Various Artists – European Blues Challenge (EBC).

This live compilation is a good way to get a feel of what is happening on the Blues scene throughout Europe. Artists from Scandinavia, East and West Europe came together in Berlin on 18th and 19th of March this year to do battle in the 1st European Blues Challenge and the standard is surprisingly high. First up is Meena from Austria, already with an album released by Ruf Records, and I Shoot You Down. This is a pounding opener with excellent slide guitar and a strong vocal. Howlin’ Bill is from Belgium and his slick blues on Six Feet Five make little impact. The guitar solo is pleasant enough but the harp solo is better received. It’s a bit too long at over 6 minutes. Swiss band Bluecerne gives us He Was A Friend Of Mine which is Hoochie Coochie Man by any other name and no anywhere near as good. It’s too smooth but the guitar work saves it slightly. Richie Arndt & The Bluenatics from Germany delivers a hi-energy Little Brother Of Mine. There is a sense of rockabilly here but they are best known in their homeland as a blues rock band. Denmark gives us Tim Lothar with In It For The Ride. Lothar’s high class acoustic slide is a memory that will outlast most on the album. The Suitcase Brothers hail from Spain and their song, Motherless Children, is from the top drawer. The mix of cello and wailing harp blends well on a suitably sombre song in keeping with the title. Micke & Lefty Featuring Chef are from Finland and the ZZ Top riff of I’m A Guitar Man sets up this raw boogie to perfection. The average slide guitar playing doesn’t detract from the overall feel. French act Awek gives us a slow stomping blues in the form of Hush Your Mouth. This almost makes it; a little bit more aggression would have done it.

T-Train Kick is the offering from Croatia’s Tomislav Goluban & LPFB. The harmonica goes like a train on this one and you can certainly hear the effort on this instrumental. The opening to the song is good and the whole lung bursting piece is better than most. Italy is represented by One Man 100% Bluez with Different End Boogie. This is a down and dirty boogie and very classy. The Latvian Blues Band is from Latvia, surprisingly, and gives us Good Bye, a slow, silky R&B that you wouldn’t expect from the Baltics. King Mo from The Netherlands gives us Ain’t Nobodies Business, an old track but with top guitar. The Norwegian entry is Vidar Busk & His True Believers and they present Stompin’ Our Feet With Joy. This is a swing blues with good harp interludes but most of all, they are just enjoying themselves. Poland’s Boogie Boys serve up an R&B jazz crossover in the form of Hey You and Emil & The Ecstatics from Sweden go the opposite and play a rhythmic blues with a tidy guitar and organ solo on Bill By Bill. The UK act, 24 Pesos, get to close the album with Live My Life and they throw in a few modern elements. There’s a bit of rapping in what really constitutes modern blues shouting and the sing-along chorus conjures up elements of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

The winner of the inaugural challenge was Howlin’ Bill from Belgium, Austria’s Meena was second and Poland’s Boogie Boys were third. My top three? Meena, Tim Lothar from Denmark and The Suitcase Brothers from Spain. Goes to show how many good acts there are here.

http://www.bluesyou.com/

David Blue.

Rob Stone – Back Around Here (Earwig Music).

A frequent visitor to Chicago’s House of Blues, Rob Stone is a harmonica player very much in the mould of his heroes. Little Walter, Big Walter Horton, Sonny Boy Williamson and Junior Wells. It’s been seven years since his last Earwig release but he has spent the time wisely, honing his craft with relentless touring. He opens with You’re No Good For Me, which is a rolling blues to start proceedings off with. Stone has an easy vocal style and this makes for an excellent opener. He is a killer harp player, ably backed by the band and, in particular, snappy guitars from Chris James and Jeff Stone. The eponymous title track is a big brassy swing blues and laid back Stone has the perfect tone for it. Slashing guitar from James for the lengthy guitar break. Love You For Myself is a slow Chicago blues with stylish interaction between Aaron Moore on piano and Stone’s harp. Give Me Time is a mid paced R&B with a great guitar riff going on in the background and a fluid solo. It’s a little different from most of the others on offer. I Need To Plant A Money Tree (don’t we all) is laid back and class just oozes out of this one. Chicago All Night is mid-pace funky R&B that reminds me a bit of Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag.

Lot To Love About You is another in the up-tempo area -- a swing blues that slides over you all too easily whereas Sloppy Drunk Blues is a bit of fun on barrelhouse piano from David Maxwell and Stone on harp. It’s Hard But It’s Fair is a strolling blues and Dragon Killers is a hi tempo lung buster. Both of these confirm how stylish a player he is. Can’t Turn Back The Clock is a high speed piano boogie with Maxwell on top form. He finishes with No Strings Attached, an up-tempo blues with more piano from Maxwell to the fore.

http://www.robstone.com/
http://www.earwigmusic.com/

David Blue.

Chris James & Patrick Rynn – Gonna Boogie Anyway (Earwig Music).

