Omar Dykes"s assertive rocking roots music comes from an aural intersection where Howlin" Wolf meets John Fogerty deep in the heart of Texas, getting its power from a big beat and the evocative resonance of Dykes"s rumbling vocals. The charismatic Dykes, born in Bo Diddley"s home town in Mississippi, has made his band a stalwart of the Austin blues scene for a couple of decades, but Big Delta puts the spotlight squarely on him, and he rises to the occasion with his most satisfying recording yet. Dykes surrounds himself with an all-star edition of the Howlers and elevates and expands some of his best material, demonstrating more depth and diversity in his playing while retaining the primal power of his trademark growling blues approach. Bassist Roscoe Beck, best known for his work with guitarists Robben Ford and Eric Johnson, is a key to much of the recording"s musical success, but he"s ably assisted by veteran drummers Terry Bozzio and Frosty Smith, who split percussion duties. Worldbeat star Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne supplies some exotic sonic spice via guitar, sitar, and dobro to Dykes"s meat-and-potatoes guitar solos. The band rips it up from first note to last, blasting through an anthemic "Wall of Pride," snaking through a swampy "Mystery Walk," and even successfully reviving and reinventing the Mountain hit "Mississippi Queen." Other highlights include a percussion-driven rendition of Dykes"s autobiographical "Muddy Springs Road," the deep blues workout of "Life Without You," and a forceful take on "Monkey Land". --Michael Point