Edmonton’s Kat Danser is now Dr. Kat Danser with her PhD in Ethnomusicology, taking her study of blues music to its highest level – she has spent more time in Mississippi than she has at home. She is also a tireless performer, now releasing her fifth album, produced by Juno-award winning Steve Dawson. The car on the cover is her 1949 Ford Lead Sled and much of the album consists some very well written travelling songs. Dawson helps a lot with his various guitars, Jim Hoke plays masterful harp, Jeremy Holmes, bass and Gary Craig, drums. They do an amazing job keeping everything moving. She leads off with the rocking “Goin’ Gone”, this time on a train headed to the South and then a car on Highway 61. “Memphis, Tennessee” is an attractive tune with Danser personifying the city, showing her deep knowledge of the importance of Memphis to the blues. She does something similar with her “Kansas City Blues”, describing her feelings in terms of a winter day in that famous blues centre. Brownie McGhee’s “Chevrolet Car” gets a lovely rendering with two fiddles highlighting the arrangement. Another fine original rocker has her pleading for a lover not to leave quite yet, “Hol’ Up, Baby” features some fine Dawson guitar too. “Train I Ride” is credited to Fred McDowell but you’d hardly recognize it, with Dawson’s much different guitar style and Jim Hoke on tenor sax. Danser’s vocal is most persuasive. There is nothing dry or academic about this one, just a set of excellent modern blues. It’s time for Ms. Danser to come east again and not just for the Blues Summit. Check out her web site at www.KatDanser.com.