Customer Reviews

Grand Union

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

 

 

Whether you are a guitarist, or not - you can't fail to be impressed by this CD. Otis has one again excelled himself with the aid of Debbie Davies and Anson Funderburgh, not to mention all the other fine players. Every track on this CD just exudes fine blues and r&b and I strongly recommend it to anyone. Check Otis out live too to see probably the best Blues you will ever see!

What a great blues feast this CD is! From the blistering opening cut of 'Guitars on Fire' right through to the soulful final track 'The Big Prayer' the level of commitment, passion and sheer quality never falls below 110%.

And how could it? The list of musicians contributing to this CD reads like a Who's Who of Blues Greats. The guitars of Otis Grand, Debbie Davies and Anson Funderburgh contrast and compliment each other beautifully. The vocals of Sugar Ray Norcia and Brother Roy Oakley are pure gold, and the rhythm section of Mudcat Ward's bass and Neil Gouvin's drums cook up the coolest groove. Add to this guest musicians of the calibre of Ike Turner (good grief!), and Tony Coleman and the 'Bee Horns' from the BB King band.

The reason I am so impressed with this CD is because it works so well, the whole being much greater than the sum of its parts.

Otis Grand, who assembled this banquet, obviously knows the blues like the back of his hand. This CD has certainly wetted my appetite for more. He must have a helluva live act!

If you're a guitar freak of the blues-revival or blues-rock vein, or if you're a fan of the Vaughan bothers, you'll find much of interest here. Plenty of guitar-ego-trip! Listen to Otis Grand recreating the cool sound of the Master of the Telecaster on a couple of tunes just (almost) 100% exactly!
But for me, the greatest thing here is not any guitar, but the truly masterful vocal work of Sugar Ray Norcia ("There Was A Time"). He's the best!

It seems pointless to me reviewing a new Otis Grand release. Let's face it, the man just doesn't do bad; and when he surrounds himself with musicians of the calibre of co-headliners Davies and Funderburgh, vocalists Sugar Ray Norcia and Roy Oakley, a rhythm section comprising Neil Gouvin and 'Mudcat' Ward on drums and bass, Anthony Geraci and Ike Turner on keys, along with B.B.King's horn section and drummer, Tony Coleman, who also contributes a couple of vocals .... you get what I'm trying to say? It is testament indeed to his standing in the world blues community that Grand can pick up a phone and assemble such a line-up to help with his project. And believe me, even though the billing is shared, this is Otis Grand's project! From the choice of material to the classy production, Grand has pulled out all the stops to ensure everything is perfect. Since playing on Joe Louis Walker's 'Great Guitars', Grand has been consumed with expanding the concept. Enlisting the help of Funderburgh and Davies, writing a bunch of new songs and setting aside ten days in the studio for everybody to bounce ideas off each other, Grand has produced an album worthy of following the multi-award winning 'Perfume and Grime'. From the explosive opening of 'Guitars On Fire' to the down-home steel guitar closer 'The Big Prayer', everything in between is a gem. Having already started to break big in the States with his last effort, if this album doesn't do it for Croydon's best known American, English nationalised blues guitarist then nothing will. With this album alone, Grand shows that he has more talent in his little finger than most of the hyped up super-stars being paraded as musicians today. 'Grand Union' is certainly one of my contenders for album of the year, so it follows that it comes highly recommended. But then again ... you already knew that!

PS - This is my review published last year in Britain's 'Blueprint' magazine. I still stick with what I said at the time. Steve Cooke