My Love Affair With Eddie Kirkland’s “It’s the Blues Man!” album

Everybody has a “go-to” album in their collection, one that helps them to get their juvenile, unrestrained party started. One that makes you want to turn over the coffee table and throw your beer cans against the wall in a kind of exulted, jubilant celebration of life, shortcomings be damned! For me, this album, at least for the last 10 years or so, has been Eddie Kirkland’s “It’s the Blues Man!”. From the silly grammar of the album’s title (is it “It’s the Blues, Man” or is it really, “It’s the “Blues Man”", in a reference to Eddie?) to the deliciously raw, but hip and urbane performances of Kirkland’s band, this album has enjoyed an incredible staying power in my collection, despite my fickle moods and fancies. This album belongs in the blues pantheon with Otis Rush, Guitar Slim, et al One of the more alluring aspects of Kirkland’s best and most famous recording is the complete m...