CD Reviews
The Cost Of Love
Suzanne & The Blues Church
Gorgeous Tone Music
This is a very adept debut from Suzanne & The Blues Church, featuring vocalist/guitarist Suzanne Thomas. Born of mixed heritage in Seoul, Korea, she was abandoned as a child and lived in an orphanage until she was adopted by an American family at the age of five. Growing up in Los Angeles, she was exposed to music at an early age, first learning to play organ from the great Jimmy Smith when she was just six years old. From there she developed a greater liking for the guitar with influences coming from Jimi Hendrix, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Prince and Sister Rosetta Tharp amongst others. Her first claim to notoriety came playing with the Grammy Award winning band A Taste Of Honey, but it was the blues that she clearly loved the most.
The Cost Of Love showcases Suzanne Thomas’ ability at guitar and songwriting very nicely. She penned seven of the eight original numbers and gives outstanding takes on the covers of Buddy Guy’s “Damn Right (I Got The Blues)” and Otis Rush’s “All My Love (I Miss Lovin’).” Both covers feature harmonica by Jimmy Z who worked for years with Etta James. The slow blues “Set Me Free” is a definite highlight on this disc, as is the title track “The Cost Of Love.” They both display her excellence as a vocalist although in two completely different approaches, the first quite emotional and the other rather gritty. The guitar work is superb on both. “Poor Man’s Dream” also stands out with its brisk guitar and rollicking organ work. “Dusty 6 String Box” is a spoken word narrative relating a tale of the blues with an instrumental backing and “Musta Been Gone 2 Long” has been recorded to sound like a scratchy old LP.
Aside from Jimmy Z, Suzanne has brought together a remarkable cast in her band. Most notable would have to be guitarist Ray Bailey, the renowned Los Angeles bluesman who has worked with the likes of Lowell Fulson, Phillip Walker and Smokey Wilson. Also on board are organ masters Deacon Jones, Bruce Edwards, Tyree and Rev. Charles Jones, guitarist B.R. Millon, Jerry Jones-Haskins on drums, and Frank W. Garrett and Patrice on bass.
The Cost Of Love is a terrific initial release from Suzanne Thomas and one that should be a harbinger for good things to come in the future for this talented young blues artist. Songwriter, vocalist and guitarist, she is the full package.
Total Time: 45:27
Cheatin’ On Me / The Cost Of Love / All Your Love (I Miss Lovin’) / Pay Day Loan / Musta Been Gone 2 Long / Damn Right (I Got The Blues) / Dusty 6 String Box / Poor Man’s Dream / Set Me Free / Mr. Bailey
