Living Proof
As one of the finest blues guitarists alive, and with a storied career spanning more than 50 years, Buddy Guy has nothing left to prove. Yet he still plays like he does. For evidence, check out the aggressive, blistering solos on “74 Years Young,” “Thank Me Someday,” “Too Soon,” or the instrumental “Skanky.” Damn! His tone is as nasty and gritty as ever and his voice grows more soulful with age. There are also some good autobiographical lyrics filled with bravado, humor, and wisdom. Backed by an ace band that includes guitarist David Grissom and former Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Wynans, Guy lays into these songs with vigor and conviction. The duets with B.B. King (“Stay Around a Little Longer”) and Carlos Santana (“Where the Blues Begins”) are fine but Guy truly shines on his own here. With the exceptions of the contemplative “Everybody’s Got to Go” and the song with B.B. he keeps things rollicking throughout. This is arguably his best album of the past decade. *Living Proof* indeed.
Living Proof was designed partially as an aural autobiography from the legendary Buddy Guy, opening up with the stark summation “74 Years Young,” then running through songs that often address some aspect of a working musician's life.