Gonna Boogie Anyway is the second album for Earwig Music from the San Diego based duo an follows their Blues Music Award nominated debut, Stop And Think About It. Traditional Chicago and Delta styles supplemented by some jump blues is what they are all about and Gonna Boogie Anyway does not disappoint. Opening with Money Don’t Like Me they lay down a gritty vocal from James and his guitar snaps from the outset. It’s a straightforward opener that gets your attention. Dearest Darling is an up-tempo and a bouncy boogie is followed by You Can’t Trust Nobody, a wonderfully deconstructed classic chugging blues. Life Couldn’t Be Sweeter is another upbeat one with slide guitar from James and barrelhouse piano from Henry Gray showing that the boys sure do know how to enjoy themselves. H.M. Stomp is a guitar and harmonica (Bob Corritore) instrumental and Gray also gets himself heavily involved on piano. The pace is relentless on this one. Headed Out West is a standard Chicago blues, well played by two true exponents.

Can’t Stand To See You Go is a shuffling blues with top notch harp from Rob Stone and piano from the aforementioned Henry Gray. The eponymous title track does what it says on the tin -- a piano boogie-woogie of high impact. This is followed by The Tables Have Turned, which is another is another that chugs along with great piano. Money Don’t Like Me Part 2 is a further instrumental, guitar led with saxophone input from Jonny Viau. It’s sedately paced but it is high in quality. The penultimate song, Black Spider Blues, is a Delta blues played in a classic style. They keep it simple and that’s the key. To close off they give us Little Girl, which is a rolling blues and good fun as well.

If you can’t have a fun time with Chris James and Patrick Rynn then you are just not trying.

http://www.chrisjamesandpatrickrynn.com/
http://www.earwigmusic.com/

David Blue.

Erja Lyytinen – Voracious Love (Ruf Records).

Finland is not the usual place that you’d look for the blues but slide guitarist Erja Lyytinen is turning a few eyes in that direction. The eponymous title track opens with a screech of feedback and she’s off and running on a soft rocker with a grinding riff. Don’t Let A Good Woman Down is blues at high speed with Erja’s slide guitar punctuating throughout. Crowes At Your Door is slowed right down. Is it The Black Crowes at your door? Overall, this bluesy rock upstart has an eerie feel and Bon Jovi comes to mind. Bed Of Roses is an acoustic ballad. It’s not spectacular and it’s a bit Eurovision in parts. Marco Hietala takes over vocals on part of the song, although some of the harmonies are a bit over the top, and there’s even some violin breaks. However, she’s back to form on Bird which has good rock beats and her slide guitar fits in perfectly. If it was a bit more emotive vocally it would be a top track. She does get there, but just not soon enough. Gilmore is another acoustic ballad with gentle guitar breaks in keeping with the overall feel.

I Think Of You has sultry, understated bass (Matti Vallius) and keyboards (Harri Taittonen) with snappy drums (Rami Eskelinen) supporting. This is late night, grown up music. Oil And Water is a rhythmic, upbeat middle of the road rocker with Erja using slide guitar often and always to good effect. Her accent comes through on this one and that’s no bad thing. Can’t Fall In Love is a rock ballad that follows the formula and as such, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Her powerful vocal and obligatory guitar break are both fine. One Thing I Won’t Change has breakneck drumming and guitar. Good pumped up power pop and very nice guitar work. The very short Soul Of A Man has gentle sounds regressing almost into Folk and The Road Leading Home has an eerie opening with slide guitar and keyboard setting the scene. The only problem is that it doesn’t go anywhere as it is too short! The final track, No Place Like Home, is old style Americana/Folk and it’s another shortie, just Erja and guitar making for a pleasant finish.

http://www.rufrecords.de/
http://www.erjalyytinen.com/

David Blue.

24 Pesos – Busted, Broken & Blue (Ourgate Records)

Busted, Broken & Blue is the first album from up and coming British blues band, 24 Pesos. It’s an album full of original songs, all written by front man Julian Burdock, and played by a band that has a passion for the blues as well as funk and soul. The opener, Maxwell Street, has acoustic & electric dobro and a strident vocal from Burdock. The band delivers a contemporary blues with an ancient feel. Never Saw The Devil is a chunky song. Funky blues with a fat bass line from Silas Maitland and a full sound with Moz Gamble (organ) and guitar on form. Standing At The Station is bringing the blues into the 21st century. Just dobro, voice from Burdock and hi-hat from Mike Connolly before the full band joins in – top class. In The Summertime flirts with hip-hop in parts but this is still essentially a blues song. One thing that it does have is a great singalong chorus. Lowdown Sweet & Dirty confirms that the Burdock is the mainstay of the band and they could well struggle without him. This is a grinding rocker with rounded edges. Gamble also gets another chance to be in the spotlight.

