Duwayne Burnside

As the pool of Mississippi bluesmen, so belatedly celebrated over the last 10 years, continues to shrink, it's good to know that at least one true heir exists to forestall the curtain's fall on their rough and raucous style. Guitarist Duwayne Burnside, son of indie-blues deity R.L. Burnside, plays with an edge and a fire that's more suited to a southern juke joint 40 years ago than any present-day venue.

The thirtysomething Burnside surely knows a thing or two about juke joints, having spent more than a few nights backing both his father and Junior Kimbrough, in addition to leading the house band in his own Memphis club. Burnside's highest-profile gig to date was his three-year stint trading leads with Luther Dickinson in the North Mississippi All-Stars. He appears on that band's 2003 disc, Polaris, as well as on a pair of EPs. This past April, Burnside and his re-formed Mississippi Mafia issued Under Pressure, a 10-song mix of hard-edged blues and bare-skinned soul that's been the mainstay of bar-band blues sets since the '60s. Fortunately, he's someone who still knows how to play 'em.