Eldorado Cadillac [CD]

Two years ago Billy Boy Arnold returned to the Chicago blues scene and released his first American album in over three decades. Back Where I Belong was hailed by Billboard as "a triumphant comeback," and the blues world agreed. Billy Boy's years away from performing had left his sound, the sound of pure 1950s Chicago blues (with just a taste of his old bandmate Bo Diddley's rock 'n' roll rhythms) as exciting as ever.

Since then, Billy Boy, often backed by Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin's crack trio, has played major blues festivals and clubs from Los Angeles to Chicago to Montreal to Holland and England. His distinctive vocal style, witty songwriting and the harmonica sound inspired by John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson have won new fans and amazed blues afficionados. As the Washington Post put it, "Arnold hasn't lost anything to the years. He still blows his harp in the style of his mentor Sonny Boy Williamson and his vocals have grown deeper, darker and fuller with age. Billy Boy Arnold is a major Chicago blues figure who improves with age."

For this album, Billy chose to record with his pal Bob Margolin, veteran Chicago guitarist James Wheeler (who played with Billy years ago, has since backed Otis Rush, and is now a featured member of Mississippi Heat) and one of the finest traditional blues piano men around, Carl "Sonny" Leyland, a UK transplant now living in New Orleans. Billy wrote or chose all the songs, directed the arrangements, and in every way forged this album. If Back Where I Belong left any doubt, Eldorado Cadillac confirms Billy Boy's status as not just a blues legend, but a vital, creative and deeply rooted musician.

-BRUCE IGLAUER