Artist:     Libby Rae Watson & Bert Deivert

Album:     She Shimmy

Label:     Hard Danger Records

Release Date:     7.14.2020

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Now here’s a genuinely excellent album, an offering from two mighty fine acoustic blues musicians. Deivert is from Boston, Mass, area but has lived in Sweden for almost forty years; Watson is based in Mississippi. Together, they mix well with a truly delightful blues vibe. Vocals are shared between the pair and Deivert features on both guitar and mandolin, an instrument that he fiercely and masterfully champions in the blues music world.

Watson is a fine picker who learned much of her guitar craft from the late, legendary Sam Chatmon of the Misissippi Sheiks. On She Shimmy, they are joined at times by the ever-wonderful harp master, Charlie Musselwhite. Eric Bibb also lends his weight, giving the album a wonderful downtown, back-porch flavor and feel. In truth, this is an excellent offering with both fiery and neatly nuanced picking, including slide work, good vocal matches and great material. Tracks range from “I Want You To Know” and ‘That’s All Right” to “Whiskey Blues.”

Overall, this is top-dollar acoustic blues from a pairing that was booked for this year’s New Orleans Blues & Jazz Festival but are trapped in the Covid-19 lockdowns. Give this one a listen; hopefully, they’ll be working together again before much longer. An excellent, exciting blues release, full of old-style string-band passion and power from a colorful acoustic pairing well worthy of discovery.

—Iain Patience