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If you’ve read anything here at BluesRow, you know that I’m a huge Guitar Shorty fan. I’m always astounded that more people don’t know this guy. He’s got it all — a 40 year career with stints in major bands (like Ray Charles), marriage to Jimi Hendrix’s sister (rumor has it Hendrix used to AWOL from the Army to hear Shorty play), and, of course, his unique blues-rock guitar stylings. You won’t find many players anywhere who can match Shorty’s combination of blues, soul, rock, and pure guts. It’s a cliche, but this guy is the real deal.

His latest album is We the People. As you might guess from the title song, there’s some political commentary here, but no more than most blues music has — life is hard, and government today sure isn’t helping. But the focus, as always, is on Shorty’s incendiary guitar playing and solid vocals, backed by a tight rocking band.

If you’re looking for ground-breaking new approaches to music, you won’t find them here. Shorty’s got a recipe, and he sticks to it. If you’re looking for some serious guitar playing that has tone to absolutely die for, Shorty delivers in spades. And his solos are not just loud noodling — they actually start somewhere and move to somewhere else. Most of the songs are straight-ahead rock with a blues feel, meant to be played loud. I’ve heard him twice in concert, and I can vouch for the volume!

If you haven’t heard Shorty yet, this album is a great introduction to a little-known blues-rock master. If you’re already a fan, you’re in for 12 songs of Shorty’s patented gut-wrenching, hip-shaking stuff. Buy it now.