Customer Reviews

Shook Up

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

 

 

Bennie Smith's not only a great guitarist, he's unique in that his style has remained remarkably true to his early roots in 50's and early 60's R&B. He plays in a clean, sweet, trebly style instead of the amped up, post Hendrix wail that many of his contemporaries adopted after the late 60's. But that's not to say he's limited. No, Bennie Smith is as musically interesting as anyone playing today.

Bennie Smith is an original; but I'll risk censure to try to tell you what I think he sounds like. Using the conventional
"sounds like a cross between ... " formula, Bennie Smith is somewhere between Ike Turner's early instrumentals and Freddy King's second instrumental LP on King/Federal.

Sadly, the Kenny Ray Lang set will probably never hear about Bennie Smith and probably wouldn't know what to do with a guy who plays like this. But if you're a real blues fan -- buy this!

Bennie Smith is a St. Louis Blues legend. He has taught and work with some of the most talented music entertainers..Such as Aretha Franklin, BB King, Ike Turner, Tina Turner, Chuck Berry. Chuck and Ike were in his band before they branch out on their own. Look up Bennie Smith (the Blues Legend) and see for yourself. He should be the next person to received a star on the walk of fame in St. Louis

Peace

I bought this CD in 2002 at a Bennie Smith performance at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups in St. Louis, the first of three times I saw him perform. The CD, while a studio recording, is very good in portraying some of the essential elements of his live performances. Those are, great yet unrefined guitar riffs, well aged vocals and trading off with various bandmembers on solos. Bennie's live band is like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. However, this CD does have the heart and soul of his Blues Express on it. Bassist Sharon Foehner, who sings Built for Comfort at the live shows, and drummer Chuck Walters provide the rhythm for the rest of the various artists I have seen him with on stage. His cover of Drown in My Own Tears includes a great sax solo by Harry Simon but this CD's rendition of his original Buddah-Ba is the defining song. Bennie adds four other original songs including Listen to My Heart Sing and the closing song, I'm Wondering, both of which make me picture him sitting on a chair on stage at BB's just soloing. While I do enjoy this CD for what it is (a great blues album) I must say it's best attribute is that it takes me back to the live performances. Buy this CD, or better yet, get out and see him live.

Bennie Smith's not only a great guitarist, he's unique in that his style has remained remarkably true to his early roots in 50's and early 60's R&B. He plays in a clean, sweet, trebly style instead of the amped up, post Hendrix wail that many of his contemporaries adopted after the late 60's. But that's not to say he's limited. No, Bennie Smith is as musically interesting as anyone playing today.

Bennie Smith is an original; but I'll risk censure to try to tell you what I think he sounds like. Using the conventional "sounds like a cross between ... " formula, Bennie Smith is somewhere between Ike Turner's early instrumentals and Freddy King's second instrumental LP on King/Federal. He's an appealing, but not outstanding, vocalist who excells on instrumental numbers. And he's great rhythm player and accompanist, too.

Sadly, the Kenny Ray Lang set will probably never hear about Bennie Smith and probably wouldn't know what to think about a guy who plays like this. (I can't resist a second -- and even a third -- jab at those yokels.) But if you're a fan of real blues -- buy this!