Before Bob Brozman, ethnomusicology seemed to be left to guys who traveled around with tape recorders. Brozman takes that idea one step further by unapologetically inserting himself inside the music at hand, and in the past its made for eclectic and ear-opening listening when he"s traveled through Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Africa or Japan. Rather than focusing on a single influence, here Brozman makes a variety of connections by reflexively tying them to the blues using several models of National steel guitar (his axe of choice) as well as seven-string and Kona Rocket Hawaiian guitars, the Turkish baglama and even percussion. He"s joined by a drummer on three of the 13 songs, but mostly he overdubs himself to fine effect or goes it alone with solo performances on a mix of traditionals, tunes by Charley Patton and Skip James and his own bluesy originals. This is one his fans will surely love, but the variety means it"s not a bad place for the curious to start. -- Tad Hendrickson