Dennis Roger Reed again doesn’t disappoint us. His "Cowboy Blues" cd recalls his blues and country roots while still surprising us with new twists on old favorites with some mighty fine instrumentals and dance tunes. His vocals demonstrate a wide range of expertise, images from Johnny Cash to Jimmy Buffet, while the harmonies evoke the perfect blending of an artist’s palette. One of Dennis’ new tunes, "Murky Water," tells the haunting tale of love gone bad which, again, showcases his ability to lyrically transform an old story into another dimension, a place we’ve never been before. Backed by energetic and talented musicians (with some sparky banjo and mandolin), this multi-tasked cd is not only interesting, it’s a great buy.
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This record has such a relaxed and natural feel to it that it is quite easy to leave it in the cd player for long periods of time.  Great driving cd.  Dennis is a smart songwriter whose songs never resort to being too clever.  The fine playing of top flight guest artists Chris Darrow and Mike Dowling really shine here.  The musicians all complement each other nicely whether picking or harmonizing.  This is authentic contemporary folk music with a timeless appeal.  Well done.
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Dennis Roger Reed is a great singer/songwriter and this CD is highly recommended. Cowboy blues contains 16 songs (10 written by Dennis Roger Reed), a mixture of acoustic music. His style is from country, blues, country-rock, folk, bluegrass to swing and more ... . Special guest appearance on this CD is Chris Darrow (Kaleidoscope and member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 1967). Beneath his selfwritten songs Dennis Roger performs great versions of the Blind Boy Fuller song Step it up and go (which was also recorded by the Earl Scruggs Revue in 1973) and Dark Hollow (a Kentucky Colonels - Clarence White - and Country Gazette standard) in a fantastic acoustic swing version. 
All in all a perfect CD with 16 great songs!
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California folk, blues and country converge in this charming set by Dennis Roger Reed, a stalwart of the Southern Californian roots scene. 
His second album sees him revisit the singer-songwriter tradition in fine form, indeed stronger than ever. 
Elements of the Guthries (Woody and Arlo), Chris Darrow (who guests), Gram Parsons, and Koerner Ray and Glover resound in this sterling album without a betrayal to original character and style. 
The balance of the acoustic instruments and Reed's low key and engaging voice are nigh perfect, while some of the harmonies are remeniscent of the Grateful Dead circa their classic Workingman's Dead album. 
Modern folk, roots rock and alt-country are all touched on in bold and gentle strokes, Reed has been around long enough to know when to hold back and how to showcase original themes and concepts within his song framework, while still managing to sound fresh and vibrant. 
Simply put, a great album that grows better with repeated playing, a keeper.
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