Tony O - Blues O' Blues

12-10-2021

Born and raised in New York City, Anthony Melio was greatly inspired by the King of the Blues, 'BB King' and was given the name "Tony O" by his mentors and good friends, Howlin' Wolf and Hubert Sumlin ! Singer-guitarist Tony O Melio is an accomplished NYC blues artist and a former member of the Legendary Blue Band. He was also friends with greats such as B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf and Hubert Sumlin and toured with acts and artists such as Jimmy Rogers, James Cotton and Little Mike & the Tornados. And it is that experience that you hear on his new album. His guitar playing is very smooth and powerfully biting. The album is largely filled with covers, including three B.B. King cover. 'You Upset Me Baby' is a warm, smooth shuffle in which Tony's guitar bites the fierceness of B.B. approaches. Tony's vocals are less powerful but very functional. The Uptown Horns can be heard in a lavish role and play a major role on this album. 'So Excited' by B.B. got a funky cover. Light-footed grooving with funky pumping horns and Tony's biting guitar. 'Woke Up This Morning' is well known and is also a warm hip-swaying song with Tony, again with an important role for the horns. 'My Love Strikes Like Lightning' is a cover of the Muddy Waters song and is a languid shuffle with raw guitar playing and soulful horns. Jimmy Rogers' 'You're Sweet' sounds broodingly pumping with raw, roaring harmonica playing. I didn't really expect covers of Brook Benton songs on a blues album, but both 'It's Just A Matter Of Time' and 'Lie To Me' sound nice and soulful and intimate. There is also room for Tony O's own songs such as the intimate slow blues 'Blues O' Blues', which is fueled by Tony's hard-piercing guitar. 'Keep On Movin'' is a gently driving shuffle and 'Just Drive' is an instrumental no-nonsense shuffle with a broodingly moaning harmonica. With Tony O's new album you get an old-fashioned blues album ! Fear not, there are still guys out there like Tony O that actually play the blues when they say they are going to. It isn't a fake claim here. With his abundant guitar skills and just raspy enough voice he delivers a solid set of covers and originals. Ok, he's not that high profile enough to attract attention, but here's your chance to support an authentic practitioner of the blues. Tony is another fine example of the blues coming out of New York. Here is backed by a choice set of musicians including The Uptown Horns. Bob Stander's production pulls it all together. "You Upset Me Baby" a song by B.B. King appropriately shows B.B.'s influence on Tony's guitar style. The powerful Uptown Horns take the song back to the era of B.B. and others. Tony's original song "Blues O' Blues" was nominated for a Grammy for it's appearance on Pinetop Perkins' 'Born In The Delta' release on Telarc Records. It could well be a cover of an old traditional blues by the authentic way it is delivered and punctuated by Tony's guitar jabs. Back to one of his favorite cover subjects B.B. King's "So Excited", funky and horn driven. Muddy Waters' tough "My Love Strikes Like Lightning" is given a run for it's money and is pushed along by the powerful horns, something usually not used by the Mud man. Next up a song by Muddy's cohort Jimmy Rogers "You're So Sweet". It's rendered in Rogers' easy rollin' style with Tony adding his considerable harmonica playing to enhance the Chicago vibe. He covers two Brook Benton songs infusing blues into the soul tunes. Tony hands the guitar chores over to Chumslick Nick on "It's Just A Matter Of Time" where he peppers the song with tasty blues riffs. It's Tony back to lead guitar on the other Benton song "Lie To Me" that is given a slight country-ish vibe to the bluesy take. The original "Keep On Movin'" pretty much does just that enhanced by Tony's harmonica set against his guitar for a classic blues traveling song about keeping ahead of the blues. Chumslick Nick takes a guitar solo on the otherwise harmonica instrumental "Just Drive", a song that stands up against the finest blues instrumentals. Another fine blues outing from a lesser known artist. To keep these type of efforts going strong us kindred blues fans need to support them. Once blues of this caliber is no longer with us, we will be left with the "dime a dozen" Faux blues guitar slingers. Hey guys don't let this stuff fade away.

01. You Upset Me Baby

02. Blues O' Blues

03. So Excited

04. My Love Strikes Like Lightning

05. You're Sweetness

06. It's Just A Matter Of Time

07. Woke Up This Morning

08. Keep On Movin'

09. Lie To Me

10. Just Drive

The Uptown Horns - (Arno Hecht, Crispin Ceo, Larry Elkton)

The Urban Horns - (Tony Orbach, Paul Vercesi, Kevin Batchelor)