What does a talented guitarist do after 25 years of making other artists sound great? Ricky Z. answers that question on his sophomore solo album, Back To The Truth. The answer is: finally take the spotlight himself with some amazing session players supporting him..
Ricky Z. (born Ricky Zahariades) has spent decades as one of the most in-demand session and touring guitarists working today. His resume includes recording or performing with BTS, Josh Groban, Steven Tyler, John Fogerty, Paul Anka, Alan Parsons, and Latin Grammy winners Juan Gabriel and Beto Cuevas. He’s also logged time in musical theater with Los Angeles’s Center Theater Group, plus work in film, television, and video games. On Back To The Truth, though, Ricky returns to his own roots in Americana traditions like blues, rock and roll, Cajun, gospel, and jazz, backed by a deep bench of session players including drummer Chad Cromwell, bassist Jimmy Earl, and accordionist Teddy Andreadis.
Big drums lead off “Mister Please,” settling quickly into a smooth adult-rock groove. Strong male and female vocals sit right up front in the mix, and an impressive keyboard solo rounds the song out. From the first minute, it’s clear this is a moving, adult-contemporary rock record.
“Congo Square” continues the steady pace. It’s a fun, quick-moving blues rock track packed with excellent guitar work, and Ricky’s climactic solo pulls together a wall of sound that fills the speakers completely.
Come Dance With Ricky Z on ‘Congo Square’
Things slow down considerably on “Time Served.” A passionate blues rock vibe takes over, and emotion-filled vocals tell a story of longing for love. Ricky Z shows off his versatility here. The title track follows as a purely instrumental showcase, and it earns its spot: quick, elegant playing up and down the neck, flashy without ever tipping into showing off. Somewhere in between, Ricky also turns his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” into a genuinely worthy addition to that song’s long list of interpretations, keeping the arrangement sparse and letting the melody carry the weight on its own.
A real groove takes over on “Dancing Shoes,” anchored by an extraordinary bassline. This is a song that could fit comfortably anywhere from the 70s to the 2000s. Toe-tapping and head bobbing, in other words, are mandatory. Get ready to move.
Finally, “We Make A Good Gumbo” closes things out with a full Louisiana party vibe. Accordionist Teddy Andreadis adds a huge amount of flavor here, and every instrument blends together the way a good gumbo should: distinct ingredients working as one delicious dish.
After a career spent elevating other artists, Ricky Z. finally gets to be the headline act on his own record, and Back To The Truth proves he’s earned it. Fans of session-heavy blues records built around A-list musicianship should also check out Albert Cummings’s True to Yourself and Arlen Roth’s Blues Grass, both good company for an album like this one.
Release Information
Artist: Ricky Z.
Release: Back To The Truth (Album)
Label: Independent
Genre: Blues Rock / Americana
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