Coleman a shining light for women in blues

The blues has always been a largely male domain. Sure, we've had a slew of great vocalists, from Bessie Smith to Billie Holiday to Dinah Washington to Etta James to Koko Taylor. However, when it comes down to grabbing a guitar, plugging in and tearing up the joint, there have been very few women (Memphis Minnie, Rory Block and Bonnie Raitt, to name a select trio) who've been able -- or even willing -- to take on Muddy, Buddy, John Lee and Stevie on their own turf.\nBut for the last decade, there's been Deborah Coleman, whose vocals and guitar work have made her a much-respected, if less-than-famous, figure on the blues circuit. What About Love?, her first disc for Telarc, features her deep, sultry voice, biting riffs and sharp solos soaking through 11 solid tracks.\nCuts like the disc-opening "Bad Boy" and "Lie No Better" reveal a singer/guitarist who possesses both maturity and heartfelt soul. Her cover of the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved?" and the steamy "A Woman in Love" are also durable.\nUnfortunately, What About Love? features no tracks that jump off the CD and help place Coleman among the blues elite. She is indeed one of the shining lights and best hopes for female blues, but she still hasn't made the jump to the top tier of the genre.