ERIC GALES – A Tribute to LJK

RELEASE YEAR: 2025
BAND URL: https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/

Dedicated to his late brother, Manuel Gales, and featuring some mighty impressive guest appearances by the likes of Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Roosevelt Collier and Josh Smith just to list a few, A Tribute to LJK sees the remarkably gifted Eric Gales pay homage to lost loved one in a classy and engaging manner, and across ten deliciously groovy and vibrant tunes we essentially get some of the very best of what the blues has to offer. Superbly produced and boasting a thick, gritty, and organic sound, Gales and his musically supreme cohorts conjure up an atmosphere that speaks of yearning, heartache, impossible love, hurt, perseverance, and fierce determination. Nine out of the ten compositions on the disc were penned by the aforementioned Manuel (AKA Little Jimmy King), and the way in which Eric has interpreted and chosen to represent the song material is simply brilliant in that it is positively overflowing with passion, atmosphere, and spirit. With such a stellar line-up, it should come as no surprise that many of these tracks flow with an ease and a grace that one rarely comes across, and pieces such as “Worried Man,” “You Shouldn’t Have Left Me,” and “It Takes a Whole Lot of Money” sound almost effortless and full of stylish swagger. This output is a proper tribute performed by some of the finest players around, and authenticity and raw honesty are unarguably the keywords throughout. Little Jimmy King would have been immensely proud of this homage.