Jovin Webb Drifter Blind Pig

The recently-revived Blind Pig Records started the media hype on two young Louisiana artists --- Jovin Webb and Sonny Gullage --- many months before the release of the album by each. I was eager to pick up on both of these dudes, finally getting to hear the wonderful Gullage back in August, with his album being the Blues Bytes Pick Hit.

Now comes the debut album, Drifter, from Webb, another challenger for blues album of the year. This pair of Blind Pig releases are likely to rank #1 and #2 on my list of top albums when I assemble my list at the end of the year. I may need to flip a coin to decide which album to rank at the top, although I may take the easy way out and call it a tie.

Webb's first taste of national fame came when he was one of the contestants on American Idol in 2020, with co-host Lionel Richie making the statement that will forever be part of the young artist's press package. After hearing Webb sing, Richie proclaimed "this is what barbeque sauce sounds like."

That's enough of the hype around Webb. Let's dive into the music and find out what makes this emerging artist so special that blues stardom is almost inevitable. With a gritty, gravelly voice that emits deep emotion on every note, he captures every nuance of the blues on the dozen songs on Drifter. While he doesn't veer from the vocal mic very often, Webb also plays a decent blues harmonica.

Drifter was produced by Tom Hambridge, who also plays drums and co-wrote most of the 11 originals. The tight studio band includes Kenny Greenberg (guitar), Mike Rojas (piano/keyboards), and Rob Cureton (bass).

Starting the show is the slow blues "Bottom of a Bottle," a killer tune that gives Greenberg plenty of opportunity to show off his skills on the slide guitar, with Webb coming in at times on blues harp. The tortured blues lyrics just fly out from Webb's vocal chords, setting the stage for more downright emotional singing. The agony in Webb's voice is evident on the slow, soulful blues "Save Me," with Greenberg's guitar again playing a key role.

"I'm a Drifter" is an up-tempo head bopper with a steady rhythmic beat from Hambridge, before Webb pours out his soul on "Drunk on Your Love," a tribute to his loved one, and we get another solid slide solo from Greenberg. Rojas and Greenberg share the opening notes on the very rapid fire mover, "Wig on Wrong," a Chuck Berry-style stomper with plenty of rockin' piano and guitar.

The tempo slows considerably on "Livin' Reckless," as Webb passionately confesses to his past mistakes and bad habits and Rojas takes it to church with both his piano and organ accompaniment. "Blues for a Reason" is a mid-tempo drivin' song about living on the road and how much is being missed by being away from home, but he's got his own story to tell which results in him singing blues for a reason.

Webb displays some of his most soulful and emotional vocals on the mid-tempo "Mine Someday," with Rojas again contributing tasteful gospel-ish piano. Oh my, this young man sure can sing and make it felt by everyone listening to his music. The same goes for the funky 12-bar blues "Hand on the Bible," as he clearly states his case on why he wants to be with that woman. Each vocal line is framed by Greenberg's tasty guitar licks, adding emphasis to the vocals.

Hambridge's funky drumming opens the mid-tempo blues, "Bad Deeds," with Webb singing about that woman, "...Your bad deeds, mama, is how you have your fun ..." Webb comes in with a very nice harmonica solo midway through the tune, followed by an effective Greenberg blues guitar break. Ending the song is Webb singing out that he'd rather visit her grave then to have her visit his. Intense.

"It's the Hawk" takes us to Chicago, where the weather's cold and the hawk wind regularly blows in off the lake. Greenberg and Rojas exchange lines on solos midway through, just before Webb shows up at Buddy Guy's Legends, only to depart into the night to a very heavy hawk wind.

Closing the show is the album's only cover, a killer version of Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign" (writer credits to Booker T. Jones, which I had forgotten that he penned this one!). Max Abrams (sax) and Julio Diaz (trumpet) join the session for this number, giving it the necessary Memphis wall of sound. Of course, Greenberg again stars with the Albert King-influenced guitar parts. A great ending to an outstanding album.

This album proves that Jovin Webb is a star in the making, He's been playing five to six gigs a week in his home area of Baton Rouge, but something tells me that this young man is going to see the rest of the country and the world real soon. Drifter is just the beginning of his budding blues career.

--- Bill Mitchell