This live two-cd set captures the energy of Bernard Allison in concert, recorded live at The Musa in Gottingen Germany on October 2005. Opening with a funky instrumental "Another Ride To The City", co-written with Dan Fields, the whole band is in on the groove, Bernard, guitar; Mike Vlahakis keyboards; Jassen Wilber, bass; and Andrew Thomas, drums.

Bernard immediately jumps into the George T.Crockett/Jack Daniels authored "It's A Man Down There" which has become a Bernard Allison "signature" tune. The vocal and extended guitar solo are especially notable. This first cd also includes "A Woman Named Trouble", the Bettye Jean Crutchert/Robert Manuel song that is another of Bernard's "classics".

Bernard sings three of his father's compositions, "Bad Love", "Into My Life" and "Too Many Women". The band cooks and heats it up rather well throughout. This is blues rock and Luther Allison would be proud because Bernard does a great job of carrying on the Allison tradition. He closes the first cd with his own "The Way Love Was Meant To Be".

The second cd begins with three Bernard Allison authored instrumentals, "The Walk", "Step Down", and "Talking Guitar". "Snake Bit Again" is co-authored by Daniel Gene Diefenderfer and Anders Osborne and it is one of the vocal highlights of this second cd. Mike Vlahakis' Hammond B-3 builds suspense on Bernard's version of his father's "A Change Must Come". Halfway through Mike switches to piano and solo's nicely.

This album is proof positive that Bernard is doing it the way his father Luther Allison did. Luther built his reputation in Europe for being a terrific live performer. Later in his career Luther Allison returned to the states and finally earned the success as a headliner that he so long deserved. "Too Cool" is the Bruce Bertness McCabe song and is another tune associated with Bernard. Bernard then offers us two more originals, "Wah Wah Action", a Jimi Hendrix influenced guitar instrumental and his "Don't Be Confused". Bernard means it when he sings "see my daddy taught me how to be strong, he expects us all to carry on".

Bernard encores with "I Just Came Back to Say Goodbye" and closes the cd. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Luther Allison created the kind of blues rock heard here. There are imitators but none are as "Energized" or as determined as Bernard Allison. Check out Bernard Allison's website at www.bernardallison.com

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com