The first wide release from Connecticut-born bluesman Peter Parcek appeal to fans of Savoy Brown and/or Peter Green. He should also draw an audience from beyond just blues or Brit-blues. Good is good and when it’s good enough, labels don’t matter.

Parcek kicks off with wicked overdriven slide in the Green-inspired “Showbiz Blues” and in “Lord Help The Poor and Needy” he’s chokin’ that neck like Muddy Waters, squeezing note after emotive note. He’s spot on with an inspired take on Ray Charles “Busted,” and in the title cut he goes at it John-Lee-Hooker-style. As a kid, he was a fixture at blues shows,studying the greats up close – Skip James, Muddy, Albert and B.B. King, even Jimi Hendrix. He learned to play well enough and record with blues piano great Pinetop Perkins.

It’s encouraging to see how many good blues players – especially guitarists – are coming along, with native New England being a hot spot; Duke Robillard, Mike Dinallo, and Samuel James have roots in the area. And Parcek has the touch – pure and simple; the components of The Mathematics Of Love add up to one mean mess of good blues.

This article originally appeared in VG’s Aug. ’10 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.