Soul Blue 7 is Al Basile’’s seventh solo CD - the last two, The Tinge, and Groovin’ in the Mood Room, each made #14 on the Living Blues charts in their month of release - and he proves yet again that he writes and performs modern classics which sound familiar yet are excitingly new. Drawing from the American roots of mid-century - blues, swing, jazz, soul - he has synthesized a personal style which is at once literate and accessible. He focuses on his lyrics to tell stories with universal appeal, bringing to the task his skills as a published poet but keeping the words strong, simple, and evocative. His ease and strength as a vocal storyteller continues to grow with each release, and his cornet playing is rich, nuanced, and succinct, informed by jazz but instantly communicative as an alternate voice - no one in jazz or blues plays with his personal economy of style. As usual on his Duke Robillard - produced CDs, the band behind him is a perfect complement and extender of his vision. Former Roomful of Blues mates like Duke, Doug James and Rich Lataille combine with later alums like Marty Ballou, Carl Querfurth, and Sugar Ray Norchia to bring Basile’s varied songs to stunning life - all lyrically and melodically deep, but always danceable. This is a direction popular music didn’t take when corporate interests followed the money in the seventies, but make no mistake - the only reason this music isn’t popular with fans of great American music is that they haven’t heard it yet. With Duke on guitar, Marty Ballou on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums, Bruce Katz on keyboards, and former-and-current Roomful horns Doug James, Rich Lataille, and Carl Querfurth! With special guests Sax Gordon Beadle and Sugar Ray Norchia. About Soul Blue 7: “... new music influenced by but not restricted by the blues... his singing throughout gives the storytelling the perfect amount of emotion and detachment.” Scott Yanow, jazz writer, editor of All Music Guide to Jazz and Third Ear’s Swing