Customer Reviews

Live Highwayman

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A fantastic live album, recorded at the Chord On Blues in St. Charles. Never heard of Tinsley Ellis until we heard one of the cuts from this album on our local blues & jazz station.

Mr. Ellis has the quintessential Chicago sound that Alligator has been showcasing for years, with an almost Southern rock overlay - the one song that spurred us to buy the album, "The Last Song," is a haunting ballad with a long guitar solo reminiscent of Allman Bros/Pink Floyd (for want of better comparisons). Truly beautiful.

"The Ax" is also a winner.

If you love the blues Chicago style, you should own this, no question about it.

Every time I've been to a LIVE Tinsley Ellis show I thought "I wish I could have THIS show on CD!" Now I can. Years on the road for Tinsley have culminated in a live CD which showcases his talents and is the pinnacle of his work to date. The CD was record March 25th & 26th outside Chicago at the premier club, Chord on Blues. The vocals and blues rock guitar work simulaneously express a full range of emotion and skill. The vocals are as versatile as the guitar work, ranging from the emotional to the playful to the grownling snarl of a man who has seen his ups and downs on that road.

The CD is 79.06 minutes and contains 11 songs. This length allows Tinsley to take you away to that "place" where the best guitar rides take you, a roller coaster rid, through a series of twists and turns, upside down and back around, spellbinding, never knowing what's ahead until your breath is taken away.

Tinsley is backed with the steady driving bass of the man dubbed The Evil One, drummer Jeff Burch who is as precise as Big Ben and the energetic keyboardist Todd Hamric.

This live CD is actually a compilation from Tinsley's 20 plus year career. The CD opens with "Devil for a Dime", a catchy tune you just cant get out of your head. The title track "Highway Man", life on the road and "A Quitter Never Wins", one of the best tracks. There's "Real Bad Way", a trippy driving soulful guitar tune with a little jazz bent. The funky "Hell or High Water" leads into "The Next Miss Wrong" with its driving bass line, which is straight out rock and roll. "The Last Song" has moving emotional vocals, mirrored by piercingly tender, yet down and dirty guitar licks. This song is about the end of an intense love affair and letting go. "Leaving Here/Pawnbroker", Tinsley's dance party tunes, have a signature psychedelic influence. "The Axe" wield impending doom for the cheating lover and finally, the Freddie King "Double Eyed Whammy" showcases blues wah wah used at its tasteful best.

The guitar work is unparalleled, influenced but original. A little Duane Allman lick here, a little John Campbell riff there, some Freddie King, a little Derek and the Domino's ... but no, its all TINSLEY. His own sound - the subtilties, the quiet notes, the bending notes, the screaming wah wah.

I can't stop smiling. I can't stop listening to perfection.

Completely blown away! Vocals are honest, tight, and compelling. Guitar and bass are nothing short of amazing. The energy of the live performance comes right through. Needs to be listened to again and again. It just puts you "in a very bad way!"

I have every Tinsley Ellis album and have seen Tinsley Ellis live more than once. Each time is better than the last. This album is a perfect example of how much fun Tinsley and his band are live. If you like electric blues than don't be afraid of this album. You won't waste a dime. Every song is good. Tinsley rocks on the guitar with screaming solos, Jeff Burch is killer on the drums, The Evil One flawlessly keeps the bass beat, and i forget the piano and organ players name but he is absolutly awsome. Has to be in his twentys and is so much fun to watch. Great live gig at chord on blues outside chicago. This guy has worked hard to get where is is today and it really shows with this steller live performance. Check out WWW.TINSLEYELLIS.COM and keep the blues alive!

Tinsley has been slinging blues for some time now, and his experience shows in this live recording. Excellend guitar playing along with a good voice. I put this album on and couldn't turn it off, just had to listen to the whole thing.

Apparently Tinsley Ellis has been around for a long time. So have I, but I had never heard of him until my internet radio station began playing his music. I love the blues, especially with a lot of guitar. I had intended to order 2 other CD's, but purchased 2 Tinsley Ellis instead. They're great!

This CD seems to be left in my CD player and played over and over. It is just a fantabulous disc. I've been to Chord on Blues in St. Charles, IL where this was recorded but have yet to catch Tinsley there. For a guy from Atlanta he gets there often and I intend to see him there on one of his next visits. It is one solid CD, get one for the house and one for the car.

I have all of Tinsley Ellis's CD's but this will now rank as my favorite. Can't stop playing it. I was completely blown away by the live version of Pawnbroker. I replayed it three times in a row. My only wish is that the concert had been recorded on DVD as well so that I could enjoy seeing it as well as listening to it.

We've been hoping for a Tinsley live album for a long time now. His only other is the wonderful mid-80's Live At The Moonshadow, as leader of his ass kicking quartet, The Heartfixers. But Live! Highwayman is surely definitive and well worth the wait. The band is in top form, and Tinsley's energy, creativity and musical prowess are at an all time high!

i was once a big tinsley ellis fan enjoying such albums as fanning the flames and trouble in mind. but what was once a fresh sound and fresh guitar has become increasingly stale. having seen tinsley live three times he sure left all his good stuff at home on this album, he even manages to screw up highway man which is one of my favorites. i know tinsley has felt he hasnt gotten his just due as a performer but efforts like this won't help his cause.