Sugarcane Collins – Way Down The River
{2006}

Not only does Andy ‘Sugarcane’ Collins third CD take us way down the river, but it also crosses oceans. Australian Sugarcane brings us a heapin’ helpin’ of southern U.S. Delta blues from down-under.

Cornbread: As a blues listener in the United States I was blown away with the purity of these songs, so-much-so I think many of the U.S. born bluesmen today should take note and drown themselves in the richness of blues music history as Sugarcane obviously has. While the songs are of the 1920’s & 30’s, yet recorded today, they are far from being over produced with too much music. These thirteen tracks reminds the listener of cotton fields, stale-beer and stale-smoke filled juke joints, trains, prisons and Mississippi delta itself.

Gator: We know what river he is talkin’ about but there is a twist, Hailing from Down Under, (Yes, That Down Under - Blokes) Andy “Sugarcane” Collins hits a great chord on "Way Down the River," his collection of 13 blues-based compositions. Sugarcane gives us practiced and soulful finger picking ability, some nifty slide guitar, and a strong southern influenced voice. This CD is a cool mix of classic blues, and you would not guess he is not from the delta, THE delta that is.

Instruments on this recording are:
Acoustic guitar, washboard, electric bass, electric guitar, drums, congas, organ, drums, harmonica and jew’s harp.

Tracks:
1. Like A Midnight Shower Of Rain
2. Got A Mind To Ramble
3. One Wing Frank
4. Folks Of The Road
5. Leadbelly
6. All The Way To St. Louis
7. I’ve Heard The News
8. Follow Me Boy
9. Sallie Mae
10. Shine The Light
11. Dancing Rabbit Creek
12. Stranger Here
13. Way Down The River

Total Time: 56:26

Cornbread: Buy the CD and enjoy the ride to the Delta, if it’s your first trip, take it slow and come back often. My rating 4.95.

Ciao' for now, peace.
Peter 'Cornbread' Cohen, CBP
~ Cornbread@STLBlues.net ~

Gator: I don’t care if this guy cooks his shrimp on the gulf seaweed or the Barbie he is good and this CD is a 4.8 on my STLBluesometer. Later – Gator.

Jim “Gator” Kottmeier
Gator@stlblues.net