February 7, 2005

Tommy Castro, Soul Shaker, Riff Player, Love Maker
Baruch College, The City University of New York

When I was first given a copy of Tommy Castro’s upcoming album Soul Shaker, my initial thought was "who is this guy?" I had no clue that he was or what his status was as an artist.

In order to satisfy this curiosity I did some research. It turns out Castro is an accredited and highly known blues, jazz, and rock guitarist. Moreover, his talents aren’t limited to his guitar playing, he also sings and writes on the album.

At first ear of the album, I was kind of skeptical. It wasn’t because of the music, but rather because of my ignorance. To me it sounded like country music, something I don’t find too appealing to the ear. But after a few songs and my falling in love with the bass lines, myself being a bassist, I had to admit that I was impressed and was able to understand what Carlos Santana meant when he said, "Tommy Castro is the person who has the voice, the sound, and the intentions to touch everybody’s heart."

I can honestly say that Soul Shaker is a great album with something for everyone. It has guitar riffs that just lift you into the emotions of his writing, bass lines that smooth you away with melody, drums that are played with empowering force, and of course his voice - a voice of love that can only be sung by someone who truly enjoys what they are doing.

This is a great album indeed, recommended to everyone who truly loves music. Soul Shaker was released on Feb. 1. Recently, his album release party was hosted at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill on 42nd street where he also performed for the lucky people that happened to catch it.

Genesis Tejada - Contributing Writer

Original Review (Offsite Link)