Jose Ramirez

Major League Blues

Delmark

Is there any more appropriate title than Major League Blues at the time of this writing amidst the MLPA strike and the news that baseball’s opening day will be postponed? That’s one way to look at. Another way is that 34-year-old Costa Rican bluesman Jose Ramirez has made it to the big time. It’s every blues artist’s dream to make it to one of the two premier blues labels – Delmark or Alligator as Ramirez has signed for the former for this label debut with the Delmark All-Star Band which, in turn means he has endorsements from blues royalty, represented most notably by the late great Jimmy Johnson and the venerable bassist Bob Stroger, both of whom accompany him here. Johnson is present on just the title track and single where Ramirez revels in the excitement of making it to the top.

To be fair, the Delmark All-Star Band, comprised also of drummer Willie “The Touch” Hayes, B3 stalwart Roosevelt Purifoy, and guitarist Billy Flynn, appear only on the first four tracks. Ramirez wrote both the title track and the slow burner “I Saw It Coming,” a showcase for his just-the-right-notes guitar style. He and the band then tackle two blues standards, Eddie Taylor’s “Bad Boy,” and Magic Sam’s “My Love Is Your Love.”  Ramirez proves to be no slouch in the vocal department either. Guitar-wise, on “Bad Boy,” the call and response with Flynn is right on target. Ramirez also gives the veteran traditionalists Flynn and Purifoy a chance to strut their stuff too. Ramirez sounds every bit the pained bluesman in his vocal on the Magic Sam tune as the band offers rather restrained support until Purifoy launches an inspired solo. All four of these tracks were recorded in August of 2021.

The balance of the six tracks are all Ramirez originals cut in September of 2020 featuring these players: drummer Antonio Reyes (who also plays bass on “Are We Really Different”), bassist Kenny Watson Jr., keyboardist Andre Reyes Jr., percussionist Evan Hoffman on the above cited track and vocalist Shelly Bonet on the closing “After All This Time.” To Ramirez’s credit, these are emotive, heartfelt songs that favor slow smoldering blues over showstopping guitar licks (It’s Delmark, after all). Ramirez sounds like a man possessed on “Here in the Delta” as he cries “Mississippi River wash away my pain.”  Even on “Forbidden Funk,” his approach is steady with sparks flying from Reyes Jr.’s B3 to which Ramirez adds some stinging licks on the outro. “Are We Really Different” promotes racial unity with piano and organ building to a crescendo from which the guitarist launches a searing, concise solo underpinned by the Latin percussion which morphs to a more Santana-like vibe at the 4-minute mark.

Ramirez’s authentic angst shows through clearly again on the breakup song “Gotta Let You Go,” building drama that would move one to tears as his guitar’s sustained only-the-right notes match his vocal fervor. The slow build of “After All This Time” evokes the classic “As Time Goes Passing By” as Ramirez sings about recovering from all the pain. One can read in pandemic or the need to reboot a relationship. In any case, when vocal powerhouse Bonet enters singing “We gotta stand together” Ramirez answers with his piercing guitar as the two trade off each other until it fades, sending shivers and goosebumps.

This is real, heartfelt blues. Ramirez has delivered an early candidate for Blues Album of the Year. Yes, it’s that strong.

• Jim Hynes

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