David Clayton-Thomas - Aurora

The gritty singer of Blood, Sweat and Tears released an admirable blues album with 1998’s Blue Plate Special. Here, Clayton-Thomas tackles a smorgasbord of genres, from blues numbers and folk ballads to jazz standards, with mixed results. While his booming style is well suited to bluesy workouts like “Mercy Lord Above” and “Wild Women & Po’ Boys,” it’s badly misplaced on delicate tunes like Billie Holiday’s “Don’t Explain” and Joni Mitchell’s “River.” Still, give the man credit for attempting this artistic stretch.

Mar. 15