Motor City Women & Detroit Express has their impressive debut, Ready, out on Josh Ford’s label, and it’s a blast! A rowdy rockin’ piano-pounding “Did He Mention My Name?” opens with a bang and it doesn’t let up from there. Cheryl Lescom takes the lead, with background vocals that remind of Ball-Barton-Strehli. The groove shifts to a very funky “Watch What You’re Doing,” demonstrating the diversity of this amazing collective. Lady T, backed again by the gals, is all about double and single entendres. The chorale opening on “Guilty for Lovin’ You” is gorgeous, á la Take 6. Lescom is again impressive here, showcasing a more tender side. Stacia Petrie Ford is funky and soulful on “Right Here Right Now,” one of the standout pieces on the disc, and Elena Papillo has the lead on “On the Road,” on which the guitar (likely Ford) flashes off gorgeous Dickie Betts-style lines. The core band is Steve Kohn (drums), Jim David (keyboards), Rich Zeldes (bass) and Dennis Burr (guitar), with Motor City Josh on guitar and percussion. “Are You Really Ready?,” with Lady T back at the mic, is a booty rockin southern style blues. Aja Sardis takes the lead on “Hey, Hey, Hey,” a blues/jazzy sort of number with excellent instrumental backing, veteran Valerie Barrymore burns up “Can You Feel My Blues,” and Lady T’s “Side To Side” is a finger snapper. Ford’s closing lead on “One More Last Chance” is a gorgeous blues. These gals are all dyed in the blues and first rate. The project points most decidedly to the breadth of talent in Detroit. Yup, we got a hell of a music scene.