Album Review: Jose Ramirez – Bad Hombre

Costa Rican guitarist Jose Ramirez has covered a great deal of ground during his few years in the spotlight. Debuting in 2021 with the self-released Here I Come, he demonstrated his mastery of taut, expressive playing against the backdrop of sleek (but not slick) production values. That release earned him a Blues Music Award nomination.

Ramirez returned in 2022 with Major League Blues; that album’s title signaled the guitarist’s debut on the prestigious Delmark label. Benefiting from a more pared-back production aesthetic, the record helped focus attention on instrumentation rather than arrangements. Ramirez’s talents are significant in both areas, but the change was a well-considered one.

Now in 2024 comes Bad Hombre. Released on a Brazilian label, 34-year-old Ramirez’s third long player dispenses with the studio aesthetic altogether, instead capturing him live onstage. Drawing upon all of the power, energy and give-and-take that a concert can afford, Bad Hombre captures that excitement.

The set opens with the band vamping in solid fashion; an emcee introduces the guitarist, and right on cue he launches into a tasty lick. After a minute filled with lead runs, he cajoles the Sarasota, Florida audience into more applause. He responds to their cheers by leaning into the mic and delivering a soulful vocal. Written by the members of Booker T & the MGs and first cut by Albert King, “The Hunter” is filled with sassy lyrics that include repeated references to the singer’s “love gun.” It’s fair to say that the assembled audience knows what Ramirez is singing about… but it could be his guitar.

Either way, it’s all in good fun, and as solid as the tunes on Bad Hombre are, at their core they’re musical canvases upon which Ramirez can metaphorically paint with his six-string. That’s not to say that his band doesn’t get in on the action; keyboardist Martin “Tincho” Amenebar lays down some superb organ runs.

Some artists shout – literally or figuratively – to gain attention. On “Three Years,” Ramirez succeeds by taking the opposite approach. The band quiets down to near-silence, and the guitarist plays spare licks barely louder than a whisper. In doing so, he holds the audience in rapt attention. Bad Hombre demonstrates that right alongside his skills as a player and writer, Jose Ramirez is a consummate showman.

More than half of the tunes on Bad Hombre are Ramirez originals. Tracks like his “One Woman Man” stand proudly alongside his well-chosen covers. A reading of B.B. King’s “Sweet 16” gives Ramirez an opportunity to dig deep into the sonorous qualities of his guitar, taking the tempo way down and letting the notes sustain for all they’re worth.

A pair of bonus tracks wraps up the set. Both are studio recordings; the first is a cover of Ray Charles’ “Drown in My Own Tears.” It’s full of soulful r&b character; the horn chart is spot-on, and the sax solo is a delight. “Gotta Let You Go” features a different lineup that includes Jim Pugh on piano and B3. It’s just a guess, but those two studio tracks might hint at what listeners can expect from Ramirez’s next album. Either way, that’s eagerly awaited. In the meantime, Bad Hombre is a rock-solid live set.