Sunday, May 15, 2011



Stoney Curtis Band – Cosmic Connection (Provogue Records).

The Stoney Curtis Band has honed their skills playing the clubs in Los Angeles and Las Vegas over the past 10 years. They’ve also managed to squeeze in four European tours in recent years and this has massively widened their audience. Cosmic Connection is their second album for Blues Bureau and is released on Provogue in Europe. The album contains 12 original songs and Blues And Rock N Roll is a high impact opener. This band is a classic power trio that play top class blues rock. Stoney is a top performer and with Aaron Haggerty on drums and Steve Evans on bass they all come together to produce a full sound. When The Sweet Turns To Sour is a big, ballsy Chicago blues and a joyous thing to hear. Curtis’ grizzly vocal and soaring guitar set the song up perfectly. Mouthful Of Honey is a rock styled blues in the style of The Rolling Stones and The Black Crowes. It’s good solid stuff and its classic rock stylings are easy to like. Headin’ For The City is a swinging blues played in Curtis’ inimitable style whilst Soul Flower is a high energy rocker with an electrifying solo but the vocal comes over as a little bit strained in places. Good Lovin’ Done Right is a classic electric blues, plain and simple.

Big Beautiful Women is a straightforward rocker of a high standard and Curtis shines through. Mary Jayne opens with sustained guitar as Stoney goes all heavy metal! This is high quality and a favourite of mine. Infatuation Blues is a rarity – it’s slow! I’m not too sure about this lyrically but musically it’s top notch as Stoney turns in yet another classy solo. Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead is a great title for a song and this is another in the heavy rock vein. High quality and confirms that Stoney Curtis and the band deserve to be on the Provogue label. Rise Up proves that it’s best to stick to what you are good at rather than trying too hard to be different. This blues based effort rocks along as Curtis stays in his safety zone, although he does veer into the progressive side of rock sometimes. They close with a rock ballad, The Letter, which has a good riff and an atmospheric solo but doesn’t leave me wanting more, something that I can’t say for the rest of the album.

http://www.stoneycurtisband.com/
http://www.provouguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Sunday, May 08, 2011



Chris Bergson Band – Imitate The Sun (2 Shirts Records).

New York native Bergson is no newcomer, 5 previous albums and providing backing for Annie Ross and Norah Jones testify to that. He has been a jazz ambassador for the USA and touring Africa in that capacity. Imitate The Sun is the follow up to his widely acclaimed Fall Changes from 2007, which was voted Mojo’s number 1 blues album of 2008. His latest album opens with Goin’ Home, which has a Southern blues feel with CCR and even a bit of Dr Hook in there. It’s laid back, slightly spiritual and very uplifting with staccato guitar rounding the whole thing off. The eponymous title track has a slow groove and soul oozes from its very pores and he still manages to have that Southern vibe. When he throws in a powerful guitar solo then you’ve got a top track on your hands. Bergson goes all acoustic on Shattered Avenue and this Bon Jovi style rocker works very well and the gritty slide guitar is a welcome addition. Hello Bertha has horns from Kenny Rampton and Chris Karlic and Buruce Katz’s inimitable keyboards in unison to make for a soulful sound and a New Orleans vibe.

The chunky blues of Willie Dixon’s Down In The Bottom leads into the laid back acoustic sounds of Laying It Down In White. Barrelhouse piano heralds the entrance of You’ve Been A Good Old Wagon and this is so easy to listen to. Good outing for the saxophone of Jay Collins too on this John Henry song. Mr Jackson has a funky vibe and this jazzy blues has horns and electric piano setting it up for Bergson’s soul fuelled vocal. Bergson serves up a swing version of the classic Elmore James song, Dust My Broom and although it loses a bit of impact on the guitar front it still gets top marks. Bruce Katz’s barrelhouse piano is another change from the norm. He closes with Bob Dylan’s Standing In The Doorway and Bergson’s world weary voice adds passion to the heartfelt lyric. This is totally relaxing and I feel as if I’ve known him for years. It builds vocally throughout and eight and a half minutes go by extremely easily.

http://www.chrisbergson.com/

David Blue
WALTER TROUT

JUNE 2011

18th CHICHESTER Blues On The Farm, Pump Bottom Farm, Birdham Road, PO20 7EH
Stage 9pm Tkts £99 W/E £35 Day 01243 773828 www.bluesonthefarm.co.uk

19th ROSS ON WYE Linton Festival
Stage 9.15pm Tkts £60 W/E £25 DAY 0844 884 292 www.lintonfestival.org

20th CHISLEHURST The Beaverwood Club, Beaverwood Road, BR7 6HF
Doors 7pm Stage 9pm Tkts £15 020 8761 9078 www.feenstra.co.uk
Support P.A.U.L. & The Harper Woods Heroes

21st CARDIFF The Globe, 125 Albany Road, CF24 3NS
Doors 7.30pm Stage 9.15pm Tkts £16 02920 230130 www.theglobecardiff.com
Support P.A.U.L.& The Harper Woods Heroes

22nd CHATHAM No 3 Covered Slip, Mezzanine Floor, Historic Dockyard
Doors 7pm Stage 9.30pm Tkts £22 01634 823807 www.thedockyard.co.uk
Support Oli Brown

23rd HEBDEN BRIDGE Picture House, New Road, HX7 8AD
Doors 7pm Stage 8.30pm Tkts £20 0871 230 1101 www.calderdale.gov.uk
Support P.A.U.L. & The Harper Woods Heroes

24th GLASGOW The Ferry, 25 Anderson Quay, G3 8BX
Doors 7pm Stage 9.45pm Tkts £17.50 01698 360085 www.the-ferry.co.uk
Support P.A.U.L. & The Harper Woods Heroes

25th DURHAM Blues Festival, Durham University, Old Elvet, DH1 3HP
Doors 2.30pm Stage 9.30pm Tkts £24 01472 349222
www.eastcoastbluesfestivals.co.uk

26th CLEETHORPES Blues Festival, The Beachcomber, North Sea Lane, Humberston
Doors 2.30pm Stage 9.30pm Tkts £24 01472 349222
www.eastcoastbluesfestivals.co.uk

28th LIVERPOOL Stanley Theatre, 160 Mount Pleasant, L3 9PA
Doors 7pm Stage 9.10pm Tkts £18.50 0844 477 2000
Support P.A.U.L. & The Harper Woods Heroes

29th MILTON KEYNES The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, MK17 8LU
Doors 7.30pm Stage 9pm Tkts £23 01908 280800 www.stables.org
Support P.A.U.L. & The Harper Woods Heroes

30th NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms, Masonic Place, Goldsmith Street, NG1 5GG
Doors 7.30pm Stage 9pm Tkts £17 0845 413 4444 www.rescuerooms.co.uk
Support P.A.U.L. & The Harper Woods Heroes

For further information, interview requests etc. contact Sue Williams, Frontier Promotions
Tel: 01760 756394 or email frontieruk@btconnect.com