Album Review of
About Time

Written by Duane Verh
October 23, 2016 - 12:00am EDT
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Magic Dick and Shun Ng recast the classic blues harmonica/guitar format in multiple directions, taking it to some very surprising, delightful destinations.  The legendary J. Geils Band harp-meister and the Chicago-born, Singapore-bred guitarist/vocalist enhance these journeys with airtight interplay and abundant individual dazzle, at the same time making this fast-and-loose genre-jumping sound quite unforced and natural. A spirited take of “Let The Good Times Roll” gives way to the darting, jazzy instrumental “Dixology”.  A mostly by-the-book version of the Hendrix classic “Fire” leads into “Space” which finds Magic Dick closer to Toots Thielemans than Sonny Boy. This twosome manages to retain all the essential pieces of a James Brown big-band arrangement on “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” and closes with MD’s signature “Whammer Jammer”.