Sonny Gullage — “Go Be Free” — Blind Pig Records (Aug. 23 release)
Keepers of the blues flame sometimes just seem to keep disappearing. Then someone like 25-year-old Sonny Gullage comes along, with a little help from an equally 25-year-old Christopher “Kingfish” Ingram, and just like that, the blues flame gets turned up a notch.
“Go Be Free” is Gullage’s debut album, a 12-song collection from the New Orleans native, showing off his considerable songwriting and keyboard skills. Also know that this impressive first effort was produced by the bluesily (well, that should be a word!) omniscient Tom Hambridge.
On a related optimistic musical note, this release helps mark the revival of the Blind Pig record label, originally launched in 1977, and which quickly became one of the best blues and roots labels in the known universe. Welcome back!
The basic message of this exuberant note-perfect album comes in its title song, with a reference to his family’s role in his musical sensibilities. The title track opens with the kind of stomping beat you’d hear in a Southern church. Accompanied by a propulsive groove, Sonny sings: I remember back when I was young/Daddy called me said, “Come here my son”/He said, “If you want to be like me/You gotta learn to keep your mind at ease”/Said, “Go be free.” The song swells with a euphoric feeling that’s equal parts gospel salvation and blues-based self-realization.
The opener is a gorgeous little exercise in funkiness — “Just Kiss Me Baby” — extremely listenable and quite danceable. Just the right beginning for this thoroughly enjoyable first album.
The title track opens with an urgent hand-clapping beat and a moaning backup chorus filled with elation that drives hard as Gullage explains: “I remember back when I was young / Daddy called me said, “Come here my son” / He said, “If you want to be like me / You gotta learn to keep your mind at ease” / Said, “Go be free.”
“Things I Can’t Control” keeps the beat throbbing behind a strong message of focusing on what you can change, not what you can’t control. “Separate Ways” is a delicate lost-love ballad with a beat. “Worried About the Young” means what it says, as Gullage is joined by Ingram providing a fiery guitar background. The fact that they’re both relative youngsters themselves (at 25) adds a note of urgency.
“Blues All Over You” is tough Chicago-blues with piano that’s equally tough and tasty. Lessons from his grandfather shine in the gentle rhythms of “I’ve Been There.” Rollicking boogie-woogie piano pushes “Stop That Stuff” to a higher level of pure joy, then shifts back to the steamy blues of “Tattooed Wings,” before entering the “Hot House” with stark rhythmic feeling. “File It Under Blues” is an upbeat ending to a relationship, as he’s “gonna close this case of love and file it under blues.”
The fitting close is the plaintive ballad, “Home to You,” a tender spot of soulful longing that highlights yet another aspect of Gullage’s exceptional talents.
“Go Be Free” is an album overflowing with the multiple talents of Kevin “Sonny” Gullage. The songwriting is smart and bright. The music is deliciously inspired. The vocals reflect a maturity of an old blues soul.
Gullage describes his music thoughtfully: “It was almost a revelation when I discovered I could sing the blues — it just flowed out of me — and I realized that’s how I wanted to connect with people,” he says. “When I sing, I don’t sing for people to understand me, I sing for people to understand themselves.”
If that sentiment, and this album, is not at the heart and soul of the blues, nothing is.
Here’s an interesting interview with Sonny Gullage by Michael Limnios at blues.gr.
Here’s “Go Be Free” from the album:
Track list & credits:
1. Just Kiss Me, Baby (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge)
2. Go Be Free (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge)
3. Things I Can’t Control (Jeff Schroedl, Tom Hambridge)
4. Separate Ways (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming)
5. Worried About the Young (feat. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram) (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming)
6. Blues All Over You (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming)
7. I’ve Been There (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming)
8. Stop That Stuff (Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming)
9. Tattooed Wings (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge)
10. Hot House (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge)
11. File It Under Blues (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming)
12. Home to You (Sonny Gullage, Tom Hambridge)
SONNY GULLAGE vocals/piano
TOM HAMBRIDGE drums/background vocals/percussion
KENNY GREENBERG guitar
KEVIN MCKENDREE piano/keyboards
ROB CURETON bass on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 &10
TOMMY MACDONALD bass on tracks 3, 6, 8, 9, 11 & 12
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram guitar on “Worried About the Young”
Max Abrams saxophone and Julio Diaz trumpet on tracks 3 and 12
Blues Roadhouse 