Electric Blues
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Howard & The White Boys
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?
Mighty Tiger 1997
Review Published August 15, 1999
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Track Listing
  1. Heat Seeking Missle
  2. Bad Attitude
  3. What Would I Do
  4. One Good Woman
  5. Tight Pants
  6. When The Rug's Pulled Out
  7. Be Careful What You Ask For
  8. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
  9. Don't You Leave Me
  10. King Jack and Two Queens
  11. You've Been Gone Too Long
  12. Call Muddy Waters
EB Rating - 4.0

 		    This four member band from Chicago blends blues-rock and funk with catchy rhythms and straight blues, a combination resulting in a highly entertaining CD. The band's line up is somewhat unusual in that it includes two guitarists, Dan Bellini and Roco Calipari. Both share duties of lead and rhythm guitar, and their playing styles contrast each other nicely. Bellini also doubles on harmonica. Howard McCullum, the goup's bassist and vocalist, has a solid voice and carries the variety of styles with authority. Drummer Jim "Bucka" Christopulus provides a steady rhythm.
    Although the band features two talented guitarists, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner isn't a "guitar showcase". Lead breaks are present on most songs, but most often not to an overpowering degree. When reflecting on this CD, I tend to recall the originality of the songs and the catchy rhythms, rather than the lead guitar work. This is a description of the overall feel of the CD, and I don't mean to imply hot guitar is totally lacking. There are selected occasions when the guitars are worked hard. Very hard. On these occasions, the listener is treated to some very intense, powerful and passionate playing.
    Among my personal favorites from this disc are One Good Woman, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, and the closer, Call Muddy Waters, a straight blues number that showcases the guitar duo's talents.
    Based in Chicago, this group has earned the attention and support of none other than Buddy Guy himself, who's been known to join the band on stage. He also made a guest appearance on the group's newest release, The Big Score.
    Guess Who's Coming To Dinner combines plenty of upbeat, original sounding blues-rock with some straight blues and occasional smokin' hot blues guitar, and should appeal to a wide variety of blues-rock enthusiasts. While I would have enjoyed more of the hot stuff, I found this CD quite enjoyable, and believe plenty of others will as well.

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