简介：byBillDahl ThefutureofBatonRougeswampbluesliessquarelyinmultiinstrumentalistKennyNealscapablehands—thesecondgenerationsouthernLouisianabluesmanisentirelycognizantoftheregionsvenerablebluestraditionandimaginativeenoughtosteeritinfreshdirections,ashisalbumsforAlligatorconfirm.Hisdad,harpistRafulNeal,wasaBatonRougebluesmainstaywhosepalsincludedBuddyGuyandSlimHarpo(thelatterhandedthreeyearoldKennyanoldharponedayasatoy,andthatwasit).Atage13,Nealwasplayinginhisfathersband,andhepickedupabassat17forBuddyGuy.In1987,NealcuthisdebutLPforFloridaproducerBobGreenlee—astunninglyupdatedswampfeastinitiallymarketedonKingSnakeRecordsasBioontheBayou.Alligatorpickeditupthefollowingyear,retitleditBigNewsfromBatonRouge!!,andyoungNealwasonhisway.Nealssizzlingguitarwork,sturdyharp,andgravelly,agedbeyondhisyearsvocalshaveservedhimwelleversince.AmonghisnumerousalbumsareDevilChild(1989),BayouBlood(1992),HoodooMoon(1994),BluesFallinDownLikeRain(1998),WhatYouGot(2000),OneStepCloser(2001),EasyMeeting(2003),DoubleTake(2004),andATrubutetoSlimHarpoandRafulNeal(2005).