Customer Reviews

Blue Guitars (W/Dvd)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must admit I was a bit apprehensive when I heard that Chris Rea was to issue an 11 CD set. I did not see how anyone could undertake such a huge project and hope that it would be up to his usual standard. I really need not have feared. Since receiving my copy of Blue Guitars at the beginning of the week I have listened to all 11 discs and have yet to find a bad one. All the CD's are named for a particular type of blues and I have to say that they are all to a greater or lesser degree evocative of the genre they are named for.

If this set had been issued by somebody new to the music scene, then all the usual pundits would be lauding him. For Chris Rea, it is his farewell and a very poignant farewell it is. If he had never issued anything else, then this would stand as a brilliant body of work. Taken together with all the albums issued over the last 25 years, then it is outstanding.

If you have never really listened to Chris Rea, then this is an opportunity to discern why he has had a faithful following over the years and why we have all looked forward eagerly to each new release.

Thanks for the music Chris - we will not forget the pleasure you have given us and look forward to any releases with your new band Fireflies.

Chris Rea is a musician's musician - in other words, musicians recognize him for much more than a few hit songs and a tasty slide guitar. He has the heart of an artist and something even more important - INTEGRITY. I have just received "Blue Guitars" and have barely had time to listen to but a few tracks. I began by watching the DVD which only whetted my appetite to immerse myself, over time, in the whole project. What is immediately apparent is that Rea has not shirked his responsibility to be true to his own musical vision and also to the expectation of his fans who have come to expect exemplarary musicianship as well as audio excellence. A sample if somewhat cursory listening has confirmed my suspicions. "Blue Guitars" is a work of mammoth proportions and emotional depth. I fully intend to update this review over time as I am sure this is a journey that is going to take a while.

Wich popmusician would have the idiot idea to bring out 11 albums and a dvd, with brand new music on them? Why would anybody bother to listen to that much music of one artist? A lot of cd's are boring within 60 minutes, and there's so much more good music being made on this planet.

Chris Rea obviously had that idiot idea, and he had some thoughts about the blues too. A fatal and selfoverating combination, I would expect. Chris Rea has made some albums in the past that were a bit boring. But the high level of his music on The Blue Jukebox, made me think that this man was doing something right. Could this album be any good?

I knew Rea is a pretty good guitar player, who plays a mean slide. I already liked his voice. I liked the good popmusic on for instance Shamrock Diaries. But is anybody capable of filling that many cd's with blues, with his own personal style and voice without falling into an irritating form of narcism?

I also had my doubts about the originality of an album with all these different styles of blues, done so many times before.

For the reasons that no one in pophistory had pulled this off before, my strong believe in the power of the blues and pure fascination for someone's intension to do such an outrageous project, I decided to buy the box.

And, by the allmighty Thor, towering high above us, this music is allright. This band is tight. This man can play.
Each album has a period or region in the blues as a starting point. What Rea does not do is take the blues in a riged way, but he does things with it. Sometimes he very much sticks to the original blues of that period, but you can also hear a popblues-variation very similar to older music of Chris Rea. Always played with the instruments of the period or region of the cd.

The music sounds pretty relaxed, but is also very tight. Altough most of the work may have been done by Rea himself, the reason why the album sounds good has everything to do with the band. Essence of the blues naturally is the rhythm. A lot of blues done by popmusicians don't really sound like blues, tough the right chords etc. are used. But a real bluesband always has something more to offer. His band is a real bluesband and Chris Rea has become what every older musician should become: a bluesman. He proves it with 11 cd's full of blues! This kind of arrogance has to be rewarded.

FJB/O!-music 2006

The purchase of this set was a bold step for me. I don't own any "boxed" sets. When I learned of this project on Chris's website I knew that this would be unique. I couldn't wait to explore such an immense piece of art. I'm still exploring. It's breadth is impressive. While I have my favorites there is not a song that is sloppy or rushed. Check back with me and my list of favorites will undoubtedly change. Currently it includes: Blind Willie (Texas Blues disc), My Blue World Says Hello (Electric Memphis Blues disc). As for the DVD... fascinating! I love the creative process that goes into any work of art. This is a little window into Chris's world and the musicians he worked with.

The only downside to this project is that the book which houses the discs and the artwork is poorly designed to hold discs. They fall out very easily. All things considered, it's a minor inconvenience. All the music is now copied onto my computer/IPod.

I Consider this purchase an investment in my education. Well worth the price.

