Rick Derringer – Knighted By The Blues (Provogue).

Knighted By The Blues opens with The Mess Around, a famous song (written by Ahmet Ertegun) and Derringer is a famous artist, having played with the McCoys as far back as 1965 on Hang On Sloopy. He went on to be an able sideman for Johnny and Edgar Winter as well as launching his own solo career. He plays this at high pace with searing guitar as you would expect. Derringer doesn’t over complicate things and when you do that, things are unlikely to go wrong. The gritty Sometimes is a bit heavier and Derringer’s voice is superb as is his guitar playing. He has certainly stood up to the test of time. Give Me Some Money is a stylish blues that swings along just fine and he delivers a fine version of If 6 Was 9, a Jimi Hendrix written chugging blues. He has certainly not lost any of his panache through the years and he delivers a big solo. The eponymous title track is a strolling blues – sophisticated night club stuff and exquisitely performed.

Jenda is not up to the standard of the rest of the album but we’ll forgive him one average track. The lively instrumental Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is jazz rock with intricate runs and able backing from Ron Reinhardt on keyboards. My Gals Kinda Crazy is a classy hard core Chicago blues and Derringer lets rip. Time To Go is a driving blues that is let down slightly by the vocal but that’s only a small criticism as the guitar work is superb and more than makes up for it. He finishes with the sultry Funny I Still Love You, which is the kind of slow blues that Clapton excels at. Written by Ray Charles, it sounds a bit like Hard Times.

You don’t last as long as Rick Derringer without being good and Knighted By The Blues shows how good.

http://www.rickderringer.com/
http://www.rickselectricguitar.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Jeff Healey – Songs From The Road (Ruf)

Trawled from three concerts in 2006 and 2007, Songs From The Road is the perfect way to remember Jeff Healey. He was the consummate live performer and this DVD/CD set is a must to have in your collection. The opener, I Think I Love You Too Much lets us hear what we are missing since Jeff’s untimely death. This is a scorching version of the Dire Straits song and has some of his best work ever. What a guitarist he was. I’m Ready tends towards a Kansas City style with this strolling blues and barrelhouse piano. Stop Breaking Down is a good old stomping version of the Robert Johnson song. Slide guitar and harp and you didn’t hear them on a Johnston version. This has been recorded by many but this is one of the best rock versions that I have ever heard. There is the obligatory trademark solo and a well deserved big cheer at the end. He cools it down for his biggest hit, Angel Eyes, and shows that he did have a voice too. This big rock ballad has an equally big chorus and dual guitars. It is so well played that you forget that you are listening to a live recording. The Beatles’ Come Together is played in the menacing manner that it should be. Plenty of audience participation and the electric piano is in there too. It stays very true to the original, well almost. Jeff rips into a superb solo at the end – no surprise there then.

Hoochie Coochie Man is excellent but slightly overdone. It’s been done so many times but there is no need to mess about with it. There’s a harp solo and Waters would have liked that. Guest guitarist Randy Bachman launches off into one this time as does Healey. I can just visualise him bouncing about on stage with the guitar at its usual angle. White Room – another version of the classic Cream song. This is full of energy and is as good a cover of any song that I’ve ever heard. Pounding drums and a sensational solo sum this up. This is one of my favourite Cream songs and Healey has not disgraced it. He keeps up The Beatles and Clapton theme with While My Guitar Gently Weeps. It’s an audience favourite with a big participation from them. I think that this is the first song that I saw Healey play. Whipping Post is a pulsating blues rock with jazz and prog inflections. Teach Your Children Well is a strange one to include, considering Healey’s blues/rock credentials. There are deep tones to his voice an he comes across surprisingly well. The band adds excellent backing vocals to give an all round country feel. Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me is a pretty daft one to include in an album that was released in the Summer. Seriously, it must have been from the November 2007concert in Toronto that this one came from. The band was having a good laugh anyway and as the man says “That’s what it’s all about”. A fitting epitaph. The bonus DVD has versions of Shake Rattle and Roll and Like A Hurricane. Worth having for those two alone.

http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

Jack Bruce & Robin Trower, Gary Husband On Drums – Seven Moons Live (Ruf)

Two legends get together for the first time, performing live. Jack Bruce and Robin Trower have a number of years on the clock, playing in some of the most famous bands ever but this is the first time that they have played live, together. This album was recorded in Nijmegen, Holland on the third date of a short tour and must have been a sight to have been seen. Seven Moons opens with very grateful thanks from the band. Jack Bruce just loves his power trios and this one is up there with the best. Bruce’s voice hasn’t suffered too much over the years and Trower is playing just as good as ever. Lives Of Clay is blues influenced with a big solo just like days gone by – stunning stuff. Distant Places Of The Heart is morbid, morose and any other m’s you can think of. Everyone plays Sunshine Of Your Love so why not Robin Trower? It’s only Bruce singing so it’s different vocally on the chorus. The solo is where Trower puts his stamp on it but he doesn’t muck about too much with this classic. Bruce’s bass is top notch. There is some awesome note bending from Trower on Carmen with So Far To Yesterday, another stunning track which confirms the trio’s power.

Just Another Day is slow and bluesy with Bruce’s world weary vocal a highlight. Perfect Place is a funky blues with Trower on form. This is one of the top tracks on offer. The blues theme continues with Bad Case Of Celebrity and Trower shines again. Jack Bruce is just Jack Bruce; I can’t give him any higher accolade than that. The Last Door has a faster pace but there is no loss of quality. Come To Me has signs of deterioration in Bruce’s voice but musically they are still on top form. Trower lets it go on the solo and the rhythm section keeps things going very well. White Room is the first of two classic Cream songs to finish the set. This is subtly different from the original and although Trower’s solo is great, Clapton’s is still better. It’s good to hear the old song again though. Politician has that classic bass line and guitar riff. There’s another big solo from Trower as they go out with a bang.

http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

She Keeps Bees – Nests (Names Records).

She Keeps Bees were only formed in 2006 but they have been making great strides ever since. The Brooklyn duo’s style of music has been described as primal thumping and hollering, bluesy riffs & gritty and downright sexy so you are assured of almost anything. The opener, Ribbon, is pared back blues inflected genius with a no nonsense vocal and percussion. This is followed by the acoustic, throbbing yet understated Wear Red. They don’t do long songs and this is at the very short end of their range. Release is electric this time but still in that understated vein and they stay electric on Gimmie though they are not out of second gear yet. The latter builds well and is simple in its execution with a tumultuous finish in a crash of cymbals. The very earthy Get Gone continues the raft of short songs. My Last Nerve reminds me of a favourite t-shirt. That’s in ‘I’ve got one nerve left and you’re getting on it’. However, She Keeps Bees are unlikely to get on your nerves. On the contrary, you are likely to want to hear more. Bones Are Tired is world weary with vocal only but at just over one minute, they are taking short songs a bit far. Focus is powerful yet pedestrian and You Can Tell is more of the same. They are a good band but they would be better if they could just change gear once in a while. Strike sounds a bit like Siouxsie at times while Cold Eye finishes the album off in the way that most of it has gone. Believe it or not, the two longest tracks are at the end and they are still under 3 minutes. She Keeps Bees don’t hang about much on their songs – I just hope that they manage hang around a bit longer.

http://www.namesrecords.com/
http://www.shekeepsbees.com/

David Blue.