jazz it’s amazing.” The band’s Alligator Records debut, 2008’s Blood Brothers, brought the long-time musicians to their largest audience yet and earned the band accolades all across the country. The Chicago Sun-Times declared, “Genuine houserockin’ blues…they boogie till the break of day.” Allmusic described the album as “tough, robust, soul-blues that is as hot as they’ve ever gotten in the studio. Impressive.”

With "Have Blues, Will Travel", they take another giant step forward. Kubek and King wrote or co-wrote all twelve songs, and, along with their road-tested rhythm section, they ignite a blues fire with enough heat to fuel an all-night party. The chemistry between KubekΓÇÖs blistering fretwork and KingΓÇÖs savvy vocals and unpredictable, multifaceted guitar work creates a roadhouse blend of muscular blues-rock, hip-shaking shuffles and slow-burning blues that is simply impossible to resist. Each song is infused with deep, from-the-heart musicianship, carefully crafted, true-to-life lyrics and delivered with the occasional wry smile. King calls Have Blues, Will Travel the best record the band has ever made.

01. Have Blues, Will Travel
02. Got You Out Of My Blood
03. Out Of Body, Out Of Mind
04. RU4 Real?
05. Payday In America
06. Shadows In The Dark
07. My Space Or Yours?
08. Sleeping With One Eye Open
09. My Guitar
10. One Step At A Time
11. Wishful Thinking
12. What A Sight To See