Philipp Fankhauser's artistic evolution makes for a great story: a German speaking Switzerland native grows up to love American blues, thanks in part to frequent appearances by Albert Collins, B.B. King, and John Lee Hooker at the Montreux Jazz Festival. That kind of story only takes you so far, however. The question is, can this guy stand with the guys he emulates? In Fankhauser's case, most certainly. You'd have to know his bio to have any idea Fankhauser wasn't born on U.S. soil: There's no trace of an accent in his smooth singing voice, which recalls the soulfulness of Tommy Castro or Curtis Salgado.

Fankhauser has been releasing albums since the 1980s , so his sound is fully developed. On Talk To Me, his debut for Memphis International, he offers a slate of originals and several covers, including a version of "Members Only" that Dennis Walker produced some years back. Walker produced a few other tracks as well, while most of the rest were produced by Bobby Kyle. The exception is a live version of Solomon Burke's "Down In The Valley" that closes the disc. Despite the piecemeal approach and contributions by nearly two dozen musicians (including a horn section), Talk To Me still manages to have a unified feel, thanks to Fankhauser's consistent approach.

Fankhauser, who studied under guitarist Johnny Copeland, learned much from his teachers. He pays Copeland respect on covers of "Cut Off My Right Arm" and "Flying High (Yesterday)." Among his own songs, he displays a B.B. King influence on "Who's Gonna Sing The Blues For You?". The answer: maybe a German-speaking Swiss guy. Talk To Me presents the polished work of a seasoned entertainer.

Michael Cote, Blues Revue

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