Delta Hurricane is the second album by the American musician Larry McCray, released in 1993.[2][3] McCray supported the album with a North American tour.[4]
| Delta Hurricane | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Pointblank[1] | |||
| Producer | Mike Vernon | |||
| Larry McCray chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editRecorded in Memphis, the album was produced by Mike Vernon.[5][6] Unlike McCray's debut, Delta Hurricane was recorded as a band album, rather than a demo on which other players contributed.[7] McCray's guitar style was mostly influenced by his father and older sister.[8]
"Soul Shine" is a cover of the Warren Haynes song.[9] "Blue River" is an instrumental.[10] A horn section played on many of the songs.[11] Tony Zamagni played keyboards on the album.[12] McCray's brother Steve played drums.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [15] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [5] |
Stereo Review wrote that "McCray is, above all, a superb blues-guitar player, combining the lyricism of an Eric Clapton with the power of a Son Seals."[16] The Chicago Tribune noted that "McCray is very much a '90s bluesman, unafraid of mixing in rock, soul and even the occasional heavy-metal touch in his music."[15] The State concluded that "McCray's paint-peeling guitar solos are simply awesome, packed with the kind of electric fire that Muddy Waters dreamed about on his first trip to Chicago."[17]
The Toronto Star determined that "the great combo of tenderness and toughness in Larry McCray highlights Delta Hurricane.[18] The Austin American-Statesman deemed Delta Hurricane the eighth best blues album of 1993, writing that "McCray forcefully makes his case for inclusion in the upper echelon of contemporary blues artists."[19] The Boston Herald called it "the best contemporary blues release of the year—and maybe last year, too."[20]
AllMusic wrote that McCray's "guitar work is ... authentic; there aren't any flashy phrases or flamboyant riffs, just pile-driving lines, barreling statements and energetic support for his vocals."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Delta Hurricane" | |
| 2. | "Adding Up" | |
| 3. | "Last Four Nickels" | |
| 4. | "Soul Shine" | |
| 5. | "Not That Much" | |
| 6. | "Last Hand of the Night" | |
| 7. | "Witchin' Moon" | |
| 8. | "Blue River" | |
| 9. | "Hole in My Heart" | |
| 10. | "Three Straight Days of Rain" | |
| 11. | "Blues in the City" |
References
edit- ^ Dicaire, David (2015). More Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Artists from the Later 20th Century. McFarland. p. 145.
- ^ "Larry McCray Biography by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ DeLuca, Dan (25 Nov 1994). "Eek-A-Mouse, Larry McCray". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 17.
- ^ Surkamp, David (9 Apr 1994). "Larry McCray Performs Gritty Blues, Soulful Ballads". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 8D.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 622.
- ^ "Delta Hurricane by Larry McCray". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 31. July 31, 1993. p. 47.
- ^ Mohr, Lisa (September 12, 1993). "Larry McCray". Entertainment. The Dispatch–Argus.
- ^ Johnson, Jeff (April 1, 1994). "Singer/Guitarist Hits Career Crossroads". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 12.
- ^ Hornblow, Deborah (12 Dec 1994). "Blues Guitarist Delights with High Octane Sound". Hartford Courant. p. A4.
- ^ Stancavage, John (September 17, 1995). "Bluesman Larry McCray Learned Best Licks from Sister". Tulsa World. p. E2.
- ^ Rosen, Steve (June 11, 1993). "'King of the Boogie Sax' gives new life to old familiar sound". Arts. The Denver Post. p. 26.
- ^ Rideout, Ernie (Dec 1998). "Escape from the combat zone". Keyboard. Vol. 24, no. 12. pp. 50–58.
- ^ Cowle, Tracy (October 9, 1994). "Small Caravan crowd gets caught up in a blues storm". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 14.
- ^ a b "Delta Hurricane Review by Ron Wynn". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ a b Kening, Dan (25 Nov 1993). "Larry McCray Delta Hurricane". Chicago Tribune. p. 13E.
- ^ "Delta Hurricane by Larry McCray". Stereo Review. Vol. 58, no. 11. Nov 1993. p. 124.
- ^ Miller, Michael (July 23, 1993). "New Releases". The State. p. 12D.
- ^ Chapman, Geoff (24 Dec 1993). "Jeannie, Jimmy give the blues big-band bounce". Toronto Star. p. F18.
- ^ Point, Michael (30 Dec 1993). "'93: A Look Back". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 15.
- ^ Convey, Kevin R. (August 13, 1993). "Discs". Boston Herald. p. S21.