Sound Off CD Reviews - The Post & Courier

My Walking Stick

(Black Hen)

While Jim Byrnes might not be as familiar to American music listeners as to those in Canada, he has nevertheless made his mark in the music world. Having released numerous albums and collected more than a few Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Award), Byrnes is considered a blues artist, but on his latest effort, "My Walking Stick," Byrnes deftly crosses back and forth from blues to gospel to R&B. With a group of musicians that include alumni from bands that backed the likes of David Bowie, Tom Waits, and Fiona Apple, Byrnes definitely delivers here. Starting with his song, "Ol' Rattler," and continuing through more original tunes and a few covers, Byrnes demonstrates how deftly he can transition between song styles. The R&B of "Lookin' For A Love," the gospel goodness of "I Want My Crown," and a great cover of The Band's "Ophelia" prove my Byrnes is considered such a treasure in the Great White North.