Cookie Mariano would appear to be the uncrowned "Queen of the Blues" in the Florida area and this album is a reunion of the version of The Vagrantz that existed in 2000 and 2001.
Blues standards are probably what made up this band's set list back in the days and blues standards is what we get here. Competently performed, the band stroll casually through versions of songs like "Blue Monday", "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "Walkin' The Dog". The best thing here is Cookie herself as she lays into the songs in a manner that is laconic yet passionate. Vaguely reminiscent of both Ruth Brown and Etta James, she shows confidence and, more importantly, verve in her approach. Regrettably, and despite the fact that these songs were recorded live in the studio, the band just can't match her energy.
Overall, this is solid but unadventurous set of songs. The main disappointment is the band. They don't sound like a band that could play all night long, they sound like they have played all night long. The appeal of Cookie's voice compensates for the most part but, even so, you have to wonder about the commercial logic of releasing a double CD of blues standards in this day and age.
Available from Blues Destiny Records.