Spectified

First off, I love the fact that the cd is all instrumental. Other initial impressions--besides the guitarist being amazing, I really love the guys on the organ and piano, not to mention the killer rhythm section. I'm a big fan of Grant Green, Wes Montgomery (I know, strange for a harmonica player) and there is plenty of those flavors throughout without anything stolen that I can tell. I'm sure Dave has many other influences, especially on the hard edged blues tracks, but I just love that there are all these different flavors throughout the album. I've had this cd in my car for about 2 weeks now, and haven't listened to anything else because I haven't had a need to. Here are some of my highlights: 1: Stick to the Hip: I love the groove and the head sticks in my head and the hip. Dave's solo is great--starts out with this hard edge theme and repeats it within the verse, and the second round goes in a completely different direction that sticks in the head even more. No noodling, just awesomeness. 2. Octavate'n: I think of Wes meets Magic Sam or something here. I love blasting this track when I'm stuck in traffic because it's all Chicago. Everything is mixed right, Dave never plays too much, and the groove is killer. Might be my fav, but I have so many on this cd. This is where I first hear what I would call one of Dave's signature licks that shows up at least one other time on this cd and sticks in my head, to the point where I have figured it out on harmonica. Love the organ solo. 3. Soul Serenade: Great tune to cover, and I love how the intensity just keeps building through the song. 4. Blues Call: This may be my first favorite. I love the Latin beat and the clean single note melody, along with the interesting progression, minor feel, all that. Everything sounds right. What I don't think people realize is how perfectly Dave creates completely different moods in these different songs that can one minute feel like a classic jazz recording and another minute feel like a classic blues recording. Can't be easy to do, so props to Dave there. Again, I love that in Dave's solo, he just take a couple rounds, very tasty, but it's not a show-off contest, and then that organ again... 5 and 13. Alley Walk: ok both versions are killer for me. Very catchy groove and melody. Makes me want to do things I shouldn't do. I can't say which I like better, but I'm glad he put both on the cd. 6. Wash Out: No wonder this made me think of Freddy King or Magic Sam, I see it was written by Freddy. Great stuff, hard driving, tasty but not too showy, every instrument perfectly mixed. 7. The Funky Hunky: I don't know why but this makes me think of Lou Donaldson and Blue Note when they were getting funky. I just love the melody and everything about this song. 8. Rumba & Tonic: Initially, I didn't know what to think of this song, but it's the one that has stuck in my head the most. I love the blending of these two grooves. it works. 9. Azulado: I think this is really my favorite favorite. I just love these laid back minor feeling songs. I love the repetition of a beautiful line and a bridge instead of a bunch of noodling over one straight chord progression. The flute works perfectly. Great name too. 10. Slick Pick: another great head. I love the guitar distortion throughout. I'm all about tone on my harmonica, and love different tones on other instruments as well. Organ, again, just put in the organ rocks for the rest of the review 11. See See Rider: very beautiful interpretation of a classic. Love how again, they're not noodling, just expanding on the melody. Most I don't think appreciate that or practice it. 12. Lumpus D' Rumpus: Love the name. Another catchy classic blues groove song. I start out thinking of Jimmy Reed and the on to thinking of Freddy, and then just forget and enjoy what's going on and want to play along. Tall Paul

I've been following Dave Specter since the early days. Spectified is the highly entertaining culmination of this expressive bluesman's career thus far. His melodies resound in one's head long after listening to his Gibson's deep soulful tone. Specter has studied his blue predecessors well and this familiarity with the genre comes through on tunes like Blues Call. Alley Walk is reminiscent for me, of Jimmy Reed, who incidentally was also a huge influence on Neil Young, another of my favorites. Spectified is definitely a BUY!

I just saw a Dave Specter show and baught Spectified after the show. I listened in my car and my impressions were confirmed. His straight up blues tunes are way up there with the blues masters. The live shows are hard to beat. When I hear the tunes on this CD that have the brass section, the guitar work takes me back to Jerry Gargia shows circa 1988. The specter shows keep it fun by having a different musician at many of the shows either as a substantial portion of the show or even one or two tunes.

This album, and Dave's current band, sounds better than ever before. We were at the record release party and were thrilled by the sound of the horn section, and Jazzy Bluesy Funky sounds. I would highly recommend this album to anyone who loves Chicago blues, jazz guitar, or swinging music in general.

Dave is true to form with his gritty smooth jazz blues, then elevates his style with the addition of a horns section (trombone, saxaphone and trumpet). I was hooked from the first listen, then entranced with the second, then spun the CD to make my mundane household activities fun! Each of Dave's CD's have a different feel...this one is warm and fuzzy, then gets me up to shake my blues!

I bought this CD right after I saw Dave live. It is a great piece for any blues lover. He plays a clean and classic blues guitar that feels totally timeless. It's an upbeat album you can get lost in from track 1 until it hits the end, a great piece to add for any blues or music fans collection.

While I am no music critic, I know what I like. Spectified is a vibrant collection of music which really delighted! Soul Serenade and Stick to the Hip were my personal favorites, but the Mrs was partial to Blues Call. An excellent release ... click and see for yourself!