Code Blooze

Like many contemporary bluesmen, Roscoe Peterson spends as much time working a vaguely funky vamp as he does grinding out Chicago blues. It's all about the groove, man, because the groove allows Peterson to stretch out and solo. And solo he does, all throughout his debut album, Code Blooze. There are a few slow moments, such as a Joe Cocker-esque reading of "Amazing Grace," but once Code Blooze finishes playing, all you'll remember are the solos and the grooves -- the overall texture, not the individual songs. Not that it's a bad thing, since Peterson is a technically accomplished player, but it's hard to feel that this is music that's better heard live than on record.