Brooks Williams – Blues & Ballads (Red Guitar Blue Music).

Brooks Williams was born in Statesboro (made famous by Blind Willie McTell’s Statesboro Blues) and was influenced by, amongst others, Taj Mahal, Duane Allman and Ry Cooder. He then discovered the original artists who influenced his heroes and his love of blues and roots was confirmed. This album of covers and traditional songs is the result of a series of single take recordings. Weepin’ Willow Blues is a traditional song attributed to Blind Boy Fuller in 1937 and is controlled acoustic blues with up-tempo slide – good beginning. Brooks slows it down for In The Evening, written by Leroy Carr. He brings us a plaintive but clear voice and well played delta guitar blues. Shady Grove is another traditional American folk song and his arrangement has it bouncing along in a very effective, easy going way. I don’t know if Miles Davis’ All Blues is meant to encompass every blues style because if it does, it fails. What it is, is an instrumental that showcases Williams’ guitar dexterity. Don’t Get Around Any More is a Duke Ellington song and Brooks’ jazz side comes out. I think that the album could do without this track even though the guitar is still good. Robert Johnson’s Love In Vain is often covered and although it lacks the emotion of the original this is still a very good version due to the different guitar style that includes slide.

Tenpenny Bit is a traditional fiddle tune but has been re-jigged for guitar and again shows Williams’ mastery of his instrument. Lightning Hopkins Honey Babe is up next and this simple, fast paced blues is a highlight. Another of the traditional songs is Watch The Stars which is hard to categorise so I would probably plump for Americana. Brooks’ technique of overlaying guitars is well used here. Peacemakers Hornpipe is another fiddle tune revamped for guitar and mandolin. Wonderful folk music and his technique is there for all to hear. There’s another powerful guitar performance on Bruce Cockburn’s country/gospel One Day I Walk but the Tommy Dorsey instrumental Take My Hand, Precious Lord is hard to take any message from. Brooks closes well with country blues in the shape of Trouble In Mind. Overall I feel that listeners will get more from the guitar rather than Brooks’ voice but as far as the musical content is concerned, this is an album worth having in an acoustic blues collection.

http://www.brookswilliams.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.