Review Text
Fatboy Wilson and Old Viejo Bones is a new project from acclaimed Brooklyn folk and blues musicians Samoa Wilson and Ernesto Gomez. Their self titled debut album features five brand new original songs as well as inventive interpretations of a wide range of folk songs. Samoa Wilson is widely regarded as one of the best blues, jazz, and folk singers in New York City. The New York Times calls her singing "sweet, effortless, old-timey" and Nat Hentoff has called her style "the essence of unaffected musical storytelling." Wilson grew up with music in her family, and began singing jug band music, early jazz and blues with her uncle Jim Kweskin at a young age. Ernesto Gomez, originally from Union City, NJ, has been writing songs and playing blues harmonica and guitar for a number of years with his band the Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues. His influences are broad and include Cuban, Mexican, and rap music along side classic blues sources. Gomez was schooled by the late blues great Carolina Slim and Down Home Radio has called him "an authentic blues man". Fatboy Wilson and Old Viejo Bones seamlessly blends the original and the traditional. The down home traditional songs speak easily to the listener, and their original songs present a strong realization of contemporary songwriting in a traditional style.
