**/2 Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, UP &

IN

(Alligator)

Another plus is Margolin's love for tradition. His songs nod affectionately to Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Snooky Pryor, even Bessie Smith (with the sassy honeyed voice of Sweet Betty). You can also hear guitar licks borrowed from the late Luther "Snake" Johnson, Chuck Berry, and others. Guest turns from pianists Dave Maxwell and Pinetop Perkins raise the stakes too.

-- Ted Drozdowski