Buddy Guy is the last living connection back to the glories of 50’s Chicago and the birth of the electric blues, that seismic switching on of the strange spooky music that came to town from the plantations. As both sideman – he stood behind giants like Muddy Waters - and lead performer, Guy was part of the mighty Chess label. Teenagers in England, and the young Johnny Allen Hendrix, were listening, and they’d go on to tell the world.

Guy emerged from years in the wilderness with 1991’s righteous Damn Right, I’ve Got The Blues and has been knocking them out steady ever since. I recommend you try 2001’s brilliantly over driven Sweet Tea, as well as 65’s Hoodoo Man Blues with Junior Wells, and Buddy’s Blues, the best of his Chess recordings.

The Blues Is Alive And Well is a perfectly fine addition. Jeff Beck and Keith Richards help out on ‘Cognac’ – Beck goes bananas, as always, while Keef takes it nice and easy. Jagger blows some authentic harp on ‘You Did The Crime’, and ‘Bad Day’ sounds like an outtake from the recent Stones retro record Blue & Lonesome. The title track could be Robert Cray, and ‘Somebody Up There’ and ‘Ooh Daddy’ rewrite Muddy Waters’ ‘Catfish Blues’ and John Lee Hooker’s ‘Boogie Chillen’ respectively, and no harm either. The cover of Sonny Boy Williamson II’s ‘Nine Below Zero’ is the best thing here, but then it would be in most company.

He veers a little close to the Clapton snooze setting here and there, most especially on the pointless duet with James Bay, ‘Blue No More’, but overall, it’s a worthwhile outing, just leave more of the rough edges in the next time.

Rating: 7/10