Like a Fire [Digipak] (CD - 2008)

Personnel: Steve Jordan (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, percussion, background vocals); Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos (acoustic guitar); Candy Burke (background vocals).

Recording information: The Village, Los Angeles, CA (01/03/2008-01/14/2008).

Photographers: Marina Chavez; Shawn Amos.

Arranger: Mark Watters.

Though Solomon Burke was undeniably one of the very finest soul singers of the 1960s, he spent far too many years in the wilderness until 2002's DON'T GIVE UP ON ME started his comeback train rolling. The rest of the decade found him turning out new albums at a steady clip, and 2008's LIKE A FIRE finds a 68-year-old Burke still fully capable of wringing tear-jerking emotion from his voice. While his 2006 album, NASHVILLE, saw him reinterpreting country tunes, LIKE A FIRE is more akin to DON'T GIVE UP ON ME, as Burke tackles new songs written for him by the likes of Eric Clapton, Keb' Mo', and Ben Harper, who also add their considerable instrumental talents to the proceedings. While some of the material is a bit smoother than that of his last few efforts, Burke's indomitable voice is as commanding and powerful as ever, immediately demanding the listener's attention, and rewarding that attention with emotionally complex, nuanced performances on every single track. minimize