Artist:     Christopher Dean Band

Album:     Songs from French Street

Label:     Lost World Music

Release Date:     5.1.2021

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This past summer, during the height of the shut-down, this writer witnessed a virtual live performance by Johnny Rawls and guitarist Christopher Dean. So it’s not surprising to see the veteran blues/soul man Rawls appear on Songs from French Street by Christopher Dean, but I didn’t know that the Dean-Snyder relationship is not new: this is the fourth album for Dean on “Chicago” Carl Snyder’s Lost World Music label. “Chicago” Carl Snyder has been playing for six decades, half of which were in the Windy City as the keyboardist for Junior Wells, Son Seals, Jimmy Johnson and Otis Rush. With the blessing of “Chicago” Carl, we know we are getting the real deal stuff with Christopher Dean.

Dean is primarily known as a guitarist, but reveals himself to be a naturally soulful vocalist and songwriter, too. He’s going for a big sound on this one, including horns and background vocalists, blending soul and blues in a mix of originals and standards with Snyder not only providing the keyboards on a few tunes. tunes but the guidance throughout. Credit also goes to Taj Jackson for production, engineering and mixing and horn players James White, Steve Lombardelli, and Joe Mixon. Dean’s core band is a quartet of June Thomas (organ), Dave Hollingsworth (drums), and Rob Fraser (bass).

The voice of Johnny Rawls, who shares vocals and guitar with Dean, welcomes us in—as per his style— with an inimitable tune made for dancing, this time “Can I Get it,” originally recorded by Rawls. “Without You in My Life” hearkens back to the Tyrone Davis soul sound. Dean slows it down for his original “My Woman Tonight,” with a nice sax turn from James White, followed by the stinging blues guitar heralding the potent “You Walked Away.” Deans also offers the rocking “Watch Me Watching You” and “Walls.” He nods to contemporary soulman Omar Cunningham with “Send Her to Me” and, in recognition of Black Lives Matter, Curtis Mayfield’s Civil Rights anthem, “This Is My Country.”

Dean leads us through a couple more soul originals with the shuffle “Not That Kind of Man” and the fiery “Let Me Be.” “Chicago” Carl joins on piano as Dean shows he’s got plenty of deep blues chops with Muddy Waters’ “Gypsy Woman” and Memphis Minnie’s “Nothing in Ramblin’” that close the set.

Blues and soul are alive and real deal under the auspices of Dean and Snyder, here in Pennsylvania.

— Jim Hynes