JOHN LAWTON - Still Payin' My Dues (Hypertension)

There's been a renewed awareness of John Lawton recently what with his working with Ken Hensley again in The Hensley-Lawton band, and via some Uriah Heep related activity around the Heeps anniversary bash, so what better time to look at one of his recent sol outings.

"Still Payin' My Dues" is Mr Lawtons bash at a blues album. As he indicates in the liner notes, any young singer growing up in the UK during the early 60s had the blues. Especially in the North East. Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf and John Lee Hooker moulded a generation of musicians.

Howeve, the dangerous path he has chosen to follow is that of a 'new' blues album. With the exception of an unsuccessful stab at "Try A Little Tenderness", this consists of new material, largely penned with the German musicians who recorded it. Now, as those who shook their heads sorrowfully at Gary Moores 'blues' excursions will know, new blues isn't easy. Thankfully, and with no small amount of pleasure, I can report that this is considerably better than expected.

Most of the material falls into the mid-groove Tony Joe White school of mid-Atlantic blues, with a couple of slower numbers thrown in for balance. "Can't Get You Out Of My Mind", slowie number one is a definite winner, lithe and smooth, unlike "Tonight" which follows later and is a bit too late period Joe Cocker for comfort. However, Uriah Heep fans looking for a track to ease themselves in with, will find it a closer companion than some other tracks.

"Starlight Angel" isn't a blues track at all, but rather a funky little beast built on a strange backbeat that Glenn Hughes spent years looking for, and will be appearing on my homemade compilation CDs for quite some time. A classic. The near title track, "Payin My Dues To the Blues" appears twice, is a Double Trouble like stomper, and yes, the fake ending(s) on version 2 did fool me. Thanks, John:-)

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable CD, from a relatively unsung hero of British rock (after all, his Lucifers Friends years went unnoticed over here), well worth buying. Buy this for £10.08. Other John Lawton CDs available

JLBmedia@ntlworld.com
http://www.johnlawtonband.com

JOHN GREAVES - "The Caretaker"

How different this music is from John's previous life as a member of RIO band Henry Cow. described by Jerry Lucky in his 'Progressive Rock Files' as 'an uncompromising and technically complex band with highly politicised lyrics and a nearly improvisational musical format.'
Nowadays much of Greaves' music sounds like Joe Jackson with the similarly probing and intriguing lyrics and jazz elements that prevailed in his Henry Cow days.
I enjoyed listening to this album especially the second half.
'Turning Pages' with its moody guitar and piano arpeggios, sensitive trumpet playing from David Lewis and stirring alto sax solo by Yannick Gory is a particular stand out.
I would have been happy for this particular piece to last for longer than its 5 minutes! (a typical length on this CD)
The drumming of Manuel Denizet is excellent throughout while Francois Ovide's guitar work is always interesting.
On 'In Then Real World' he conjures up a great guitar synth sound normally associated with keyboardist Dave Stewart. And on 'The Wrong Song' his playing is reminiscent of Robert Fripp as he slides from note to note on a lugubrious atmospheric number with some subtle cello from Vincent Courtois. Another feature of this album is some nice (occasionally spectral sounding) Hammond organ by Geraint Watkins bubbling just below the surface.
'One Day My Feet Will Touch The Ground' reminded me of Randy Newman's 'Short People' (in subject matter anyway)
Bob Dylan is another influence that springs to mind especially on 'Nobody'. And when Greaves sings 'Nobody is perfect, nobody is clean' you are left in doubt about the passion and commitment of the man's music.
I would love to have heard the band stretch out a bit more as they do on the final track and some of the compositions definitely deserve Newman style orchestrations.
Still this is a beautifully sounding, well packaged album that also includes a song by XTC's Andy Partridge. Recommended.
(Blueprint) (Contact: www.voiceprint.co.uk) Buy this for £13.14. Other John Greaves CDs available

Phil Jackson, musician and reviewer )

SANTANA - "Tropical Spirits Parts 1 & 11"

Santana has enjoyed a renaissance of late with its international best seller' Supernatural' and this is a timely release.
Of their early live sets Rolling Stone magazine said, "The band fed the scene's appeal for long open-air jams with an athletic mixture of blazing guitar and frenetic percussion..fusing Hispnaic dance-forms and bluesy rock.". Nothing much has changed since that was written
Disc 1 starts with 'Jingo' from their 1969 debut album and the band simmer. By the time we get to 'Jam in E' Santana is really cooking. Flashes of flowing virtuoso guitar, organ stabs, hundred mile an hour drumming, energetic bass playing whipping the audience into a frenzy (presumably- it would be hard not to react to this music)
By the time it comes to 'Jammin' Home' on disc 2 the band is seriously threatening to overheat!
Back on disc 1 there is more electric piano and less organ as the side progresses and the only disappointing thing for me is that 'Acapulco Sunrise' and ' Let's get Ourselves Together' fade rather early. (Did the band lose its way-unlikely!- or did someone switch off the recorder?)
The only singing on the album is on 'Fried Neckbones and Home Fries' (with its rather pointless throwaway lyric) and on the B.B. King standard 'Every Day I Have the Blues'.
On the latter 'cut' the band (and Carlos Santana in particular) gives Eric Clapton and the Cream a run for their money in their interpretation of a blues classic. (with additional organ of course!)
The bonus exclusive tracks are welcome additions for 'curiosity value' at least. It is reassuring to know that someone somewhere might be dancing to 'club' versions of Santana's as you read this!
'Soul Sacrifice', also from the band's debut album appears both as a 'normal' and 'Millennium Remix 2000' track. There is the obligatory (and breathtaking) organ solo and the bass fret board must be hot to burning as Carlos contentedly chords away in the background only to explode into action. His mastery of his art is no better demonstrated than on 'La Puesta Del Sol' where he holds onto a note at length 8 minutes in. There is nothing flash about this but it shows that, despite his technical ability, emotional expression is all and it is often the simplest things that work best for Santana.
To produce music acceptable to so many audiences- Latin, rock, dance (and now 'club'?) is a rare trick and perhaps explains the current resurgence of Santana as a commercial force.
Hypnotic, heavily improvised and highly charged the music is a delight as Santana kick up a storm on this excellent 100 minute double CD release. Black marks though for not giving details of locations and line-ups.
By the way 'Tropical Spirits' is only available in Europe.
Contact Voiceprint at the usual address.
(The Store for Music SFMCD001) Buy this for £13.14. Other Santana CDs available

Phil Jackson, musician and reviewer )