Featuring Stu Nevitt on drums, Calvin Hardy on bass, Jimmy McGrew on guitar, Mike Kahrs on piano & organ, and Mike Reilly on both lead guitar and lead vocals, this contemporary session rocks with free spirit.

Slow ballads, such as Greg Allman’s “Queen of Hearts,” mix evenly with the dynamic jump blues and driving backbeats.

Reilly’s raspy vocal timbre amplifies the expressiveness in his program. Kahrs’ persuasive Hammond organ gives the album a lift from start to finish. Horns join in for a few celebrations.

Reilly makes it easy to understand both the lyrics of a song and its deeper meaning. He and the rest of the band have been careful to balance their arrangements with each story in mind. You can find audio samples from this, their latest album, through www.mikereillyband.com.

--Jim Santella