by Chuck Dauphin
Listening to this album is like a conversation with an old friend. You might not agree with every point of view expressed, but you respect it. And, just maybe – to quote Bill Cosby from the intro to the 70s cartoon Fat Albert, “If you’re not careful, you might just learn something before you’re done.”
Cummings grew up in Boston, enthralled with the Blues that his brother was listening to. Over the years, he would add acts such as Bob Dylan and Earl Scruggs to his influence list, and the resulting mix is a very intriguing sound.
You can definitely hear the Dylan influence on cuts like “A Perfect Gentleman” and “Honey Became Their Name.” Both cuts exhibit that famous Dylan sense of quirk.
One of my favorite tracks is the very sly “Sexy Lips And Shapely Hips,” on which he describes the power of a woman. You can tell throughout the song that he is enjoying giving the description, as well. There’s the social commentary “Kings On Strings” that is very impressive, but perhaps the jewel of these cuts is the wistful “In Memory Of,” which might just bring a tear to the eyes.
The name of the album is Storyteller, and throughout the disc, Cummings does exactly just that in a unique and novel approach – one that is definitely worth a listen.
For more information, log on to www. MichaelZCummings.com!
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