**** Terry Evans

COME TO THE RIVER

(AudioQuest)

Terry Evans's name may not be universally known, but his music is familiar to roots fans who fell for those excellent, loose-limbed Ry Cooder recordings in the 1980s. Evans provided much of the gruff vocal backing, nonchalant musical precision, and other good-grooving elements on those LPs, and Cooder returns the favor on Come to the River, Evans's second CD under his own name.

A gospel sensibility pervades the CD, whether Evans's rugged voice is lifting a spiritual or manhandling blues chestnuts like the jivy piano boogie "I Got Loaded." The rhythms are understated and infectious; the musicianship is sterling. Lots of things get called blues these days, but Come to the River has a deep blues feel that starts with Cooder's shimmering slide guitar and goes all the way down to the baritone rumble of back-up vocalist Willie Green. Evans has wrapped himself in something comfortable and warm -- like a big flannel shirt -- that's going to wear well for a long time.

-- Bill Kisliuk