Nick Moss is one of the best living arguments for learning blues the old-fashioned way—paying one's dues in the service of the masters—that there is. His work with the Legendary Blues Band, Jimmy Rogers, Pinetop Perkins, and other legends have given him solid chops and a musical sensibility that ranks him among artists to watch.

With his third album, Count Your Blessings, Moss does nothing to damage that rock-solid reputation. Continuing in a vein similar to Got A New Plan, Moss travels the territory of Chicago blues with skill and flair.

It helps that he has some good companions for his journey, notably pianist Barrelhouse Chuck Goering' you can tell that it's him, but he fits inperfectly as Moss and company serve up a tasty stew of originals and classic blues. At 18 tracks, it's quite a meal, kicking off with a fourish with “Heavy On My Mind,” which settles into an ambling Chicago groove featuring a tasteful guitar solo, In fact, “tasteful” is a good word to describe Moss' guitar style—he's neither too restrained nor too exuberant. Moss can rev it up, too, as he does on the title track and Leroy Carr's “Barrelhouse Woman.” He gives his crew plenty of room to shine' on “Porchlight,” Curtis Salgado takes the fore with his harmonica, and on “Barrelhouse Woman,” Goering takes the lead with vocals as well as piano. On a stunning rendition of Big Bill Broonzy's “Hey Hey,” Sam Myers gets a vocal turn.

This ensemble-oriented approach, executed in the best Chicago tradition, adds a depth and texture unheard of on more artist-focused albums. For this, Moss is to be commended; not only is he a more-than-competent musician, he's got the confidence to give his compatriots their turns in the spotlight. Fans of the Chicago sound could do far worse than to pick this one up.

—Genevieve Williams