Recorded long before Hurricane Katrina tore up half the Gulf Coast, "Guitar Gumbo" is Tom Principato's love song to Louisiana, a multi-track celebration of its culture, mystique and allure. As always, Principato's Fender-charged fretwork generates lots of Stratocaster sparks and Telecaster twang, along with some fiendishly syncopated runs on Professor Longhair's "hey Now Baby" and other tracks. The self-penned instrumental "Return of the Voodoo King" quickly stands out on the album, as does "Louisiana (Been Callin' Me)," which features Tommy Lepson on Hammond organ and the Nighthawks' Mark Wenner on harmonica. Other guests occasionally join Principato, bassist John Perry and drummer Joe Wells, including a few local horn players and pianist Kevin McKendree, best known for his work with soul man Delbert McClinton. As the album's title suggests, though, not all the tunes evoke Louisiana. "Tango'd Up in the Blues," one of Principato's most sensuous and atmospheric compositions, points even farther south, and David Kitchen's "If Love Is Blind" introduces a roots-rock, boogie-powered diversion. Not to be overlooked is "Tipsy," the album's coda, which reverberates with Chuck Berry-flavored bends and double stops. — Mike Joyce, The Washington Post 2005 http://www.tomprincipato.com/press.html User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.