From the opening Hammond organ chords, your ears (and your soul) know they are in for a thoroughly satisfying, healing experience. New Orleans based harp player/singer Jason Ricci (multiple Blues Award-winner) and organ/piano player Joe Krown (an equally respected musician) are Ricci/Krown. City Country City, their debut duo album, delivers a collection of songs steeped in a familiar retro sound, yet venturing into daring new territory.

The album consists of original material along with highly personalized covers of songs by Taj Mahal, Bobbie Gentry, WAR, Joe Sample, Grant Green, and Charles Brown, Eddie Williams, and Johnny Moore. Musicians on these tracks include: Jason Ricci (vocals, harmonica); Joe Krown (organ, piano); and Doug Belote (drums). It’s a helluva lot of blues, jazz, country, soul, and more, coming from such a lean group.

It’s a chance to hear music that you know, deep inside, yet in a whole new way. Every musical moment (especially the solos) is mined for full effect. In that way, it draws you in, and soon you cannot help but feel like you, by merely listening to it, are an active participant. This CD is the definition of “groove,” and it’s a beautiful thing.