Guy Belanger - Crossroads (2010)

1. Where The Buffalo Sleeps
2. Got The Blues
3. Catch That Train
4. Don't Try To Explain (Avec Kim Richardson)
5. Essaouira
6. Who's Been Talkin'
7. Chassé-Croisé
8. Crossroads
9. Jack Of Hearts
10. Blue (Avec Éric Lapointe)
11. Kamikaze
12. Pleasin' You
13. Coyote
14. Sporting Life
15. 1-2-3... Harmo

Guy Belanger – vocals, harmonica
Gilles Sioui – guitar (acoustic), vocals
André Lachance – guitar, vocals
Rob MacDonald – guitars
Claude Fradette – guitar
Karl Surprenant – bass
Kim Richardson – vocals
Jean-Fernand Girard – piano
Marc-André Larocque – drums
Mélissa Lavergne – percussion

This is his second solo CD and they both take the harmonica to some unexpected places. A ‘Crossroads’ is a meeting place of various paths but here it’s also the name of the album’s centerpiece song. This is not the Robert Johnson composition but another one that was a hit in Europe for a transplanted Texas country singer named Calvin Russell. Bélanger’s arrangement is so bluesy & personalized, you might not ever guess its origins. Guitarist Gilles Sioui also handles the vocals, as he does for most of the CD. The CD opens with a tribute to the late Norton Buffalo and pays tribute to Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee as well (“Catch That Train” & “Sportin’ Life”). Kim Richardson handles the vocal on another highlight, Keb’ Mo’’s “Don’t Try To Explain”, a wonderful soul blues. A couple of columns ago, I reviewed a CD of Quebec pop stars singing blues and I wondered if Eric Lapointe’s version of the Tom Waits tune “Blue Valentine” would have a life in another context. Well here he is with Lucinda Williams’ song “Blue” and another fine performance, with Bélanger & the band. Bélanger does do one vocal and it’s an Anders Osborne song “Pleasin’ You”. He does a fine job, with Kim Richardson on hand as a whole chorus (a specialty of hers). There are several harmonica instrumentals among the 15-song program including “Jack Of Hearts” which provides a most welcome change of pace after the eight-minute “Crossroads” and “Kamikaze” which features Bélanger on several harmonicas. This is one crossroads you may want to visit. I think you’ll be returning often. --- John Valenteyn, torontobluessociety.com

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