Buddy Guy
Bring 'Em In
Zomba

Assorted musical influences and styles creep their way into Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy's latest CD, Bring 'Em In. The talented guitarist and singer is joined on various songs by Carlos Santana, John Mayer, Tracy Chapman, Keith Richards, Anthony Hamilton and Robert Randolph. With the help of this all-star lineup, Guy gives us new renditions of old songs by Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, Otis Redding and Bob Dylan. The CD may help attract a wider pop audience for Guy, but the results are mixed. One of the more successful collaborations is with Chapman, who joins Guy on a moody, appropriately mournful rendition of Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine." At the other extreme, Mayer's duet on the Redding tune, "I've Got Dreams To Remember," is pleasant, but a touch too polished. Other tunes on the CD include Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," which gets reinvented as a soul number with the help of Hamilton and Randolph. Santana adds his distinct guitar playing to "I Put A Spell On You." On these songs, much of the emphasis falls on the guest stars. The best moments of the CD are when Guy gets to shine on his own. On his original song, "What Kind of Woman Is This," he shows why he was recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. His rich voice that is pretty and world-weary at the same time resonates over the cool of his electric guitar, making for a classic blues sound. -- D. Kimura