Max Hightower started out on guitar after falling in love with the blues via an old Muddy Waters cassette and from catching a vintage Jimi Hendrix performance on late night TV. After becoming frustrated with his grandmother’s old Silvertone Guitar, she got him a harmonica and the South Carolina youth was suddenly on his way. Working his way up from barrooms, he became a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, and even taking on vocal duties, developing his own unique sound while sharing the stage with blues icons such as longtime associate Mac Arnold, Hubert Sumlin, Bob Margolin, Bobby Rush, Kim Wilson and many others.

Hightower’s debut release on MoMojo Records is Nothin’ But The Truth, a 12-song set of original tunes penned by Hightower, who also co-produced with Big Jon Atkinson. Atkinson plays lead guitar on the set, and he and Hightower are joined by Brandon Phelps (drums), Steadman “Fleetwood” Williams, Sr. (bass), James Beaumont (saxes), Adam Lessneu (trombone/sousaphone), and Rob Davis (keys/backing vocals) on 11 of the tracks, with Hightower, keyboardist Brian “BC” Coogan, drummer Nick Solnick, and bassist Tyler Thompson collaborating on one track.

The 12 tracks blend a variety of musical genres with the blues. The gritty opener, “Double Bubble,” is a funky shuffle with Beaumont on baritone sax, while “It’s On Me,” with Hightower playing guitar and harp, is a loose-limbed mid-tempo tune nicely punctuated by Coogan’s B3 and piano, giving the track a soulful feel.

“Here She Comes” deftly mixes soul and funk with the blues. Meanwhile, “Damned If I Do” has a decidedly swampy vibe with Atkinson’s slinky fretwork and Hightower’s harp, and “Twichy Witcha” strikes a Crescent City groove.

Hightower’s freewheeling vocal delivery gives “My Baby And Me” more of a soul/R&B bent, but it’s a solid fit, and “Sweet Gum Tree” is a splendid old-school country blues rambler that will have toes tapping and fingers snapping. “Too Much Is Not Enough” features Atkinson’s guitar work and funky support from the rhythm section, while “Thick Jello” is a cool slice of “James Brown meets New Orleans” funk, with trombone and sax.

“I Ain’t Lyin’” is a crisp, jazzy mid-tempo number that retains that Louisiana feeling with the lively instrumental work, and they really strut their stuff on “Snuggle Bug,” with Hightower-inspired harmonica playing. The closing track is an instrumental, “Assmoghraph,” that gives all participants ample space to shine.

Nothin’ But The Truth is a most impressive debut release featuring great songs and musicianship. Max Hightower proves himself to be a fine vocalist and musician, and blues fans will be wanting to hear more after catching this superb effort.

--- Graham Clarke