Blues
"LIVE, FROM STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN IS THE NEW RELEASE OF "BIG CITY RHYTHM VOLUME 2" WITH 22 ORIGINAL TUNES. THE DEBUT OF THIS CD WILL DEFINITELY KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF. IF YOU ARE A BLUESAHOLIC AND ENJOY THE SOUND OF JUMP BLUES, JUMP SWING, BOOGIE, ROCK N' SOUL AND LOW DOWN BLUES YOU CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. I GUARANTEE IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. THESE ARE WELL-SEASONED MUSICIANS THAT PLAY EXTREMELY TIGHT TOGETHER. WITHOUT WARNING, YOU ARE CAUGHT IN A CROSSFIRE BETWEEN WAILIN' HARP, SAX, KEYBOARD & GUITARS THAT IMMEDIATELY LET YOU KNOW THAT THE BLUES HIT BIG TOWN. YOU BETTER HANG ON WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE SONG HANG ON. "BEWARE OF SLIDE GUITARS." THESE ARE SWEDEN'S HOTTEST, MOST TALENTED, BLUES MUSICIANS GATHERED TOGETHER ON ONE DYNAMITE CD. JUST KICK BACK, RELAX AND LET THE BLUES TAKE YOU AWAY. THIS CD IS ALSO GUARANTEED TO RIP YOUR FRIGGIN' HEART OUT."
"HEY, DID YOU EVER WAKE UP WITH DEM' MEAN OLE BLUES ON YOUR MIND? WELL IT'S A SURE SIGN THAT YOU HAVE "BIG CITY RHYTHM VOLUME 2" ON YOUR MIND. THIS SWEDISH DELIGHT DEFINITELY TREATS YOU RIGHT. THIS CD WILL PUT SOME ROCK IN YOUR SOCK AND SOME PEP IN YOUR STEP."
"DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND BUY THIS CD !"
By Harold Mersky.
**
"Volume 1" was well recieved in Blues & Rhythm # 201 and this second round-up of the contemporary Swedish blues scene is equally welcome. Some artists are reprised from the earlier set, other are newcomers, but all are very impressive.
Stylistically this stretches from Fredrik Gustafsson's fine piano boogie to Marino Valle's convincing southern soul "Waiting For You". In between are the wonderful tenor saxist Tore Berglund's retro instrumentals, jump numbers, classic Chicago styled tracks, Thomas Grahn's lovely Junior Parker pastiche "Out On Loose Ground", and Sven Zetterberg's stunning evocations of Robert Nighthawk and Elmore.
All 22 tracks are originals - some very fine indeed - and the one thing you won't find is any trace of blues-rock. They could teach some English - and American - bands a thing or two; but don't take my word for it, check it out yourself."s.
By Norman Darwen.
**
"Anyone who questions just how far and wide the influence of the blues has become need look no further than this project. Once upon a time it would have seemed absurd to think of four guys from Sweden going back to their 'blues roots.' Yet there's been a strong and vibrant Scandinavian blues scene ever since the so-called 'blues revival' of the sixties. And if further proof is needed, a single listen to this excellent collection ought to convince anyone that Sweden's blues bands are the equal of any.
The gentlemen listed on the disc's cover - Thomas Hammarlund, Sven Zetterberg, Knock-Out Greg, and Thomas Grahn - probably won't be familiar to many readers beyond Sweden's borders. All are veterans, though, with extensive backgrounds. (For the record, Mr. Zetterberg is probably best known, and is considered something of an icon in his native land; Knock-Out Greg is the youngster of the bunch, though he, too, has several recordings under his belt). They're backed here by a revolving cast that includes various members from the bands each normally fronts. But Sweden's a small country, and all have played together at various times over the years. So there's a relaxed camaraderie obvious in every groove, a palpable sense of old friends gathering to make music together.
For this project, each was asked to bring in the songs that have either influenced or are simply among their personal favourites. And here's where it becomes apparent that all are pretty serious students of the blues; with the exception of "Little By Little," all the tunes are lesser-known gems that haven't, thankfully, been done to death. And while the sound here is decidedly retro - thick-toned harp, stinging guitar, stand-up bass, and lots of dirt - each approaches their chosen tunes determined to make 'em their own. So instead of mere imitation we get interpretation, though done in the classic style.
Zetterberg and Hammarlund both contribute vocals and guitar, as do Greg and Grahn, with the latter two also taking turns at harmonica. Additional instrumentation includes standard bass & drums, with some sparkling piano and a bit of sax to round things out. While there are occasional traces of an accent on the vocals, it's always very faint and never distracting.
The overall feel here, again, is 'classic retro,' for lack of a better term. The era is 50's Chicago, with tough, tight grooves and seamless ensemble playing the order of the day. Solos are short and to the point - the extended self-indulgence endemic to the genre these days is notably absent - and performances are absolutely top-notch throughout. And that's why this disc is so appealing. While the review format keeps things interesting over a generous sixteen-song playlist, there's a cohesive and cooperative ethos at work, with everyone collaborating for the good of the whole.
This is an absolutely stellar effort, proof that the blues are indeed a universal language and that there's no borders when it comes to the ability to play 'em convincingly, with both commanding authority and a lot of fun."
Very highly recommended!
ByJohn R. Taylor.
**
VA - Big City Rhythm Vol. 1
01. Jonas Goransson - Up for grabs
02. Daniel Kordelius - Ain't gonna cry
03. Torbjorn Eliasson - Strollin' with Bongo Bob
04. Joakim Barcheus - Bring it on home
05. Daniel Kordelius - 4th and Beale
06. Jonas Goransson - Blues for porky
07. Joakim Barcheus - Big boss man
08. Torbjorn Eliasson - Bongo Bob's funeral
09. Anders Lewen - Breakin' up
10. Marino Valle - Faith
11. Anders Lewen - The big bite
12. Jonas Goransson - I love you so
13. Anders Lewen - Rock this morning
14. Jonas Goransson - Curly's revenge
15. Marino Valle - Stuff you gotta watch
16. Anders Karlsson - I feel so fine
17. Emil Arvidsson - Calling all blues
18. Harmonica Henry - Michelle
19. Emil Arvidsson - It's all your fault
20. Anders Karlsson - Back in time
21. Harmonica Henry - Black night
*
VA - Big City Rhythm Vol. 2
01. Anders Karlsson - Magic word boogie
02. Marino Valle - Underneath the appletree
03. Anders Karlsson - Worth waiting for
04. Jonas Goransson - Backseat drivin'
05. Marino Valle - Waiting for Vou
06. Tore Berglund - Hang on
07. Thomas Grahn - Feel brokenhearted
08. Fredrik Gustaf sson - Freguz goes wild
09. Anders Lewen - Look at me
10. Thomas Grahn - Out on loose ground
11. Tore Berglund - Big T's mood
12. Anders Lewen (feat. Knock-out Greg) - Can't find my way back home
13. Hlkan Johansson - A heart full of Vou
14. Sven Zetterberg - Since I got rid of Vou
15. Jonas Goransson - Pawn it!
16. Hlkan Johansson - Chicago-New Orleans
17. Sven Zetterberg - Blues in my heart
18. Mathias Andersen - She lied to me
19. Daniel Kordelius - Need Vour love, baby
20. Tommy Moberg - Surf in' girl
21. Mathias Andersen - My all day steady
22. Daniel Kordelius - Let's take a little walk
**
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