(Alive Natural Sound Records)

www.alivenergy.com

T-Model Ford; oh, yeah. One of the key players of the Mississippi hill country blues renaissance/discovery that started in the mid ‘90s and was captured by Fat Possum Records, T-Model is still kicking it - hard - at 88. The Ladies Man is further proof (as if any was needed after close to a hundred years of recorded evidence) that if you don't succumb to the numerous temptations of the lifestyle, playing the devil's music is still one of the best ways to stay mentally fit, sassy and vital wayyyy into old age. The fire still burns bright in this man's bones. 

The Ladies Man was recorded one-take live, with no overdubs, in one afternoon in by Paul Carter at his Planet Paul Studios in Wichita, KS. This is an all acoustic record, with T-Model's acoustic guitar backed up by a group of locals on guitars, harmonica and percussion. T-Model throws out blues standards like "44 Blues," "That's Alright," "Two Trains," "My Babe" and other numbers like "Chicken Head Man" "I Was Born in a Swamp" and "I'm Coming to Kick Yer Asses" whose titles speak for themselves. The players pretty much hang back and let T-Model do his thing, providing solid if not especially distinctive support. While this impromptu, one-take approach sometimes results in an overall sameness to the sound, it also gives it an incredibly intimate, first-person feel. If you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall in a recording session, here's your opportunity. 

This includes T-Model riffing between songs on his undetermined birth date, who he listened to as a young player and giving shout outs to Jack Daniels, evidently a close personal friend given Jack's placement in photos, on his hat and in his patter. A bluesman on first name basis with Jack Daniels; who would of thunk it?

As solid and dependable as his name-sake, T-Model Ford shows all the young guys (like the 60 year olds) how it's supposed to be done on The Ladies Man. Long may he run.

Standout Tracks: "Chicken Head Man," "44 Blues," "Love Me All Night Long," "Hip Shaking Woman," "Sallie Mae" CARL HANNI