11th Hour

iTunes Review

Somewhat in the manner of Bonnie Raitt, the Detroit-born singer/pianist Deanna Bogart is a traditionalist unafraid to venture across a wide spectrum of American musical idioms, and this album finds her steadily expanding her horizons in tandem with seasoned players guitarist Dan Leonard, bassist Scott Ambush and drummer Mike Aubin. With equal finesse, this fine combo delves into celebratory gospel (“Heart ‘N Soul”), plaintive country-rock (“Avery’s Town”), sleek L.A.-style fusion (“Unkl Funkl”) and summery ‘70s soul (“Love and Attention,” featuring bluesman Tommy Castro). Especially well done is the Allman Brothers-esque jazz-rock number “Almonjoi” and a searing yet sensitive version of Stevie Wonder’s “’Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers.” The jagged, probing “Thrash Boogie 2010” tosses in an avant-garde element. On “Eleventh Hour Blues” and a tender cover of John Hiatt’s “Have a Little Faith,” Bogart reasserts her blues credentials with smoldering vocal performances. The band never loses the emotional thread linking these tunes.