Robert Cray will be bringing his brand of music to Rockford's On The Waterfront on Saturday, September 3rd when he headlines the Verizon Wireless Left Bank stage at 10 PM. For those looking for a preview or just for those looking for an enjoyable listen, his latest CD "Twenty" will fill the bill nicely. Cray has always been lumped into the blues category, but this disc (along with the rest of his catalog) really show that while his music at times fits well within that genre, more often than not it is far more wide reaching than the compartmentalized pigeon hole that the moniker creates. Cray is not content to sit within anyone style, instead creating a heartfelt and soulful mix of sounds that incorporates blues, soul and R & B. The end result is always listenable.

While it would be easy to get the impression from the title that this is Cray's 20^th album, it is in reality the 14^th in his nearly 30 year career. "Twenty" is actually the title of a song on the disc. That song is a poignant piece about a soldier who is killed in Iraq. It is told from his point of view, and while the title is not present in the lyrics (and I can't find anything definite to back up this assumption) my guess is that the name is supposed to be the age of the man.

Cray himself has the following to say about the CD, "What I like most about the album is the variety of songs. We covered a lot of bases on the record - from a touch of jazz with My Last Regret' and Two Steps From The End' to Does It Really Matter' which has a rock feel to it. Wee have a straight-up blues thing with It Doesn't Show' and the song Poor Johnny' even has an early reggae or ska kind of beat to it." Generally what an artist says about a piece of their work in a press release can be taken with a grain of salt, but in this instance I'd say that Cray is right on the money.

I would say that the disc would certainly be a strong entry into the catalog for long time fans of Robert Cray. The truth is, though that it is also a great introduction to his work for those who have only heard some of his songs on the radio - or as unlikely as it seems have never heard him. That sense of variety tends to make this one a nice cross section sort of work - showcasing all the various musical flavors of the artist. Much of the disc includes trademark fiery guitar playing, but not just for the sake of flash. It always adds to the song rather than simply serving as a distractive show of talent without direction. Every song showcases Cray's passionate and soulful vocal delivery and the entire disc is a work of class. While some of the songs definitely work better than others for me, there is not a true loser on the album. For my money the title track and the more hard rocking cuts are the best material here, but the whole album is a pleasurable listening experience.