by Al Campbell
Soul singer/songwriter Don Covay's first new release in 25 years, and one he has wanted to accomplish since suffering a stroke in 1992, finds him in good form with a little help from his friends. Adlib has a loose fun feel to it, as Covay intentionally wanted to keep the proceedings from sounding sterile, hence the title. The majority of the album is new Covay material, with a few of his classics like &Mercy Mercy& and &Three Time Loser& revisited. An impressive roster of friends and fans helping out on Adlib include Paul Rodgers, Wilson Pickett, Lee Konitz, Otis Clay, Kim Simmonds, Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson, Paul Shaffer, Huey Lewis, and Dan Penn, with cover art by Ronnie Wood.