Damn.  I mean, DAMN!  If this record could be reviewed by one word alone, it would be DAMN!  You get rock. You get funk. You get soul. You get gritty riffs. You get rippin’ jams.  You get all that is good and holy. You get the blues.

With more than 25 years in the biz, playing with the likes of Etta James, Robin Trower, Deep Purple, Bernard Allison, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and many notable others, Tony Campanella absolutely nailed his debut album. It also entered the Billboard Blues Albums Chart at #6.

Taking It To The Street is the Blues’ definitive sound and vibe.  I actually had the privilege of watching Tony during a live show before the record was released and he exudes the essence of deep, authentic blues.   Not to mention that he sold out the legendary Duck Room at Blueberry Hill in his hometown of St. Louis. The place was nuts to butts with diehard Campanella fans who were in for the ear fuck of their lives.  Many a face was melted that night.

Campanella is a true St. Louis dego (a slang term that we, Italian-American’s like to refer to each other whilst slinging meatballs, dodgeball style and scream-talking).  He bunks up comfortably with Mike Zito (fellow meatball-slinger) on his label, Gulf Coast Records.

If deep, soulful, authentic blues does it for you, Taking It To The Street  will satisfy.  Pick it up at your local record store or order it online like a millenial – whatever, just get it.  Throw that sucker (gently) onto your turntable, and get comfy with a beer in hand. Tony Campanella is the real deal.

If you’re so inclined to try to debate me on this one, come check him out this Saturday, July 20, 2019, then get back to me.  He will be crushing the stage with Mike Zito’s Gulf Coast Records Revue along with Zito and Odds Lane for all of the St. Louis you can mangia.