Live My Life (Just To Sing The Blues) has that hip-hop feel to it again but the fuzzed harp and throbbing bass are the highlights. Mean What I Say is a funky blues and the band manages to capture their energy in the song. However, sometimes Burdock’s vocal just doesn’t go that extra yard to bring the song to its full potential. However, he does maintain his high standards on guitar. Still In Love With My Baby is the obligatory slow one and it’s a Bon Jovi track if I ever heard one. It’s not as good as them but it will have the crowd singing along to it. The eponymous title track comes late on in the album and it is worth waiting on. Burdock lets it all out on this swing blues rocker. Day Becomes Night is a slow blues with sultry night time sounds – all grown up stuff. Neckbones & Gumbo is a bit of a strange title and it is hard to pigeonhole this one. I’m getting hungry listening to it though. As with the rest of the album, it is Burdock on guitar that shines through.

http://www.24pesos.com/

David Blue.

JJ Grey & Mofro – Georgia Warhorse (Alligator Records).

Georgia Warhorse is JJ Grey’s fifth album and each has been full of original songs. He fits in those albums between his exhausting touring regime and the two pronged attack is bringing him to the notice of more and more people each year. Diyo Dayo is a throbbing grungy opener with baleful harmonica from Grey. King Hummingbird is a classy acoustic rock ballad with Grey’s mournful vocal. The horns make The Sweetest Thing into a cool R&B and the addition of Toots Hibbert on vocals is a master stroke as the band powers it out. All has strident drumming from Anthony Cole as the band stays in the R&B field. This is in your face, big time. The eponymous title track is about a kind of grasshopper, I believe, and JJ says that they are tough like an old Tonka toy and so at ease with the world – just like him, really. No matter what it’s about, this slow grinding blues has lung bursting harp to match the best and Grey also chips in with a lazy solo on slide.

Gotta Know is another rock ballad. This has a gritty vocal but there are many levels to his voice. The introduction of organ half way through gives it a Gospel feel. Another level is added with the horn section as the whole thing builds up towards the finish. Hide & Seek is vibrant and acoustic led. Andrew Trube, on bass, delivers the power this time but there’s an unexpected, slightly strange keyboard solo as well. Having said that, it does cut through the song pretty well. Co-written with Chuck Prophet and Angelo Petraglia (Kings of Leon), Beautiful World has relaxing acoustic tones and leans towards Country. Slow, Hot & Sweaty, you don’t get sweaty in a title very often, is funky and the kind of song that you’d expect from someone like Prince or Sly Stone – surprising. The Hottest Spot In Hell is a pounding R&B which showcases his deep baritone voice. The rhythm section excels and the horns (Art Edmaiston on trumpet and Dennis Marion on trumpet) make for a tight unit. He finishes off with Lullaby but, although hypnotic, this blues flecked offering won’t send you to sleep as the drummer and guest slide guitarist, Derek Trucks, are let loose.

http://www.jjgrey.com/
http://www.alligator.com/

David Blue.

Joe Bonamassa @ The Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow 18/10/2010.

Gone is the shy young man who I saw at The Ferry in Glasgow a few years ago. He walked through the crowd unnoticed before stepping onto the small stage and blowing everyone away with his playing. These days, Joe Bonamassa sports a sharp suit, has a light show and has arrived on the big stage.

He opened with a perennial favourite of his, Rory Gallagher’s Cradle Rock and peppered the evening with songs from his latest album, Black Rock, along with titles from his already burgeoning back catalogue. The new songs such as Steal Your Heart Away and Three Times A Fool sat very easily with older favourites Sloe Gin, The Ballad Of John Henry and If Heartaches Were Nickels. At times he was hunched over his guitar as if in his own little world only to throw his head back in the ecstasy of the vital note.

Joe’s Scottish girlfriend, Sandi Thom, came on for part of the well deserved encore and the two of them produced an excellent version of Bird On The Wire and different to the one on Black Rock.

So I’ve seen Joe Bonamassa go from a very small venue with less than 100 in the audience to a slightly larger hall with a slightly larger audience and on to the premiere venue in Glasgow with over 2,000 of a crowd. One thing has remained constant and that is his talent and when you go to one of his gigs you know you are in the presence of someone special.

David Blue.

Simon McBride – Since Then (Nugene Records).

Since Then is Northern Irishman Simon McBride’s second album, his first being the critically acclaimed Rich Man Falling in 2008. A winner of Guitarist Magazine’s Young Guitarist of the Year and endorsed by guitar builder Paul Reed Smith by the time he was 15, it was inevitable that he would go on to greater things. Stints in Sweet Savage (replacing Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell) and Andrew Strong’s band led to him taking the solo plunge and the aforementioned debut album. The 14 self-penned tracks of Since Then open with Take My Hand, which is a full throttle opener with Adrian McIlduff’s drum kit at breaking point and electrifying slide guitar from McBride. Hell Waters Rising is a blues rock title if I’ve ever heard one and this pounding track is just the type of song to rock out to. Superb guitar from McBride and he definitely knows what buttons to press. Acoustic guitar makes an appearance on Save Me and McBride’s very good rock voice comes into its own. This is a grower, starting in ballad style and building up into a soft rocker. Down To The Wire is a high class slow blues. Joe Bonamassa must be an influence as I can hear him all over this. McBride is a new star is on the blues horizon. Be My Baby is Jimi Hendrix meets Kansas City blues -- oddly catchy with McBride’s guitar stinging you at every turn. From The Other Side is rhythmic blues rock and although there’s a lot of guys out there doing this kind of stuff McBride more than holds his own. It’s back to slide guitar with The Promise and to great effect too with the power chorus on this good time rocker reaching down your throat and playing with your insides.

