Album Notes

In 1999, Northern Michigan's top blues-rock band, Mojo & the Boogieman, released their debut CD, Keep It In Your Soul. Mojo had been around for some nine years at the time, thrilling audiences with their particular brand of high-energy blues. This same act (with a few line-up changes) is still hammering away at the Michigan blues scene today.

Keep It In Your Soul is a mix of Texas and Chicago blues, funk, soul, and a little bit of rock n roll thrown in generously for seasoning. The Mojo-penned, "I'd Never Be The Same Without You" is a soul/blues ballad that spent 6 months in heavy rotation on Northern Michigan radio, and is still a fan favorite. The opening track, "Gypsy Blues," is a hard drivin' ode to life on the road and the wanderlust many musician's feel. "Mean Lovin' Woman" is funk-edged blues sure to get folks up and movin'. "Voodoo," the band's first composition, is a wonderful tip of the hat to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, with SRV's signature "Thunder Shuffle" moving the beat along. "Precious Time," a nice tongue-in cheek blues about an indecisive woman, has a fresh, new turn on the standard blues patterns. Inspired by BB King's "Sweet Little Angel," Mojo created their own musings on heaven-sent love, called "Angel Blues." The two covers on the album show off the band's diversity. Sir Mack Rice's classic, "Mustang Sally," is given a reverent treatment, while Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In The Sky" is done up as if Jimi Hendrix were playing with a Southern Baptist gospel choir. The closer of this set is the Hootie and the Blowfish-esque composition, "Get This Way."

The band is Jon Archambault (pronounced: ar-SHAM-bo) on guitar, Bryan "the Boogieman" Fischer providing the vocals, Gary Dannecker on bass, Jenny Harrison beating the drums, and Bruce King on keyboards and blowing harmonica on "Voodoo," "Gypsy Blues" and "Precious Time." Additional harp work was provided by Charlie Witthoeft (who replaced King in early-2000). The tasty sax on "Mean Lovin' Woman" and "Mustang Sally" was courtesy of Leo Dombecki (now touring with Ike Turner).

Keep It In Your Soul is sure to please any blues fan looking for blues with a rock edge, but not a rock band trying to play blues.