Artist:     Tomislav Goluban

Album:     Express Connection

Label:     Blue Heart

Release Date:     4.16.2021

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Consider Express Connection a sequel to Memphis Light for Croatian Tomislav “Little Pigeon” Goluban as he returns to Memphis to record at the famed Ardent Studios. He plays with some of the city’s best including guitarist Jeff Jensen, drummer David Green, keyboardist Rick Steff, bassist Bill Ruffino, and slide guitarist Mark Johnson from that session. Here he is also joined by saxophonist Kirk Smothers and trumpeter Marc Franklin, both Memphis session veterans and Kelly Zirbes who sings lead on two tacks and background on another four. Tomi takes the other lead vocal sand blows the heck out of his harp on each track.

The instrumental title track opens, a blaster on harp, and for the rhythm section driving and pushing the leader. The two-piece horn section joins for the hard luck blues, “Used To Be Someone,” evoking the Paul Butterfield Blues band but Goluban’s deep baritone will remind us of the roots-blues artist, Dave Alvin, not only here but especially on his country-tinged cover of Lou Reed’s Velvet Underground “Pale Blue Eyes—arguably the album’s strongest track, its lone cover, and a great spot for Mark Johnson’s slide guitar, Zirbe’s harmony, and Steff’s B3. In between, we have “Babe on the Run,” a stomper.

Kelly Zirbes, who fronts her own exciting band, Kelly’s Lot, takes the lead on the pulsating “Shoestring Blues.” Goluban goes instrumental again on a tribute to Little Walter with “Extra Boom” before engaging in a duet with Zirbe on “Seeds In the Bag,” as Steff settles into Professor Longhair mode on the boogie piano. Goluban turns to country blues for the witty Lazy Lester-like “Bite Me Like a Snake,” where, although he is singing about a girl, it’s both Zirbe and Joseph Franher on background vocals. The horns return for his plea for social justice, another riveting piano workout for Steff, on “No Future In Your Past.” He concludes with the third instrumental, “Beast Walk” displaying his harmonica prowess as Steff swings mightily on the B3, and the horns add to the celebratory vibe.

“Little Pigeon” is the translation of the Croatian’s last name, ironic in the sense that his harp sound and deep baritone vocals don’t reflect anything even slightly little or light.

—Jim Hynes