Maria Muldaur

Ever since Maria first twisted her smoky pipes around the lyric to "Midnight At The Oasis," she's cornered the market on sultry voices. Her career has skirted in and out of the blues since her early Jug Band days with ex-husband Geoff, and her torchy, soulful style of singing has been applied to carefully chosen combinations of gospel, folk, jazz, blues and R&B. Richland Woman Blues is her tribute to the blues of the '20s and '30s. Teaming up with a who's who of fellow blues aficionados including Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Amos Garrett, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Roy Rogers, Muldaur holds court with the music that helped pave Memphis's Beale Street, in salute to the early blues legends who transformed the Mississippi Delta into a timeless treasure-trove of human emotion. This album works so well, it's scary. Crystal clear production, simple arrangements and heartfelt collaborations elevate each classic composition to stunning effect. Muldaur melts into each mix, fully relaxed and in her element with the material and the players. The result is total rejuvenation of the material delivered in the spirit of the originals. This is the music she loves and one of the best recordings of Maria's entire career. Can I get a witness?