Customer Reviews

For Real

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Joe Beard lives in Rochester NY and mostly plays in small clubs in his hometown. On this recording Beard is joined by some top notch talent including Duke Robillard on guitar, Per Hanson on drums, Jerry Portnoy on harp and Rod Carey on bass. Beard sings with a soulful voice much in the style of James Cotton, Mojo Buford and Jimmy Rogers. While Joe Beard is not one of your better known bluesmen, he is certainly one who deserves greater attention. On this exceptional disc, Beard lays down 8 originals and 5 covers ranging from Lightnin' Hopkins "See See Rider" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me Talking" to John Lee Hooker's "Dirty Groundhog". His original material is excellent. Check him out!

This is a wonderful discovery! Joe is absolutely "For Real", with an unpretentious, highly musical set of great blues. I especially love "Elem" with its riveting piano work. Joe's own guitar playing is tasteful, sweet, and inspiring. I look forward to more like this.

I may be subjective because I live in Joe Beard's hometown, but as a blues lover I consider this album as good as any you'll hear. If you like a great electric blues guitar but not the loud horns that some bluesman blast out at you, then this CD belongs in your collection. If you listen one time...you'll also wonder - why isn't Joe Beard huge!!!!

I may be subjective because I live in Joe Beard's hometown, but as a blues lover I consider this album as good as any you'll hear. If you like a great electric blues guitar but not the loud horns that some bluesman blast out at you, then this CD belongs in your collection. If you listen one time...you'll also wonder - why isn't Joe Beard huge!!!!

I have the distinct advantage of having known Joe Beard for well nigh 36 years. Recorded him solo, as well as his neighbor Eddie 'Son' House. What Joe puts down on For Real is just that. Just the same with his other cds and the hard to find No More Cherry Rose. Anyone who wants to hear the man live should check out a session at Dinosaurs in Rochester, or better yet, find the date certain when he and his sons, Chris and Duane, and countless nephews hit the stage in center city Rochester for the annual Joe Beard family picnic. He is a man of pure energy, pure and unassuming, but someone with a voice and a guitar style that are a rare treat, in a day of wobbly links to good old time blues. No wah wahs and flash stuff, just plain and simple links to the people that I grew up with and worked with in the 60's......folk like the Wolf and Muddy,Buddy Guy, John Littlejohn, KoKo, Spann, Luther Allison, Jimmy Reed, Jr. Parker, Freddie King, Otis Rush and a myriad of others. Even a very young Lucky Peterson (age of five). His adoration of the classic artists like Jimmy Reed, Jimmy McCracklin and Lightnin'Hopkins are clear, but he is his own man. And he is a master story teller, a thing pretty much lost, lest you listen to Larry Garner or Louisiana Red. If you like your blues straight no chaser, Joe's music will lift you.