JOHNNY Copeland comes out of the same Houston scene where the mix of blues, swing and R&B produced fellow singer-guitarists like T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, Gatemouth Brown and Joe Hughes. With his gruff Southern soul vocals, his elastic sense of phrasing, his fondness for horns and his piercing guitar solos, Copeland made some of the best blues albums of the '80s. "Flyin' High," his first new album in three years, is his first on a major label and is everything a blues comeback album should be. It boasts strong original songs, smart horn charts, guest stars who came to work rather than schmooze and performances that look forward rather than backward.
For example, "Circumstances" features tasty solos by Hughes on guitar and Dr. John on piano, but what really lights up this new song are Copeland's lyrics about the way external conditions twist everyone's dreams, and the way his baritone growls them without whining. Even better is "Promised Myself," a soul ballad about breaking a promise never to fall in love again; Copeland's vocal, set against the full harmonies of the Uptown Horns, recalls Bobby Bland, but his stinging guitar solo gives the song a blues edge. Copeland, who used to play with Clifton Chenier, enlists accordionist Buckwheat Zydeco to put the bounce into the infectious "Love Song." David "Fathead" Newman and Hank Crawford each join Copeland for a smoking blues instrumental, and Dr. John sings a duet with Copeland on "Jambalaya," the album's only cover.
JOHNNY COPELAND -- "Flyin' High" (Verve). Appearing Friday at Tornado Alley. To hear a Sound Bite from this album, call 202/334-9000 and press 8105.
