I hadn’t heard of her before last week, but Dana Fuchs is quickly emerging as a blues rock dynamo. Seeing her at the Jazz Alley last night, I could appreciate the likenesses to Janis Joplin, Mick Jagger and Robert Plant. She has a fire and an energy that put her in special company.
The first time you hear Fuchs’ voice, you think of Joplin immediately. She has that raspy and impassioned pitch. She connects with the audience, telling a short story before each song, and having people clapping and standing almost at her will. Her moves are powerful but agile, adding to her charismatic appeal. Although a blues musician first, she has a flair for rock & roll, and even sang a little country to acknowledge her southern roots.
Fuchs will be at the Jazz Alley for one more night, and the Jazzbones this Saturday. Comparisons aside, she is a very original artist and an experience to be seen.
