A veteran vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist and purveyor of blues, R&B, and rock’, Jimmy Vivino has an incredible résumé. A longtime fixture in Conan O’Brien’s house band, he has played on movie, radio, and Broadway projects and worked with Levon Helm, Hubert Sumlin, Al Kooper, Jimmie Vaughan, Donald Fagen, Warren Haynes, Laura Nyro, along with innumerable others. He’s also a current member of Canned Heat.
Deservedly, Vivino (VG, July ’13/vintageguitar.com) grabs the spotlight for himself here. “Blues in the 21st” is midtempo blues/funk with lanky riffs and shimmering slide fills; guitarist Joe Bonamassa sits in, and the lyrics are a cheeky hoot. The slinky “Ruby is Back” includes smooth guitar solos and Vivino’s effective Hammond B3 organ accents. Call-and-response blues vamping describes the title track, while “Ain’t Nuthin’s Gonna Be Alright” is outer-space blues with Vivino laying down a precise, fluid solo. A catchy pop edge lightly buffs “Better Days Past.” Raw electric blues define the percolating “Fool’s Gold,” a ’50s rockabilly shuffle vibe wraps “Crossed My Mind,” and “Shady Side of the Street” is stark blues dripping with R&B overtones courtesy of Vivino’s guitar and piano work.
This is a cool, entertaining blues-fried album with musical and lyrical twists to keep it from becoming predictable. – Bret Adams
This article originally appeared in VG’s April 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
