Will Foulke’s ‘Charleston Blues’ Bridges Past and Present

Will Foulke’s Charleston Blues is both a homage and a provocation. The record acknowledges the lineage of blues, rock, and soul, but insists on rerouting those traditions through a prism of modern introspection. It’s not pastiche—it’s dialogue. Foulke, who handles every instrument and vocal line himself, uses the album to explore how personal expression can coexist with reverence for the canon.

The highlights serve as case studies. “Still Alive” layers Otis Redding’s emotive grit with a quiet, searching balladry that suggests John Mayer’s Continuum. “One Notch” blends jazzy textures and sly rhythmic interplay, creating a track as much about groove as melody. The title track, “Charleston Blues,” is pure catharsis—its guitar work blistering, almost violent in its insistence. Each song feels less like a discrete entry and more like a chapter in an evolving essay on the blues’ durability.

“This record is a tribute to the blues and the musicians who made the genre what it is today. Each song reflects a piece of that legacy”, Foulke shares.

Yet what makes the album resonate isn’t its technical execution (though that’s considerable) but its vulnerability. Foulke’s decision to close with “Out To You,” a lush Brian Wilson tribute, underscores his central thesis: that the blues isn’t bound by geography or era, but by a willingness to excavate emotion. In Charleston Blues, Foulke has crafted a record that acknowledges the weight of tradition while daring to ask what else it can hold.

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