Veteran guitarist, vocalist, and Grammy-nominated engineer Carmen Grillo lights up the blues-rock world with his electrifying new album Walkinโ The Tightrope, out October 7, 2025. A project five years in the making, itโs a tour de force of groove, grit, and class that reminds you why live musicianship still reigns supreme. Recorded at his own Big Surprise Music studio, the album blends blues, rock, and jazz with a level of polish and passion only Grillo could deliver. With contributions from legends like Bill Champlin and Jason Scheff of Chicago, keyboard wizard Rob Mullins, and Doc Kupka from Tower of Power, this is an album built on decades of mastery and friendship, like a love letter to the craft of playing, writing, and feeling music down to the bone.
The opener, โTakinโ Off,โ does exactly what its title promises โ it lifts off. With churning, gritty guitar riffs and punchy beats that hit like a freight train, Grillo sings with swagger and fire, his voice brimming with charisma and confidence. The energy is infectious, rolling through the speakers like a Saturday night jam thatโs just getting started.
The title track, โWalkinโ the Tightrope,โ is pure instrumental magic, as it balances between precision and passion. Bursting with grand horns that swagger in before giving way to a slinky, rhythmic groove, itโs the sound of a band having the time of their lives. The guitar lines glide and grind in perfect conversation with the rhythm section.
Closing on โFly Past the Moon,โ Grillo sends listeners off on a high. The guitars soar and shimmer, the drums pulse like a heartbeat, and the melody carries you into orbit. With Walkinโ The Tightrope, Carmen Grillo proves heโs still walking tall and playing harder than ever.
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Review by: Naomi Joan