Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Joe Beard: For Real

Joe Beard: For Real

By Ed Kopp
August 1, 1999
View read count

Joe Beard is a slack-mouthed blues singer and guitarist from the Mississippi Delta who now lives in Rochester, N.Y. His second AudioQuest release unites him with five of my favorite blues musicians: guitar-slinger Duke Robillard, harmonica-ace Jerry Portnoy, and three of Ronnie Earl's former Broadcasters including keyboard-whiz Bruce Katz. For Real offers up seven original tunes and six covers. It intersperses slow, heartfelt ballads such as "Elem" with fast-paced numbers such as "See See Rider" and "Reap What You Sow." Katz, Robillard and Portnoy trade fiery solos throughout, and Beard's singing is soul-drenched and passionate. Throw in the crack rhythm section, and this is one fine blues release, particularly if you like your blues slow and soulful.

Personnel

Joe Beard

Album information

Title: For Real | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: AudioQuest Music

About Joe Beard

PREVIOUS / NEXT

12-15-78
< Previous

Good Dog, Happy Man
Next >

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.