B.B. & The Blues Shacks Blues Is A Stew (CD)

(Rhythm Bomb Records) 15 tracks

The Hildesheim-based quintet B. B. & The Blues Shacks returns with their next studio album, *Blues Is A Stew*, following their 35th anniversary. CD in a three-panel digisleeve and limited-edition LP on Rhythm Bomb. The band led by brothers Michael and Andreas Arlt has achieved the incredible. Over 4,000 live performances worldwide, multiple winners of the German Blues Award, German Record Critics’ Award, 18 albums, named “Best Band” or “Artist of the Year” not only by German but also by British and French media, shows in more than 20 countries—and now comes the groundbreaking realization that the blues is actually a stew made of—admittedly very tasty—different ingredients!

B. B. & The Blues Shacks present 15 new world-class songs, whose original compositions come across just as compelling and self-assured as the well-chosen and finely balanced cover songs (here Lee Diamond, Milton Campbell, BB King, and Percy Mayfield). As so often before, backed by a fantastic guest trio on saxophones and trumpet, the BB’s present their stunningly lively vintage cocktail of blues, rhythm & blues, and soul—a feat few bands in this league can pull off today. No need to try to pass; “Blues Is A Stew” has the left lane all to itself.