Ryan Shaw
This Is Ryan Shaw (One Haven/Columbia)
In my homemade musical family tree, Ryan Shaw would have a whole bunch of daddies: Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Donny Hathaway. On his debut, This Is Ryan Shaw, the 26-year-old singer serves up a dozen tunes that feel like soul’s greatest hits, the common thread being old-school style arrangements that serve as a showcase for Shaw’s expressive, athletic vocal style. A handful of originals balance reverent covers of classics like Jackie Wilson’s “I’ll Be Satisfied” and Bobby Womack’s “Lookin’ For a Love.” And in my family tree, if “Tighten Up” and “Shotgun” had a baby, it would be Shaw’s cover of the obscure Sharpees track “Do the 45,” the hottest two minutes on the disc.
LISTEN: Must Play
Do the 45.mp3
Produced and arranged by Jimmy Bralower and Johnny Gale. Engineer: Jimmy Bralower.