MICHAEL PACKER BLUES BAND - Bleecker-Bowery [CD]

A veteran New York blues guitarist, vocalist and band leader, Michael Packer did his first gig at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village at the age of 15 in 1965. Teaming up with jazz saxophonist Bob Minzer in 1969, he formed Papa Nebo. He toured with Johnny Rivers, Dr. Hook and Clifton Chenier among others in the 1970s. He also sang in the Matt Murphey Band. On Bleeker-Bowery you can hear a distinctly New York kind of blues sound. Working with a reed player (Ric Frank) and percussion (Ed Jackson) as well as harmonica, bass, guitars and back-up singers, the band has a fuller, more jazz-influenced blues sound than other styles of blues. The CD's 11 tracks include original songs by Packer as well as covers of Utah Phillips (Going Away), and Bob Dylan (All Along the Watchtower).