CD REVIEW
Kallay will have you hummin' for more blues
Reviewed by Karl A. Scheitheir
Let me just start this review by being completely honest. Diane Kallay is a former employee of

Bee Publications Inc., but that was before my time and I do not know her.

But after hearing her first CD, "Paisley Blue," I feel I know her just a little through her choice of songs, but more importantly, her soulful voice.

The CD starts with "I'm A Good Woman," a raucous blues song that will have you jumpin' for more. However, Kallay and her voice really shine bright on the songs "If You Will" and "Paisley Blues." Its no wonder Kallay was named "Best Female Blues Vocalist" at the 2002 Buffalo Music Awards - she can really belt out the blues with the best of them (Shemekia Copeland, Bonnie Raitt, Koko Taylor) when need be or hold back and show us her beautiful emotional timber on slower songs like "Just As Long As We Have Each Other" which is more R&B than blues, but good just the same.

Kallay's career has covered everything from '80s music when she fronted the Buffalo band Suspect to the country sounds of Red Rain. You might also remember Kallay from Kinship, an acoustic duo with her brother Bob Raslawsky or the band Urban Renewal, which won top honors in the "Best Crossover Blues Band" category in 2002.

Kallay's band on the CD includes Tom Ryan (drums), George del Valle (bass), Rick Johnston (electric guitars), Ken Kaufman (organ), Larry Easter (trumpet), Bob Meier (trombone), Greg Straka (tenor & soprano saxophones), Harry Fackelman (baritone saxophone) and Ted Cacciatore (harmonica). The CD was produced by Paul Wright and Rick Johnson for Real Loud Records and was recorded at Wright Sound in Amherst. "Paisley Blues" is available in area stores and on the Web at Cdbaby.com. A CD release party will be held at the New Tralf in Buffalo sometime in February. Visit www.DianeKallay.com for more information and dates to hear her perform liv e.