Tear Down Your Soul is a funky rocker and I now feel that I’ve known Simon McBride forever. Dead Man Walking has a resonator in there somewhere but it gets dwarfed by McBride’s slashing electric guitar. However, it’s another high class blues rocker and he is a master of the chorus. Even though this one is simple it’s the power chords that do for you again. Dancing On The Sidewalk is a mid-paced rocker with a funky edge and Sweet Angel has shades of Gary Moore’s Still Got The Blues For You in its opening but it’s much more than that. McBride’s guitar goes straight to your heart. He has the Dobro out again for Coming Home but this time it gets a higher billing. This has intricate guitar work over a pounding beat. I know that I mentioned Mr Bonamassa before but McBride is so similar vocally on Devils Road it’s uncanny. This is a strange one with Paul Hamilton’s drums on the off beat and it may have been better with just voice and guitar -- a fast paced blues, country, hip hop crossover! He finishes with The Truth, a short instrumental lament with piercing guitar which draws out his Celtic origins.

Simon McBride has the class to challenge the might of the Provogue Records guitarist stable.

http://www.simonmcbride.net/
http://www.nugenerecords.com/

David Blue.

Walter Trout & Mitch Laddie @ The Ferry, Glasgow 08/10/2010.

It’s October so it must be Walter Trout in Glasgow. Walter and his superb band just keep coming back to Scotland and they sound better each year. This time he brought his Provogue stable mate Mitch Laddie with him and young Mitch opened up the evening superbly. Showcasing songs from his debut album, This Time Around, the 19 year old held the crowd in the palm of his hand at times and the future is bright for this young North Easterner.

Walter Trout arrived onstage to announce that we were honoured to have a local celebrity in the audience and proceeded to introduce Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies. Of course, this turned out to be larger than life drummer Michael Leasure. After a couple of impressions from the big man the band, with the ever-smiling Sammy Avila on keyboards, launched into the show with Walter bringing us a number of tracks from his latest album, Common Ground, as well as many from his extensive back catalogue. The new songs such as May Be A Fool, Common Ground and Wrapped Up In The Blues were all well received and when added to Walter’s wicked wit (sometimes at the expense of bass player Rick Knapp) it all added up to a great evening. Walter certainly knows how to play to a Scots crowd as when there was a problem with one of the speakers he announced “you may take our monitors but you’ll never take our freedom”. He added Loch Lomond and Scotland The Brave to his encore to finish off a show that was over two hours long. However, I think that Walter and the band could have played all night and you know what, I could have listened all night too.

David Blue.

B.B. & The Blues Shacks – London Days (Crosscut Records).

B.B. & The Blues Shacks are becoming a European institution with touring experience of over 20 years and an average of 150 gigs a year. Well known for their sound which is deeply rooted in 40s and 50s jump blues, this is their first release since 2008s Unique Style. London Days was, conveniently enough, recorded in London under the watchful eye of Liam Watson, he of White Stripes’ Elephant fame. The opener, Real Good Times, is a pacy R&B with a gritty Northern Soul feel to it and This Time Baby continues the R&B vibe. They are getting better vocally album by album although they always have been a tight band. High Class Lonely is a swinging R&B with Michael Arlt on harp, jagged guitar from Andreas Arlt and Hammond organ from special guest Raphael Wressnig and you have to be happy with that! Just You is slowed down and soulful before Between The Lines picks up the pace again and this strong R&B is a highlight. It Hurts So Good is good old fashioned Rock and Roll whereas Let Them Talk is a rolling R&B with a sharp vocal from Michael Arlt.

B.B. & The Blues Shacks are summed up by the next trio of songs -- My Baby’s Alright has classic R&B styling, How Low Can You Go is slow, brooding Soul and Fools Getting Stronger is a shuffling blues which is compact and beautifully formed. These show how adaptable the band can be. However, Miss Wrong is standard fare and fails to match the rest of the album. The only song not written by the Arlt boys, Once In A While (Is Better Than Never At All), harks back to the Rock and Roll era and leads into hardcore Soul. How Would You Like That is a mix of R&B, Soul and Doo-Wop, spoiled slightly by the spoken bridge. Despite that, these gentle sounds are most welcome. The final official track, Turnaround, has Chubby Checker style drums from Bernhard Egger and is very 60s influenced R&B/Soul with good energy. They close with a bonus track, Autumn Sunset but I wonder why this harmless lounge music was included at all.

http://www.crosscut.de/
http://www.bluesshacks.com/

David Blue.

