David Egan: You Don’t Know Your Mind

David Egan
You Don't Know Your Mind
Rhonda Sue
2008-10-11

David Egan, veteran songwriter and piano player out of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been around some. He studied jazz composition at North Texas State before pounding the keys in numerous groups including R&B stompers A-Train, Cajun band Filé and Lafayette super-group Lil’ Band O’ Gold. His songs have been recorded by Solomon Burke, Etta James and Mavis Staples among others. His praiseworthy debut Twenty Years of Trouble came out five years ago — sadly, the only time this skillful musician has entered the studio as a solo artist before now.

Egan’s second album You Don’t Know Your Mind, however, proves well worth the wait. This is a record which captures the many flavors of New Orleans fertile music scene over its 11 original cuts. Opening with the languid, swampy soulful groove of the title track (co-written with long-time collaborator Buddy Flett), Egan shuffles and rolls through smokey after-hours jazz, “If It Is What It Is (It’s Love)”, downhome Crescent City blues, “Bourbon In My Cup”, and pumping-piano boogie, “Smile”, while the Fats Domino-inspired “You’re Lyin’ Again” is pure R&B gold.

RATING 7 / 10