Maverick Magazine - My Walking Stick

Fantastic album with a varied mix of musical genres, all bound together by one great voice.

This is the third album that Jim Byrnes has recorded in five years with producer Steve Dawson, and it is quite brilliant. Byrnes has a few good songs on the album from his own pen, such as the contemplative musings of One Life (Creole Poetry) and the powerful opener Ol' Rattler on which he also plays a mean slide guitar. But you also need to check out some amazing covers, such as the Band's Ophelia, which is a superb New Orleans jazz styled tune, and Irving Berlin's My Walking Stick is given a phenomenally good reworking, with Jim's smooth bluesy jazz vocals accompanied by some mighty fine gypsy styled music featuring Jesse Zubot on violin.

You will find all kinds of music on this album including country, gospel, rockabilly and soul, as on the excellent doo-wop soul tune Lookin' For A Love on which his gritty lead vocals are backed by the wonderful singing of the Sojourners. Also check out the magnificent rockabilly ballad Lonely Blue Boy (Danny's Song). He also does a fine version of Mel Tillis' Walk On Boy with scything slide guitar from Steve Dawson. This guy has an amazing voice, and this is a terrific album.