After contributing to two Blues Bureau compilations,
Jon Butcher signed with the Mike Varney-led specialty label in 1995 and released
Positively the Blues. As usual,
Butcher sings and plays with supreme confidence and conviction on this, his first full-length foray into the blues genre. Energetic Chicago- and Texas-style numbers like the opener, "Cadillac Limousine," have a distinctive rock sheen that fans of
Butcher's earlier work will recognize and enjoy. The swinging "Union Hall" almost matches the soul and dexterity of blues godhead
Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the
Hendrix/
Vaughan-influenced "At the Feet of the Master" is probably the standout cut on
Positively the Blues, as the track features some of
Butcher's most incendiary guitar work on record. Listeners who are fond of the bluesy classic rock that
Butcher specialized in during the '80s will definitely appreciate this powerful and emotive effort. ~ Vincent Jeffries