The Kid’s got it goin’ on here; 17 cuts steeped in the blues, but sounding as fresh as the day T-Bone Walker first strapped on an electric.

The concept here finds Ramos with lots of harp-playing buddies. Guesting on various cuts are the likes of Rod Piazza, James Harman, Lynwood Slim, Charlie Musselwhite, Rick Estrin, Paul DeLay, and Johnny Dyer. Not a bad lineup, eh?

While all the guests shine on vocals and harp, there’s plenty of room for Kid to play, too. The title cut is an instrumental roadhouse shuffle that lets him do his thing. “Chicken Hearted Woman” allows for some nasty soloing and some chickin’ pickin.’

Kid shows his West Coast influence throughout the proceedings, with nods to the aforementioned Mr. Walker. And on occasion – like “It’s Hot In Here” – things actually manage to get a little jazzy while keeping a good amount of grease on the effort.

I’ve always liked the way Ramos plays. His solo and band work with the likes of the Fabulous Thunderbirds have remained true to the tradition, while showing flair, imagination, and – most importantly – soul. And for this effort, fun too. Cuts like “That’s What She Hollered,” “Country Woman,” and “Harmonica Hangover” sound like a bunch of friends just havin’ a blast.

Kid has strung together two great albums – his West Coast House Party from last year, and this one, put him at the forefront of young traditional blues players. And, you know what else? He may have the coolest pompadour since Jimmy Vaughan was 30 years old. Gotta love it!