Michael Landau, Robben Ford, Jimmy Haslip, Gary Novak – Renegade Creation (Provogue).

Renegade Creation brings together four diverse musicians and moulds them into a fusion of blues, rock and soul. The two headliners are Landau and Ford, the former a renowned session guitarist with credits on albums by Miles Davis, Michael Jackson and James Taylor, the latter being the legendary guitarist who has played alongside George Harrison and Greg Allman. Haslip and Novak are not un-notable however and have played with Bruce Hornsby, Donald Fagen, Chick Corea and Alanis Morissette. The opener, What’s Up, is a Mark Knopfler influenced rhythmic blues with Landau’s laconic vocal and the twin guitarists on top form. The follow up, Soft In Black Jeans, is more of a Robert Cray style smooth blues/rock and Robben takes on the vocal with aplomb. Destiny Over Me is slow, dreamy rock and is counterbalanced by the strong blues rock of God And Rock ‘N’ Roll. Landau and Ford let rip on their guitars on the latter with riffs aplenty, all ably backed by strong drumming of Novak. The Darkness is a classy slow blues with signature big guitar breaks from Ford.

Renegade Destruction is a driving rocker with Landau on from as vocalist. This is followed by Peace, which is split into two parts, the intro and the main song. The intro seems a bit pointless with trains, waves and birds in the background. The main track is a guitar instrumental that, whilst well played, is not a strong addition to the album. Who Do You Think You Are is a down and dirty blues with fluid guitar, perhaps the best playing so far. The penultimate track, Where The Wind Blows, is a grinding blues rocker, held together by the rhythm section but it is Robben’s guitar work that shines through. They finish off with Brothers, an instrumental that allows all four to showcase their skills.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Elvin Bishop – Red Dog Speaks (Delta Groove Music).

A founding member of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Elvin Bishop has been around long enough to be called a legend. Not that passage of time is the only qualification; Elvin Bishop is a true guitar great. This only his second release on Delta Groove Music (see my review of his first, The Blues Rolls On) but he has firmly established himself at home. The eponymous title track is a laid back blues about his 1959 (a great year) Gibson Cherry Red ES-345. Stinging slide guitar and barrelhouse piano makes for a great opener. Neighbor Neighbor is R&B, vocally excellent and that slide is sublime. Fat & Sassy does what it says on the tin and Barbeque Boogie is the kind of storming boogie where Bishop excels. Many Rivers To Cross is a strange inclusion. It’s hard to beat the Jimmy Cliff version but the inclusion of slide guitar is effective. However, I’d rather he hadn’t really bothered.

Blues Cruise has a Cajun feel, no surprise since it has the addition of Buckwheat Zydeco on accordion. The extra guitarists, such as Roy Gaines, Tommy Castro and Ronnie Baker Brooks make this, in effect, a jam session and a damn good one too. Doo-Wop Medley is mainly the classic Still Of The Night but I can’t make out where the medley comes in although this instrumental is well played on slide guitar. We get back to Elvin Bishop territory with Get Your Hand Out Of My Pocket, which is a good romp with boogie piano and rocking harmonica from Bob Welch and John Nemeth respectively. His Eye Is On The Sparrow is a strange title but this strolling blues instrumental with added horns is more than passable. The solo, Clean Livin’ has a spoken vocal and tells us all about what has happened to him health wise throughout his life and he wonders why he is still standing – a cautionary tale. Festivities are rounded off well with the laconic Midnight Hour Blues.

http://www.elvinbishop.com/
http://www.deltagroovemusic.com/

David Blue.

Colosseum – Live 05 (Ruf Records).

Colosseum has been going since 1968 (with a long hiatus between 1978 and 1994) in various incarnations and boasts some of the best musicians ever to have graced a stage in the UK. Vocalist Chris Farlowe, guitarist Clem Clempson, keyboards player Dave Greenslade, bassist Mark Clarke and drummer Jon Hiseman have been the mainstays and Hiseman’s wife, Barbara Thompson took over saxophone duties from founder member Dick Heckstall-Smith, who died in 2004. This 2 disc live album, recorded in Germany and Austria in 2005 covers a number of tracks from their 1971 Live album, which came out just before the original band broke up for the first time. The opener, Come Right Back is bluesy with big sounds from a tight band, as you would expect with their joint pedigrees. Theme For An Imaginary Western – this is my first real involvement with Colosseum but this prog rock with flecks of jazz is just what I expected, especially when it was written by Pete Brown and Jack Bruce. Good guitar from Clempson and a great rapport with the crowd. Rope Ladder To The Moon, another Brown/Bruce composition, is an English blues and this is more like it – over 8 minutes, an organ solo – true prog band form. The Valentyne Suite covers three tracks, January’s Search, which is an expansive instrumental covering jazz, prog rock & classical themes all backed with frenetic sax from Thompson and Farlowe, February’s Valentyne which also has sax to the fore and builds to the end and finally, The Grass Is Always Greener where Clempson’s guitar gets its chance in the slower passages.

