The Bruce Marshall Group-Labor Day Weekend Show Saturday, August 31 at 7pm 

The Bruce Marshall Group has been thrilling audiences for since 1992, melding swampy blues with R and B and Americana. Whether live or on record, they always deliver passionate performances as their loyal following will attest. With their signing with Verdict Music the sky’s the limit for the four piece group!

Talk about keeping the faith. Bruce Marshall has plied his trade for four-plus decades and is still delivering the goods. His new album is a pleasant surprise — rippling with original blues, swing and a survivor spirit symbolized by his lyric, “I’m an old soul with a young heart.” Indeed he is on this shining set of tunes that range from the festive (“Friday Night Shoes”) to the serious (“Seeds of Doubt”). His band is exemplary throughout, especially guitarist Dave Cournoyer who rocks but also plays some piquant slide. And at the center is Marshall, whose longevity is a marvel. As he sings, “I take nothing for granted — life goes way too fast!” Wherever it’s going, it’s nice to take this album along for the ride.   — Steve Morse, former staff pop critic at the Boston Globe for 28 years who now teaches Rock History at Berklee College of Music