Tom Hambridge: Blu Ja Vu Review

Blu Ja Vu is a solo release by Tom Hambridge who has written over a thousand songs and produced a hundred albums that have earned him four Grammy awards. Some of the people that he has produced include Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram to name some. Over the course of his career he’s performed at the White House multiple times and the albums that he’s contributed his drum and percussion talent to is a who’s who list of rock & blues royalty.  Blu Ja Vu is the eighth solo release by Hambridge and he either wrote or co-wrote all thirteen tracks and eight of the songs were co-written with his writing partner Richard Fleming.

The band members that appear on the album are as follows unless otherwise noted. Drums, percussion and vocals by Tom Hambridge, with Tommy McDonald on bass guitar, lead and rhythm guitars by Rob McNelley and keyboards by Kevin McKendree and John Coleman. Bob Britt also contributed his guitar along with background vocals by Emil Justin.  Guest performances includes artists Hambridge was previously involved with as a songwriter and record producer like Joe Bonamassa, Buddy Guy and Christone “Kingfish” to name some. “Brother John Boogie” features James Cotton on harmonica, Chuck Leavell on keyboards and Glenn Worf on bass

“Ain’t it Just Like Love”is a keyboard driven rocker that features Kevin McKendree’s honky-tonk piano leading up to Buddy Guy’s searing guitar licks. Hambridge and Guy share vocals.

“You’ll stand before the preacher sayin’ yes I do

Then you let that woman make a fool of you”

The next cut is “That’s My Home” and ends with the line “Where I put down my guitar that’s my home.” It features Joe Bonamassa who contributes to the vocals and provides wicked guitar work.  “Wear You Out” is one of two exceptions to the rule and was co-written with another Grammy award winning songwriter, Gary Nicholson. It’s a rocking tribute to a 1954 Stratocaster, “a seventy-something Eldorado and a woman who ‘couldn’t be satisfied.’” “Blues Don’t Care” features Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on both guitar and vocals and is a tough blues lecture about the unbiased hand of fate with an extended middle finger.

“Sick With Love” is another Hambridge/Fleming composition and features session guitarist Rob McNelly who provides some stellar guitar licks accompanied by Hambridge’s driving drums to emulate the sound of lovesick pain. “Automatic” is a rocking ode to a 1965 Ford T-Bird reminiscent of the car themed tunes of the 1960’s by artists like Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys” Howlin’ Wolf had to have inspired Hambridge and Fleming when they composed “Symptoms of Love.” Hambridge howls as his drumbeat and McDonald’s thumping bass create a hypnotic beat that is tastefully punctuated by McNelley’s well placed guitar licks.

“Please help this sinner

With symptoms of love”

“Brother John Boogie” is an instrumental that opens with Hambridge explosively hammering his drum kit to create a rousing “boogie-woogie.” The late Chicago blues legend, harmonica player James Cotton led the band that included Chuck Leavell on keyboards and Glenn Worf playing bass. The next cut is a straight out of  Texas sounding two-stepping piano driven shit kicker. The lyrics travel from Boston, Massachusetts to Chicago, Illinois and down route 66 to Texas and ultimately Hollywood, California. Josh Smith’s tasteful guitar work is featured on “Smarter Than I Was.” Hambridge’s vocals tell the tale of gaining clarity about the fact that he was being used and Smith drives it home.

“But tonight it’s gonna change

I guess my best just wasn’t good enough”

Hambridge and Fleming wrote what they call a “blues-rock protest song.” “Johnny Winter” is a song that questions why he isn’t in the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame using gravely sounding vocals punctuated by slide guitar licks. “Meet Me in Chicago” was co-written by Hambridge with Robert Randolph and once more features Rob McNelley mercilessly tormenting his guitar with stratospheric peals. The song reminisces about girls, food, baseball and Al Capone in the “Windy City.” “End of the Line” is a fitting title for the final cut on the album that sings about being past one’s prime but still being able to contribute something.

“Well I’m way past sixty-one,

But I can still get the job done.”

Blu Ja Vu is a model example of balance between amazing songwriting, excellent musicianship and perfect production coming together to create a great album. Tom Hambridge’s new release is more frosting on the cake of an amazing career and all thirteen cuts are stellar.

The Review 9/10

– Ain’t it Just Like Love
– That’s My Home
– Blues Don’t Care
– Sick With Love
– Smarter than I Was

The Big Hit

– Sick With Love

Buy the album: Amazon