Slide guitarist
Dave Hole kicks up a fun ruckus on
Ticket to Chicago, his fourth album for Alligator Records. This native of Perth (Australia), the Chicago blues label's first overseas signing, realizes for the first time his dream of playing with Chicago blues musicians -- bassist
Johnny B. Gayden (
Albert Collins), pianist
Tony Z (
Larry McCray,
Buddy Guy), and drummer Ray "Killer" Allison (
Buddy Guy), along with (on several tracks) a horn section and harmonica (courtesy of
Billy Branch). The opening "Out of Here" serves as the starter's pistol --
Hole and company play too fast, too loud, and sound too rowdy on just about every one of these 14 songs (13
Hole originals and
William Harris' "Bullfrog Blues," here dedicated by
Hole to late blues-rock guitarist
Rory Gallagher). In other words,
Ticket to Chicago is a wonderfully high-spirited blues album, the kind to listen to when you're in the mood to go out and raise some hell but you're either too tired, too broke, or too ripped up to actually go out and do it. ~ Chris Slawecki