ELWOOD'S BLUES

By Colin McDonald

Jul 1, 1998 at 12:00 am

Audio By Carbonatix

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Aside from John Mayall, Alexis Korner and the Yardbirds, blues music, as hard as practitioners may try and as technically proficient as they may be, has never really seemed to work for the white, suburban guy. Playing 13 covers ranging from Frank Zappa's "I'm the Slime" and Ray Charles' "Unchain My Heart" to ZZ Top's "Cheap Sunglasses" and Dr. John's "Funkalishus," caught live, the Bugs Beddow Band proves to have a feel for the blues that drinks from the same tap as the Blues Brothers. Beddow's brass (he's the bandleader on trombone) and obvious technical abilities are up to snuff; and though quite fun at moments, this recording from last year has as much heart and soul as Huey Lewis, for good or ill.