The second disc opens with Those About To Die, a mix of rock (classic and prog) and jazz and is followed by the T-Bone Walker classic, Stormy Monday Blues. This has sharp guitar from Clempson who trades licks with Thompson on sax. The laconic drums of Hiseman and Clarke’s bass back things up very well with Chris Farlowe in his element with his vocal gymnastics. Dave Greenslade lifts the whole thing to a different level with his playing. No Pleasin’ is a straightforward rocker without too much interference and although there is no doubting the virtuosity of the musicians, it is Clempson’s guitar that shines through. This merges into Tomorrows Blues, a prog fest at over 11 minutes although not a blues as such. The penultimate track, Drum Into LA has a virtuoso performance from Hiseman on drums, although it is short for a drum solo at 2 minutes 56 seconds, before it leads into Lost Angeles, which at over16 minutes is a true prog/jazz epic. Greenslade is to the fore and Farlowe’s voice is still going strong although we could do without the scat.

This is a classic example of a Great British institution and as the sleeve notes say, “turn it down to deafening”.

http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

Walter Trout – Common Ground (Provogue Records).

Every time a Walter Trout album lands on my desk I feel the excitement in the air and this one does not disappoint. Common Ground is Walter Trout’s 20th album and it is testament to his talent that it sounds just as fresh as his solo debut in 1990. Walter has raised the bar immediately with the acoustic slide based opener May Be A Fool. This pounding blues rocker builds and builds as he introduces the band and finally his electric guitar to the mix. Acoustic guitar starts Open Book too. This is a standard rock ballad, if anything by Walter Trout is standard, but it is lifted from the pack by his superb guitar playing. The notes just fall from his guitar. There’s a theme running here as Her Other Man also starts acoustically. Trout’s voice is on top form and the guitar interludes are just what you expect from a master of the fret board. The eponymous title track has a spiritual feel to it. Bon Jovi written all over it and guitar ringing like a bell at the end. Danger Zone adds some funk to the rock and is held together by the snappy drums of Kenny Aronoff. Hudson Had Help is a good time barrelhouse blues and a bit of a highlight.

Loaded Gun is the type of song that you would attribute to Walter Trout right away. Loud, bawdy blues rock and one to get the party started with. Rousing, especially with Jon Cleary’s piano getting hammered as well as Trout’s guitar and driven on superbly by Hutch Hutchinson on bass and the aforementioned Aronoff on drums with some of the best guitar you are likely to hear this year! Song For My Guitar is exactly what is says. Walter gives his guitar almost human status. Some may think it a bit twee but a guitar can become a member of the family. Eyes Of A Child is a mid-paced blues with a touch of swing. No Regrets is a slow, chugging blues with Trout’s voice and guitar in perfect unison. His guitar scorches as he bends the strings to breaking point. Wrapped Up In The Blues is a more standard type of electric blues. Harmony vocals and shuffling beats makes for another highlight. He finishes with Excess Baggage, a slow, sultry blues with Cleary’s Hammond organ to the fore – just what I would expect from one of my keyboard favourites. This is a powerful finish to the album and Walter Trout just keeps on being outstanding. I’m already looking forward to the next album!

http://www.waltertrout.com/
http://www.prvoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Philip Sayce – Innerevolution (Provogue Records).

Born in Wales and raised in Canada, Philip Sayce was immersed in music from a very young age. Influenced by those such as Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy and Robert Cray you would have expected him to come out as an all guns blazing blues guitarist but that’s only a part of the Philip Sayce armoury. Innerevolution is his second album since leaving Melissa Etheridge’s band and the opening track, Changes is a strong one, with expansive rock sounds. It’s a good, driving song and his guitar work is excellent. The follow up, Scars, has a great riff and it chugs along very well – Lenny Kravitz comes to mind. The snappy Bitter Monday (is that not every Monday that you have to go to work?) has pounding drums, from Matchbox 20s Ryan MacMillan) announcing the arrival of Sayce’s guitar before going off onto the realms of pop-rock. Anymore is slower than most of the albums opening tracks and this power ballad compares well in a genre that is difficult to be innovative in. This succeeds and Sayce’s voice has the requisite power to carry it off. Take You Away is raucous power pop with fuzzed guitars adding to the wall of sound and has Sayce letting rip on a number of fronts.

Daydream Tonight is the obligatory ballad and this piano-led softie could quite easily be boy band chart material. It’s no surprise that he includes Richard Marx amongst his co-writers on this album. He rips it up again for My Pearl and this pulsating, melodic rocker sets him apart for the other artists on the Provogue label. The power trio set up suits his classy guitar style. Tennessee Girl is a gritty rocker and Are You Ready has a big production and a singalong feel with his guitar getting a good going over on both. Gimme Some More has frenetic drumming and the whole thing tips more than a nod to Hendrix. Little Miss America is an epic to finish with. At over 8 minutes long it will stretch you to your limits but the throbbing grooves and Hendrix overtones will satisfy more than most.

http://www.philipsayce.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Jimmie Vaughan – Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites (Proper Records).

