It’s summertime and a perfect time for a backyard barbecue with friends, cold beer, and of course some bad ass harpin’ blues.  I suggest you buy Steve Krase‘s new CD, Should’ve Seen It Coming, and let the good times roll.  Steve is a Houston based harmonica stud with a penchant for loud and upbeat tunes and on his fourth album for the Connor Ray Music label does he ever deliver!

The first tune on the CD, Brand New Thang, is a great party tune featuring some virtuoso guitar playing by label mate Mark May. On the second song, Crazy For My Baby, Steve puts himself in the league with Little Walter, James Cotton, and Charlie Musselwhite with an excellent harmonica rendition of a Willie Dixon tune.  This song should receive serious consideration in the harmonica artist category of next year’s blues awards in Memphis.

I have a particular love  for “down the bayou” blues and Steve’s cover of Fat Domino’s Let the Four Winds Blow is a great addition to that playlist for my DJ sets.  I also enjoyed the Texas blues shuffle Make You Love Me Baby.  And my vote for the Just Crank It up and Dance tune of the album is Shot of Rhythm and Blues which features label mates Trudy Lynn and Bob Lanza.

The title cut (written by his brother David) is an interesting jazzy blues jam with some great saxophone playing by Alisha Pattillo, nice keyboard work by Randy Wall, and Steve’s harmonica work is stellar. Rock Romano (bass and the studio owner), David Carter (guitars), and Richard Cholakian (drums) round out a solid backing band for Steve.

Well, if you are ever in the Houston area and see Steve Krase on the club or concert bill, strap on your dancin’ shoes, grab yer Baby, and go have a damn good time!  And a quick look at his tour schedule shows he’ll be in New Jersey on my birthday, September 9th, along with Bob Lanza……hmmmm….that’s pretty close…maybe time for a short road trip to celebrate another year on the upside of the grass!