Consummate singer-songwriter-harmonica player Curtis Salgado has been a well-kept secret for years. Formerly lead vocalist for the Grammy-winning band Roomful of Blues, and later with Robert Cray, the Stilettos, and Santana, Salgado boasts exceptional phrasing and vocal fluency, from blues to rock to funk to soul to gospel, which are a delight to serious musicians and fans alike. After his critically acclaimed solo efforts "Curtis Salgado" (1991), "More Than You Can Chew" (1995), "Hit It and Quit It" (1997), and "Wiggle Outta This" (1999), Salgado"s 2001 tour-de-force "Soul Activated" showcases not only his dynamic performance artistry, but also his superb songwriting abilities, most notably with the sublime feelgood shuffle "Summertime Life" and the plaintive "I Sleep with the TV On." Other choice cuts are Leon Russell"s infectious boogie "I"d Rather Be Blind," Daryl Hall"s "Every Time You Go Away," and a robust arrangement of Jimmy Cliff"s reggae classic, "The Harder They Come." --Alan Greenberg