Bob Parduhn

Sunshine Blues

Aug. 06, 2012

midnight

On Sunshine Blues, multi-instrumentalist and Wisconsin native Bob Parduhn explores various genres, including swing jazz (“Tailspin”), classic reggae (“Babylon Falling”) and R&B (“Chase Away the Blues”). This is Parduhn's fifth solo album, and most of the performers are from his former bands, Bones of Contention, Wild Rice and The Doktors, as well as his current project, 18 Strings. Parduhn's own contribution includes playing acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, bass, dobro, drums and mandolin. With the exception of one cover song, Bob Dylan's “Tonight, I'll Be Staying Here With You,” the collection is all originals. The lyrics and mood partly capture the experience of living through a Wisconsin winter, as with the jazz ballad “Winter Blues” and the folk country stomp “Warm, Sunny Day.” Overall, the instrumentation is fluid, the vocals by Annie Perry are enchanting and the album carries a mellow, meditative feel.