This is Jimmy Vaughan’s first album in nine years and he has chosen a personal collection of songs, recorded in his home town of Austin, Texas. It opens with The Pleasure’s All Mine, a shuffling blues and it is as if the Fabulous Thunderbirds had never gone away. Vaughan’s trademark jagged guitar coupled with a mellow sax solo make for a solid opener. Jimmy Reed’s Come Love is a strolling blues/R&B crossover with additional backing vocal from Lou Ann Barton and Vaughan’s harmonica used to good effect. The country blues of I’m Leavin’ It Up To You continues with harmonica and Vaughan’s guitar rattles like a machine gun. Jimmy picks up the pace a little for the excellent, self-penned instrumental, Comin’ & Goin’. He plays this in an Albert Collins style with horns and George Rains’ drums integral to the overall feel. Wheel Of Fortune is another of his country influenced blues with Texas stamped all over it. Lou Ann Barton stars on vocals. How Can You Be So Mean – what a question! The smokey vocal on this Johnny Ace song flirts on the edge of R&B but despite the title, you’ll always have a good time with Jimmie. Roscoe Gordon’s Just A Little Bit is a well known song and Jimmie delivers it in a smooth fashion with raucous sax an excellent counterpoint.

He keeps up the pace on Lonely Weekends, a good time R&B, surprisingly written by Charlie Rich. This is sure to be a favourite on tour. I’m not too much of a fan of spoken vocals so when I Miss You So starts off in such a fashion, my heart sank a little. However, once Jimmie and Lou Ann Barton get to grips with the song and start to swap vocals then the whole thing turns around. Roy Milton’s RM Blues shuffles along very nicely and Bill Willis’ Hammond B3 and the horns make for an accomplished track. Trumpet is not often heard on blues tracks nowadays but it is a standout here beside Jimmie’s guitar. Guitar Junior’s Roll, Roll, Roll is another classic, played in the Fabulous Thunderbirds style. This shows how much of a class act Jimmie is and is the highlight of the album. Send Me Some Lovin’ is a country influenced blues, written by Little Richard, with Lou Ann Barton on vocals and he’s still using that horn section to great effect. Add Kim Wilson and it’s the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Why, Why, Why is replete with Tex-Mex influences and this is no surprise considering that it is a Doug Sahm number. He is so good in this genre it makes you wonder whether it is worth his while playing anything else. (She’s Got The) Blues For Sale is an upbeat blues and Jimmie is cranking up the style towards the end of the album. He’s got himself a top band and the sax players excel here. This track is short and oh so sweet. Bill Willis takes over on vocals for Willie Nelson’s Funny How Time Slips Away. It’s real soulful and although I didn’t think that this might not work at the outset, it comes across well. Willis’ haunting Hammond B3 makes it a little less lounge room smooth as other versions such as Bryan Ferry’s.

Jimmie Vaughan’s love for these songs pours out of every track and I must make special note of the horn section, Greg Picollo, Kas Kasenoff and Ephraim Owens, who are excellent throughout.

http://www.jimmievaughan.com/
http://www.properuk.com/

David Blue.

Jimmy Bowskill – The Jimmy Bowskill Band Live (Ruf Records).

It’s always brave to release a live album but to do it with your debut shows a real confidence in your own ability. Is it me or are guitarists getting younger every day? 18 year old Bowskill is the latest off the Ruf production line. He is an exciting young player with a powerful, yet still youthful voice and riffs abound on the gritty opener, Far From Reality. His style on Peter Green’s Rattlesnake Shake is actually more reminiscent of Paul Kossoff and there is some way over the top sustain. Walk In My Shadow is a Free song and whilst he is no Paul Rodgers in the vocal stakes, he has more than the capability to match Paul Kossoff. His fingers are now starting to fly. Loser is the obligatory slow one and he turns in a strong vocal performance to hold the crowd. Be Mine is a driving rocker and Dan Neill’s snare drum gets a real beating. Slide guitar adds to the wall of sound. Broke Down Engine is Rory Gallagher, Joe Bonamassa and Gary Moore all wrapped up in one – he really is that good!!

Drifting Haze is a very descriptive title as Jimmy takes you out on an ocean of sound and allows your mind to completely relax whereas Diamond Ring is a cracking blues rocker. It’s shorter than most but that allows him to maintain the impact. Jimmy’s treatment of the old Free song, Ride A Pony just confirms that the sky is the limit for him. He really can go anywhere his ambition takes him. The hi-pace instrumental, Karaday gives drummer Neill the chance to come to the fore. BB King’s Three O’Clock In The Morning is a mournful blues with a big solo and Link Into Your Chain is a superb finish. It is full of energy and action and confirms his songwriting credentials.

Big things beckon for Jimmy Bowskill – remember the name!

http://www.rufrecords.de/
http://www.jimmybowskill.com/

David Blue.

Oli Brown – Heads I Win, Tails You Lose (Ruf Records).

