Rich Fabec has had some success with his new blues CD, Talking to Shadows -- it's already sold out on CDBaby.com, but he'll have copies for sale when he performs Saturday, May 14 at 1 p.m. at Seniorfest in Du Quoin, and Thursday, May 26 at 6 p.m. at Herrinfesta Italiana.

During the last few years, Fabec has played with hot-country band Wild Horses and contemporary-Christian band Calling Twelve, and released three contemporary-Christian solo discs. Talking to Shadows brings him back to the blues-based music that first inspired him to pick up the guitar.

Fabec is a decent vocalist and an excellent guitarist who solos with inspiration.

He's a little hampered by the band, however-- which on Talking to Shadows is just drummer Al E. Sis and Fabec overdubbing the bass. The rhythm section is competent but tentative, probably because the overdubbing process curtailed spontaneous interaction.

The song where the stew cooks best is "Delta Blue"-- while it contains Fabec's most complex fingerpicking, instrumentally, it's the most simple, containing only drums, slide guitar, and vocals. Without the need to overdub additional instrumental parts, Fabec's eliminates the worry about how everything will ultimately fit, and the song nicely simmers.

Live, Fabec's band features drummer Brent Henley and bassist Danny Vinson, which may serve to open up the music.

by Chris Wissman at carbondalerocks.com. Reprinted with permission. My thanks to Chris