Blues   Everything Changes Artist: Will Tang Distributed by: Zen Records Reviewed by Melissa Minners               I love receiving music from independent artists, not simply because I get to listen to works I might not have ever heard while listening to mainstream radio, but because I get to listen to all sorts of genre, some of which I truly enjoy.  Mainstream radio does not play a great deal of blues and that’s a shame.  Blues music expresses feelings in a way that rock and pop never will.  So, I was pleased to discover that the latest CD to find my mail box was Everything Changes by blues artist Will Tang.             Born in Rochdale to British and Chinese parents, music touched Will Tang’s soul at a very early age.  His father played in the Hong Kong Philharmonic and his grandfather was a minister who played the church organ.  After attending the blues festivals in Colne and Burnley, Will discovered his true passion for the music: “It was only then that I realized the profound influence of the blues, taking me on a musical journey from it's African roots through rock'n'roll, soul, rock and jazz, it soon became evident that most of today's music owed something to the blues.”  Turning his back on a promising career as an engineer, Will Tang headed off to Hong Kong to explore his heritage and soon became a part of the late-night jazz and blues scene he found there.  Singing and playing the guitar and harmonica, Will quickly made a name for himself here, playing for well-known Chinese stars and traveling with singer/musician Simon Le Bon.  It wasn’t long before he had a record deal.  Four albums later, he decided to return the UK, signing up with Zen Records.  His debut album for Zen was called Everything Changes.             From the title track, one can’t help but fall in love with Will Tang’s bluesy voice.  The music is classic blues at its best – a mix of harmonica, guitars and piano – with lyrics that tell a story.  The songs on the album speak of love, pain, sorrow and hope.  Along with the title track of Everything Changes, I truly enjoyed Troubles Down – “Don’t need to know your name, it’s just the same to me / Don’t matter where I go, I’m just trying to be free / but I can’t help but wonder will we ever meet again / until then won’t you come on in and lay your troubles down” and the sad tale that is Red City Blues.  Something else I enjoyed about this album – there are some truly great jam sessions here.  Witness Time of Day – so few lyrics that they aren’t even listed in the booklet that comes along with the album – just plenty of blues harmonica and guitar riffs.             If you love blues, you can’t miss checking out Everything Changes by Will Tang.  There’s no denying Will Tang’s talent as a blues musician/singer/songwriter.  Were there no lyrics in this entire album, the album would still be enjoyable.  The music is just amazing and coupled with the bluesy vocals and storytelling lyrics, Everything Changes is the consummate blues album.  The first time I listened to the CD, I simply enjoyed the songs.  The second time, I found myself singing along, playing air guitar.  If you can’t find enjoyment in Everything Changes by Will Tang, you had better start checking yourself for a pulse.      To shop for more Will Tang products check out his webpage at Will Tang - Shop.   For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop.net.