Gloria & The Doctor and Henry D Jones

Overview

Google Italian blues singer Gloria Turrini and you will discover that the vocalist is certainly well known in Italy and apparently quite well known in other European and even Asian countries. Articles about her appear in many different languages including immediately recognized French, Russian and Oriental letter formats. Gloria not only sings but also plays drums and the washboard as well as adding some percussion. For this album she teamed with Italian guitarist Riccardo Ferrini for a trip to New Orleans (NOLA) to take in all the sights, sounds, and particularly the music of the city. The result of the album is a love song to New Orleans and an energetic celebration of the music from its earliest roots in the swamps to a more modern approach to ballads and New Awlin’s jazz. For the recording, she reached out to resident musicians of the city to perform in her band. Andy J. Forest joins on harmonica. Robert Luti on electric guitar, Robert Snow on Double Bass, and Rosalynn Deroos on clarinet.

The album opens with “Not Today Satan” which quickly proves she is vocally on par with the early greats of the female blues singers. The song swings through with Forest’s harmonica leading the way. A female chorus backs her as she pushes Satan away. Next, she moves into a deeper vocals range as she declares “You Should Have Known” “I’m always right, but never wrong”. Ricardo plays a slow sensuous slide guitar slipping through the song. The “Four Day Creep” demonstrates her classic blues vocal style as she says, “If you got a good man and you don’t want him taken away from you, don’t tell your friends what you make him do.” and notes that “I am a big, bad mama and have some meat on my bones.” Forest and Ricardo again contribute subdued guitar and harmonica to punctuate her vocals.

“Solid As a Rock” takes a shift back in time to a vaudevillian sound with Rosalynn’s clarinet and Gloria’s light touch on the drums. Robert Snows’ double bass is featured on “Not Anymore” as she notes “Life’s not gonna last forever, we might as well start living”, a quote she adds as a liner note on the back cover of the album. “Two Voices” slows things down to a quiet ballad with the female chorus backing her with a gospel-like response as she sings “two voices are stuck in my head, one who wants to play and one who says you might be dead.” Ricardo’s slide again slips throughout the song.

On “That Dog” Ricardo and Robert Luti’s guitar interchange with Gloria’s metronomic percussion as “That dog’s howl makes me want to scream”. “Without You” backs into a quiet folk blues sound with a slow guitar accompaniment as she considers life alone after he is gone. The album closes with an all-out rocker with an R&B sound with the female chorus again punctuating her issues that demand that she just “Let Go and Let God”.

Gloria’s strong voice is reminiscent of many of the early powerhouse female vocalists. Her chosen songs are laid back, but nonetheless powerfully presented with the strong musicianship of her selected band. Her previous albums “Damn Blues” (not currently shown as available in the US) and a previous album released under group name G and The Doctor indicate that the “doctor” on that album was Mecco Guidi. That does not belittle Ricardo Ferrini’s contribution to this album but does show that she may have multiple doctors for her performances. Nonetheless, Gloria demonstrates that her voice is the driving instrument of the album.

Henry D Jones

From the heart of Mississippi, Henry D. Jones creates independent music rooted in the soil of the blues. His sound honors the state's raw musical heritage while forging a distinct, modern path through American roots music.