This is Oli’s follow up to his critically acclaimed debut, Open Road, and legendary producer Mike Vernon has brought the best out of him again. Evil Soul is a hi-octane opener which is driven by the drums of Jamie Little. Brown’s voice has improved since my review of Open Road and two years of almost constant touring has helped that so much. His guitar work is still stunning on this snappy introduction. Makes Me Wonder is a fluid blues which is slightly jazzy in some of the passages. The piercing guitar is the focal point. The metronomic Keeping My Options Open is a grinding blues based rocker whereas Speechless turns to a softer rock with a sophisticated feel. Brown’s guitar needs no encouragement to come to the fore and he confirms his status as one of the UK’s premiere guitarists. His treatment of the classic Fever, by playing it in a 60s R&B style is a success. It’s always hard to do something unusual with such a well known song but he does add a different feel to it overall.

Not A Word I Say is the first slow song on the album. It is moody and smouldering with the guitar as the star again. It builds well from the middle onwards. I Can Make Your Day is another grinding blues but a bit on the heavier side this time. Oli lets it rip here on the type of song that Joe Bonamassa excels at. Real Good Time has punchy guitar with a soulful feel. The funky Take A Look Back has a slicing guitar and the funk continues with No Diggity. Oli switches effortlessly between styles but the one constant is his guitar. Love’s Gone Cold has to be a blues with a title like that. This is slow and dark before it explodes into life when Oli lets that guitar go. Unfortunately, the album has to finish sometime and On Top Of The World is a wonderful sing-along song to wrap things up with. Played with panache, it is a testament to Oli’s all round growth.

Oli Brown will help form the future of British blues.

http://www.olibrownband.co.uk/
http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

Stefan Schill – Don’t Say A Word (Provogue).

Dutchman, Stefan Schill hails from Dordrecht and I am sure that this is the first time I’ve reviewed anyone from that part of the world. Don’t Say A Word is his debut album and fulfils a desire to perform after seeing Ritchie Sambora captivate the audience on MTV’s Unplugged. The album, which was two years in the making, opens with Any Direction, which is vibrant and fresh with a youthful vocal and stinging guitar. The eponymous title track is funk/soul with a little input from horns and a silky guitar interlude. He stays with the funk for Take On My Beliefs but he rocks it up a little this time. His guitar playing shines through and the whole package comes across a little like Prince, who he just happens to think is a genius. Just Not Today has his vocal progressing all the time and still staying on the funky side.

U Don’t Mind has crisp drums from Arie Verhaar and this mid-paced funk grinder certainly shows up Prince as a major influence. Gone By Tomorrow is a slinky professional blues whereas Everybody’s Gotta Be Somewhere is soulful and a strong contender for song of the album. The latter has one of his best vocals so far. Game Called Love is a big, ballsy, swinging blues with heaps of attitude. He rocks it up a little for It’s Gonna Be Alright but this rarely gets out of the power pop genre. Last Goodbye is just Schill on guitar and vocal with a little harmonica added by Aram Raken. This acoustic track shows the talent behind the gloss and is a very pleasant finish.

On this basis, Stefan Schill is certainly worth another listen.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/
http://www.stefanschill.com/

David Blue.

P-A-U-L – Gunshot Lullaby (E&E Entertainment).

Paul Andrew Ulysses Lamb, or P-A-U-L as he likes to be known, is a Detroit native and his second album is as tough as the city of his birth. It begins with, funnily enough, And So It Begins which is a short intro into the high impact Our Bullets Will Be Fairytales. I reviewed his first album and I think that he has gone for an all over heavier sound this time around. There is a lot going on in this song but it all comes together very well. The grinding I Ain’t Givin’ You Up continues with the heavy vibes and Martyred Eyes confirms his transfer over to the heavy side of rock. This has guitar overload and best played loud. I Will Never Tell is a wall of sound, a real rockers tune so get the air guitars out and dust them down. The eponymous title track gives us a slight respite from the aural assault but the subject matter makes for a strange ballad. However, his guitar work is still on the highest level.

Detroit Is On Fire is just as powerful as the only other song I know about Detroit. That’s Detroit Rock City by Kiss and P-A-U-L shows that Detroit is still a rock city. He might not get the same exposure as Kiss but he certainly can generate the same power. Mercy Kissin’ is very ZZ Top and I love it!! Grinding, thumping rock at its best. At The Revolution has a short burst of acoustic slide to begin with before taking us off to the now customary grinding loud rock of Rattlesnakes And Butterflies. Diamonds For Gold has nothing too much to get excited about although it does pick up towards the end. Behind The Brothel is an interesting title. There is a big bass line from Paul Randolph and some added woodwind. This, plus the funky guitar gives us a break from the heavy stuff. It’s over 6 minutes and at times it seems a bit too long. What it does do is it shows his versatlilty and the singalong chorus, “hey hey, come out and play” is a different proposition to most of the album.

This is a cracking second album and there is even more to come from P-A-U-L in the future.

http://www.p-a-u-lmusic.com/

David Blue.