Sonny Landreth “Down in Louisiana”<i> Epic</i>

Sonny Landreth makes good on the title of his debut solo album by digging his heels deep into the rich musical soil of his native Louisiana. As a guitarist, he found himself in front of pop audiences touring with John Hiatt in recent years. Before that, he had played with Zachary Richard, one of the preeminent Cajun rockers. On his own, like Richard, Landreth uses the many strains of music practiced in Southwestern Louisiana--Cajun, zydeco, blues, rock, country, folk, even bluegrass--as a starting point for his own infectious blends. He’s not an especially strong singer, but has an earnest delivery that serves him well on the seven tunes written by him and-or his band mate Mel Melton. Like the songs by other writers he covers--two Clifton Chenier tunes and one by Sonny Boy Williamson--the originals stick to matters close to the heart: home, love lost, love regained.

Mostly this is a musical odyssey, with Landreth’s sinewy guitar playing leading the way. He uses a mandolin introduction to get his own “Sugar Cane” off to a buoyant start, shifts to edgy slide guitar in the mysterious “The Parish Line.” His playing is economical, melodic and well thought out.

Melton’s harmonica works is prominent throughout, filling in for accordion on the zydeco numbers and pumping breath into the blues tunes. And his rhythm section--bassist Dave Ranson and drummer Mike Binet--move adroitly from the zydeco two-step to Afro-Indian street parade rhythms to gritty blues.