Trumpeter and vocalist Al Basile's six previous recordings for his Sweet Spot label have shown him to be a crowd-pleasing performer since his days as a prime contributor in Roomful of Blues. Good thing he never burned bridges with his former bandmates, for they all rally around him on his recordings that continue to brand his style of blues with consistency within an authentic horn-fired Chicago style of sophisticated swing. Duke Robillard (guitar, no vocals), Rich Lataille (alto sax), Doug James (tenor or baritone sax), and Carl Querfurth (trombone) are among his longtime supporters on the date along with bassist Marty Ballou, the great keyboardist Bruce Katz, and drummer Mark Texeira, comprising as great an East Coast band as one could imagine. Where his vocal style is soulful and smooth without being insincere, he's an excellent horn player, at once recalling Louis Armstrong, Joe Newman from the Count Basie band, and legendary blues trumpeter King Kolax. From the get-go on the slinky "Housekey Blues" with its basic New Orleans strut, horns in the background observing a latent stalking mood, you understand that Basile is a slick dude on the mellow side. The too-cool "Dollar to a Dime" is a light shuffle with a completely unforced solo by the trumpeter and "You Showed Me Something" reveals much the same laid-back attitude, while a slower "Lonely Are the Brave" is accented by jungle drums and the piercing organ of the ever brilliant Katz. But Basile mixes it up for the upbeat funky rocker "I Hope You're Right," the reggae-flavored "Causing Joy" in a nice twist, the funkier pop song "The Dream," the everyman tune "Give It Like You Get It," and the harmonica-driven country blues "Termites in My Basement," a feature for Sugar Ray Norcia. Perhaps "Where Are You Tonight?" is the deepest song, with a fine tenor solo from Sax Gordon, as Basile is wondering and wandering, pondering whether, after he has taken care of his baby, she is straying or staying close to home. The upbeat and fun "Today's Your Birthday" won't supplant the Beatles tune of the same sentiment, but it's good for the occasion nonetheless. Very few blues and jazz combinations will be as satisfying as Soul Blue 7, with the caveat that you should also check out Basile's previous recordings that mark as him as a true original and a star attraction of this purely American music blend. ~ Michael G. Nastos