I only own copies of this series of CDs, and am now going to buy the originals. One of my kids bought them, copied them and sent them to me and I have been hooked on them ever since. This is the most incredible feat anyone extant has achieved in music. I was absolutely floored when I received these CDs, a whole history of blues from that execration known as slavery to modern times. Every single CD in this group is tremendous. If you love blues, look no further, it is all here. From Chicago to the Mississipi to Texas, from fifties break-out rock to blues ballads and even Celtic blues. What Chris Rea has done is in a word: amazing. Or in more words, it is gob-smacking and mind boggling. And, it's all good. The music is good, the lyrics are good, everything is impeccably done. And, of course, there is that smokey gritty voice which was made for this kind of music. I've been a so-so fan of Chris Rea for many years. That is, I wasn't the kinda gung ho fan I am of Neil Young and Mark Knopfler, but this achievement of Chris Rea's really shows his immense talent and domination over his music and instruments. After having listened to this, one cannot help but think...what's he gonna do next? How is gonna top this? (And then some no-talent rapper gets the Grammy. Or the Oscar. And the real talent bites the dust. And so it goes. )

This CD will test two things: Your love of the blues and your love of Chris Rea. If you're a lover of both, you'll recognize an artist who hit the height of his musical powers at the same time as he hit a near fatal low in his health.

This CD is testimony to the power of being true to yourself and acknowledging your roots. Here is an artist who has refused to go on being ruled by the fickle criteria of commercial success and has had the courage to follow his heart. Chris Rea is willing to let his audience make up their own minds about this body of work. Anyone who loves the blues will love this CD. Anyone who acknowledges Chris Rea as one of the most important musical artists of his generation will be eternally grateful that he returned to the music that feeds his soul.

Go beyond what's expected of you as a music consumer and confound the pundits - buy this brilliant collection of songs (they're not just blues numbers, they're beautifully written songs) and rejoice in an artist who found a way to be true to himself.

This music is a delight to listen to.I know in time I will have my favourite tracks but in the meantime, just listening is pure pleasure. Some wonderful guitar music and plus the voice of Chris Rea makes this a must for any Collection. The presentation of the Collection is impresive, showing that Chris along with been a great Musician is a great artist.
Chris Rea, thank you very much.

I listen the entire new album of Chris Rea. I never hear a Chris Rea album before. This is an excepcional, complex & mesmerize album. This is the best album of this new century & one of the best blues album of all time. Eleven albums in one year !!! This is incredible. You must listen to it to believe it. The latin blues by English man sounds superior to the latin blues make for sud americans & spanish people. All the albums are great & sounds very very diferent. My favorites are: 60's & 70's, Chicago Blues,Electric Memphis Blues, Latin Blues & Ballads Blues. I recomend very much.

As a blues lover, I accidentally discovered Chris Rea on a compilation blues album that included '90's Blues' that gained my attention. Having listened to some of his other output, my feeling was that he was an artist who had some feeling for the blues. On an internet crawl last year I discovered the `Blue Guitars' album and after reading the reviews had to buy a copy. This is an incredible undertaking: 128 songs on 11 Cds based on the history of the blues. Each CD features one historical and geographical environment. The album comes in a hard cover book (unfortunately the CDs tend to fall out), that includes an interview with Chris Rea, paintings by Chris, a description of each album's basis, lyrics and includes a history of blues instruments used. Also included is a DVD detailing the production of an earlier CD, `Dancing down the road'.

The first album, `Beginnings' blew me away. The album gives you a feel for the misery and despair suffered by people captured and transported. In addition it highlights the hope that the slaves envisioned via religion and the misunderstanding of their situation. The album is especially inspired as a result of the use of African instruments. This CD alone made the album worthwhile providing brilliant blues playing and incredible blues lyrics.

The second album, `Country Blues' does not general reach quite the same heights. However, it is still superb, particularly `KK Blues'.

Unfortunately the other 9 Cds do not reach the same level. Each CD has some high points and some sparkling moments, but never reach the same high point that the `Beginnings' album reaches. Many of the CDs provide a musical style, while probably accurate, does not appeal to my music tastes.

In general, each subsequent album gets slowly poorer. The biggest disappointment is the last album `60s & 70s'. I grew up in this era and discovered the blues. Unfortunately, this CD offers blues that I do not identify with.

It is a fantastic collection of Chris Rea interpretation of the different Blues.
I love Chris voice and his daring lyrics. With this collection Rea moved way up in the world of meaningful songs and music. BRAVO CHRIS