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As ever our good friends at Ruf records are leading the way when it comes to the nurturing of new talent, and in the prodigious Jimmy Bowskill they seem to have uncovered not only another star in the making but one to make many a gnarled old rocker wake up and think the last thirty years were nowt but a dream. There may be several good reasons why this young man of merely eighteen summers has been unequivocally endorsed by no less an authority than Paul Rodgers, but one comes ninety seconds into his dynamic reading of Peter Green’s “Rattlesnake Snake” when he unleashes a guitar solo that, from the moment a single shimmering chord stands suspended for over half a minute to the point where it begins the downturn into the final chorus, he is (tonight, Matthew) the mighty Mr Paul Kossoff fully reborn. Rodgers won’t be the only one to have felt a genuine chill down his spine on hearing it. It’s no coincidence that next up on this live set is Free’s own “Walk in My Shadows”, or that “Ride a Pony” follows sometime later, since their influence is undeniable, untempered, and unashamed throughout. Which is to take nothing from some very fine original compositions from Bowskill himself, and on an album of consistent quality the slow burning “Loser” and the ten minute epic “Three 0’Clock in the Morning” bring out the best in his singing and playing respectively to put down the strongest of markers that this is a name to look out for. We won’t be distracted by his youth for too long either if we bear in mind that Andy Fraser was indeed only fifteen when he penned “Alright Now”. So is it “move over Oli Brown, you’re too old at twenty” then? Not quite. It’s early days to count him as one of the old guard of course, and he probably wouldn’t thank us for it; but he’s pulling enough weight among the establishment to have enticed producing legend Mike Vernon out of his ten year retirement to take charge of sophomore release “Heads I Win Tails You Lose”. This is an important record for Brown. His debut, “Open Road” surprised many and was rightly praised for its composure and maturity, so the impetus to show how he can build on that is compelling. Linking up with Vernon is hardly a gamble – this is the man who bossed the British blues scene when it was riding high on the unrivalled talents of Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack et al – but it is inspired nonetheless. Where young Oli might have been tempted to dig deeper into the seventies rock rhythms of his earlier offering this new set harkens back to r&b beats of the previous decade, with the satisfying effect of adding new discipline to his chopping and licking; introducing period Hammond organ on the classic “Fever” and the lovely “Not a Word I Say” adds even more of a sixties flavour. Vernon has had a hand in the writing and although its difficult to tell from the outside how much actual difference he will have made there’s no doubt that compositions such as “Evil Soul”, “Makes Me Wonder” and particularly “Speechless” have a breadth of imagination often lacking in modern blues. On “Privileged”, his new collection on Blue Bella Records, Nick Moss has stepped aside from the comfort blanket of orthodoxy to pay tribute to third generation influences from the Allmans to ZZ Top. A veteran by contrast with the two young guns above, with seven previous releases and a sackful of industry awards under his belt, his change of direction has paid dividends, opening up a new range of rootsy options without compromising his usual standards. A full band approach ensures that old and new standards from the Wolfman’s “Louise” and Sonny Boy Williamson’s “She’s So Fine” to Buffalo Springfield’s “For What Its Worth” and Cream’s Politician” are made common cause with a respectable body of Moss’s own songs, notably “Privileged at Birth” and “Tear ‘Em Town”. What impresses most in a solid all-round effort is the power, commitment and driving consistency of the underlying groove, something brought to an exhilarating finale on the closing instrumental showcase “Bolognious Funk”. Serbian Ana Popovic has enjoyed a steadily growing live reputation in mainland Europe for a decade or so, and had the dubious distinction of playing the final ill-fated Bishopstock festival in 2001. It was her enrolment with the ever dependable Delta Groove label however that finally raised her game as far as the studio is concerned, with the David Z produced “Still Making History” peaking at #3 in the Billboard blues chart. For “Blind for Love” she moves over to their subsidiary Eclecto stable and engages the services of Mark Dearnley, whose past credits include AC/DC and Tom Petty. Ably complimented by her regular touring band Popovic turns in another creditable performance, and there can be no complaint with her seasoned singing or spirited guitar playing. For some, however, the bewildering range of styles, encompassing horn-assisted soul (“Nothing Personal”), strutting southern funk (“Lives That Don’t Exist”), rock ‘n’ roll (“Get Back Home to You”), the gentle ballad of the title track, and straight blues (“For M”), might suggest a lack of real focus. With founder/guitarist Donnie Walsh having been the real-life inspiration for John Belushi’s character in The Blues Brothers it is fitting that his harmonica-playing partner Dan Akroyd should guest on “I Need a Hat”, the album that celebrates Downchild’s fortieth anniversary. The Chicago-styled Canadian outfit has seen plenty of line-up changes during its long and distinguished career, but the present make-up of Walsh plus deeply grained singer Chuck Jackson, bassist Gary Kendall, drummer Mike Fitzpatrick, keyboard player Mike Fonfara and Tenor Sax man Pat Carey have been present and correct for the last decade and a half, collecting Juno Awards and Blues Album of the Year nominations along the way. There’s no sign of them flagging now either, as bolstered by economical contributions from stalwart performers including respected fellow-countrymen Colin James and Colin Lynden, and Stax hero Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns, they cook up a righteous stew of fresh full and resonant blues sounds best sampled on standouts “Somebody Lied”, “Rendezvous” and “Some More of That”. When Blues Boulevard re-issued Jimmie Vaughan’s 2001 classic “Do You Get the Blues” last year it reminded us all just what an assured player and master of restraint the man was. Consistent with the marked lack of urgency in his performing style however goes a regrettable reluctance to busy himself in producing new releases for his not inconsiderable following. Given his legendary status it is curious that “Plays Blues, Ballads and Favourites” (Proper) is only his fourth real solo album, and his first for nine years. This one is very much for himself, selecting personal favourites from the songbooks of Jimmy Reed, Johnny Ace, Charlie Rich, Doug Sahm and Willy Nelson and filtering them through an authentic fifties-ish vibe which keeps them tight but still gives them lots of room to breath, and makes them sound at once as old as the hills and as fresh as a daisy. In this sterile digital age it’s a huge relief to hear something which feels so authentically real, and a sizable cast of musicians including additional guitars, Hammond organ, a three piece brass section and the welcome return of long-time vocal partner Lou Ann Barton play with a care and precision that could rival any similar ensemble of the last fifty years. Praise for Vaughan himself is almost superfluous; ever since his days with the Fabulous Thunderbirds he has been one of the genres most understated giants, a terrific singer and instrumentalist with a unique gift for interpretation, but whose primary asset lies deeper still, like a blues Miles Davis, in his intuitive grasp of when to hold on and when to let go. www.rufrecords.de |
