The Pacific Northwest has built a reputation for a solid rainy day style of vivid blues music that gets you to “start jumpin’ and jivin’ and shakin’ it all night long.” The Joanne Broh Band invites us to do just that on her latest album’s opening cut. Several years in the making, Head Full of Trouble features exceptional musicians and well-crafted, lyrically attractive song fare with great groove. Songs like “Damn Fool Baby,” “I’m in a Mood,” “Down the Line,” “My Heart’s Been Broke,” “Lock and Key” and “Blues on a Holiday” have spirit that digs deep into soulfully blues roots.

The album’s guitar player and co-producer, Garry Meziere, penned seven of the songs, with others from Joanne Broh (“Down the Line”), Paul Rishell (“Blues on a Holiday”) and Jerry Zybach (“Lock and Key”). Meziere’s compositions are primarily hard-charging and muscular, and the other three songsmiths bring different colorings, flavoring and perspectives to the overall project. Their songs stem from other bluesy turf and provide twists that give Head Full of Trouble a most agreeable diversity and balance of blues savvy and polish.  

Joanne Broh’s stylish vocals aren’t grounded in a big sturdy blues voice but rather a clarion, profoundly earthy voice with warm sentiments. Some of the tracks, perhaps those with more of an R&B flavor, could have been embellished with some background vocals. The Joanne Broh Band gives us a solid set of tasty originals strong with a northwest regional flavor, energy and a party atmosphere. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)