"Crossing Borders" Review by Americana Highways

JULY 8th, 2020 - Sometimes the best way forward is to take a whole group of influences and throw them together to see what shakes out. Evelyn Rubio decided the time for that was now. Coming out of the barrios of Mexico City, she has always been a chance-taker. There is no way Rubio would have gotten this far without that fearlessness. For her new album, she swerves from blues, rock, Latin and even country to show a musician who is ready for everything. Assembling several different backing bands, producer Larry Fulcher and Rubio sound like they’ve found their ultimate groove. Whether it’s the Phantom Blues band, two original members of Spirit or Etta James’ longtime guitarist Josh Sklar, every song feels as if it’s all coming from right inside Evelyn Rubio’s soul. She’s had a serpentine journey through the blues boulevards of Houston, into Austin and beyond, but the underlying goal has been to find what moves her the deepest and then take that excitement to the audience. And of course it doesn’t hurt that Rubio is no stranger to the saxophone. As America blends into a true cross-section of nationalities, this is music that shows just how exciting it can be when those influences all come together in a style that seems to explode right from the start. Just so that point is not missed, three of the album’s songs are also performed in Spanish, proving once and for all that music has no color or language. It is an equal opportunity unifier and will not be denied. Do not forget.

By Bill Bentley

Link to Article: https://americanahighways.org/2020/07/10/bentleys-bandstand-july-2020/