I'm continually amazed and pleased by the number of outstanding albums being released this decade by blues artists under the age of 30. It gives me confidence that the blues genre will survive as it continues to adapt to changing tastes yet maintains the feeling and spirit of the blues.

The latest of these young bloods on the blues scene is Louisiana singer / keyboard player Sonny Gullage. His new album Go Be Free (Blind Pig) is already in the running for 2024 album of the year. Produced by drummer Tom Hambridge, who also had a hand in writing each of the dozen songs. Gullage seamlessly moves through multiple styles of music, each showcasing his soulful, energetic vocals with just a touch of rasp to the voice.

The song that will immediately grab you is the title cut, which Gullage co-wrote with Hambridge. It's an up-tempo stomper propelled by Hambridge's propulsive drumming. Gullage sings about the many messages he's gotten from people in his life, repeatedly shouting out the line, "..go be free ...," while a background chorus accentuates that cry for freedom. This one alone is worth the price of admission.

But wait, there's more. Plenty more.

"Just Kiss Me, Baby" is his love song, a funky, soulful blues that is a a fun, lighthearted number. "Things I Can't Control" is a mid-tempo, danceable number that gets really funky while Gullage sings about the facets of life that he can't control, but tells us to take each challenge as it comes. Kenny Greenberg comes in with a really bluesy guitar solo with plenty of effects on his axe. Gullage packs plenty of emotion into his vocals on the slow R&B tune, "Separate Ways," as he is trying to figure out how to keep this relation intact.

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, who has taken time out of his schedule to help Gullage's career, shows up on the mid-tempo blues, "Worried About The Young," a song about the worrisome state of the world. Gullage sings, "... the way the world is turning, it might not be here too long ..." Heady stuff, suited for the blues, and, of course, Kingfish lays down a tremendous guitar solo.

Gullage continues to seamlessly move from a straight-ahead blues shuffle, "Blues All Over You," to the soulful R&B of"I've Been There", with his encouraging words to someone special, to the lightning fast boogie woogie "Stop That Stuff.".

At this point in the album, it's time for Gullage to pull out a killer slow blues, and he succeeds with "Tattooed Wings." He's able to convey the pain and agony about a failed relationship with both his piano and his voice, singing, "...I thought you were an angel, I was dead wrong about that, because I've never seen an angel with tattooed wings on her back ..." Incredible song. Absolutely incredible. A candidate for song of the year.

Changing moods again, "Hot House" is a blues with just a touch of hip hop to it, followed by the up-tempo blues, "File It Under Blues," as he's ready to close out a failed relationship, singing, "... I'm going to close this case of love and file it under blues ..."

Closing the album is a slow soul ballad, "Home to You," with Gullage adding gospel-ish piano as he sings how hard he's trying to get home to that special person waiting for him. A beautiful way to end this superb album.

I've said it repeatedly, and I'll say it again. Go Be Free is an outstanding album, a very good introduction of Gullage to many of us that didn't know about him before this. It's worth listening to over and over.

--- Bill Mitchell