Micki Free - Dreamcatcher

by Kevin Wierzbicki

The Las Vegas-based Micki Free is a Native American blues rocker who is a GRAMMY winner and who has also been the recipient of five awards from the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame. Here on this five-song EP Free plays all the guitar parts, sings lead and background vocals and plays Native American flute while being backed by members of the Santana band including drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, bass man Benny Rietveld and singer Ray Green. Other guests include bassist Rhonda Smith (Prince, Jeff Beck) and keyboards player Mark "Muggie Do" Leach. On the EP's opening cut "When the Devil's at Your Door" Free makes his guitar scream like Satan might if he got his pointy tail caught in a meat grinder. Just about every listener knows what Free is singing about in the song's lyrics too; we've all had those times when life's ills conspire to suck any positivity out of the day. Free is in a funky mood for the earthy groove of "My Sweet Honey," reeling off guitar riffs that lean into psychedelia, aided by organ fills from Leach and a punchy rhythm from Blackman Santana. Title cut "Dreamcatcher" is a great showcase for Free on guitar and flute; because of the latter the song, an instrumental, takes on a bit of an ethereal tone and a vibe that harkens back to the hippie era. "Night Crawler" finds Free giving his guitar a real workout; some will hear a Stevie Ray Vaughn influence in his fiery playing on the song that's about tracking down some illusive booty, Leach's keyboard work again playing a big part in the overall sound. The effort ends on a more subdued note with "We Are One" where acoustic guitar carries the melody while Free's electric romps between verses. Besides his stellar guitar work Free has a velvety smooth voice and those who don't yet know his work will be absolutely thrilled when introduced to Dreamcatcher.

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