Fever For The Bayou

Louisiana blues player Tab Benoit has been prolifically knocking out albums since his 1992 debut disc, "Nice & Warm," and his rise to prominence has been just as impressive. His latest project, "Fever for the Bayou," is an ideal representation of where he is and what he does. Benoit's guitar playing is especially articulate, whether he is assaying Buddy Guy's hard-hitting slow blues on "I Smell a Rat" or blazing through his bayou groove on the original gem "Night Train." He gets up with New Orleans maestro Monk Boudreaux for a tasty cover of the latter's "Golden Crown" and works Cyril Neville's "Little Girl Blues" into a tour de force that is a highlight of the record. Benoit's a strong vocalist who possesses a versatile guitar attack. His resourceful chops on that instrument—very much in evidence on "Fever for the Bayou"—provide the constant dynamic that makes his records so potent and unfailingly attractive.—PVV