Down In Louisiana

At 77 years old, longtime bluesman Bobby Rush is pretty much entitled to do what he pleases—which is what he's been doing throughout his entire career anyway. Rush's carefree attitude and raunchy "blue" material established him as an outlandish performer who never took the blues too seriously. But don't mistake his irreverence for a lack of professionalism or talent. For 2013's Down in Louisiana, Rush strips it down to a basic band featuring guitar (Lou Rodriguez), bass, drums, keyboards, and harmonica. He moves away from his typical mix of soul and blues for harder, straight-up blues. "Bowlegged Woman" falls in line with his usual shenanigans. "Rock This House" and "Boogie in the Dark" keep up his spirits in the Bobby Rush tradition, but the six-minute "Don't You Cry" captures the sweet, down-home blues that only a veteran bluesman can deliver. Considering how few authentic bluesmen are left, it's time to ensure that those who remain are properly recorded for posterity and celebrated for their lifetimes of hard work.