Customer Reviews

The Colour Of Love

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

COLOUR OF LOVE FEATURES AS SPECIAL GUESTS, JAZZMAN HANK CRAWFORD (RECENT CD: CRUNCH TIME) ON SAX, GREGG ALLMAN (ALLMAN BROTHERS) ON B3 AND VOCALS ON ONE SONG, JAI JOHANNY "JAIMOE" JOHANSON (ALLMAN BROTHERS) ON DRUMS AND MARC QUINONES (ALLMAN BROTHERS) PLAYING PERCUSSION.

COMBINING THESE TALENTED MUSICIANS WITH THE BLUES GUITAR OF RONNIE EARL RESULTS IN A REALLY NICE BLUESY JAZZ RECORDING WITH LATIN, ALMOST SANTANA LIKE, OVERTONES. IN FACT, INSTRUMENTALS LIKE "BONNIE'S THEME" WILL HAVE YOU CHECKING THE LINER NOTES TO SEE WHETHER CARLOS SANTANA IS ACTUALLY PLAYING ON THE CD. HE'S NOT!. WHAT YOU WILL SEE HOWEVER, IS THAT EARL DEDICATES THE ENTIRE CD TO CARLOS SANTANA, DICKEY BETTS (ALLMAN BROTHERS) AND JAZZMAN PAT MARTINO ALL OF WHOSE INFLUENCES ARE WEAVED THROUGHOUT THE CD.

IN ADDITION TO THE OVERALL CD DEDICATION THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL NUMBERS DEDICATED TO JIMMIE VAUGHAN, ANNE FRANK, PETER GREEN, KAY LANDRY AND ALBERT COLLINS. THIS CD IS TOP NOTCH AND WILL BE ENJOYED BY BLUES FANS, JAZZ FANS, SANTANA FANS AND PEACH HEADS ALIKE. 5 STARS.

Without going into a blow by blow description of every song on this CD, I would like to say that Ronnie Earl is one of the most talented and versatile guitar players I have ever heard. At times he can remind you a bit of Carlos Santana, but most of the time you just think, "Man, I have never heard anything quite like this before". Ronnie is probably best known as a blues guitarist but this work (and some of his others) goes much further, exploring the boundaries where the blues meet jazz. The rest of the players are also top notch. Ronnie seems to recognize this, keeping his playing within the context of the songs and allowing others to stretch out as well. For kicking back and relaxing after a hard week at work or to add just the right touch to a romantic environment, this music is hard to beat. We never leave for a beach vacation without a couple of Ronnie Earl CDs along for the ride.

I first heard Ronnie Earl while having a beer with a good friend on a sunny day and being struck as if by lightning by the first few bars of "Every Day Kind Of Man" from this album. Incredible taste, soul, guitar tone, and technical skill.

Bought the album and was amazed to find that here is an artist who can walk between various styles of blues to jazz to rock to latin/Santana styles without ever sounding cliched, derivative or uninspired. There is not one single misplayed/misplaced/mischosen note here. Listen to the version T. Monk's "Round Midnight" here in which every note, phrase and passage is perfectly resolved. Goosebumps.

Ronnie is a "guitar player's guitar player". If you play guitar, you will know that you are listening to a Master, probably comparable to the first time you heard Clapton, Santana, Roy Buchanan, etc... He's paid his dues, and this is his breakout album, but there are many more great Ronnie Earl albums to explore (try Blues Virtuoso Live in Europe after this one...). Overall: Highly Recommended.

I wish I could sum this album up in one sentence, but I can't. It's so many things: romantic, powerful, intricate, blistering.. Especially appreciated are Anne's Dream, Mother Angel, I Liked That Thing You Did, and Everyday Kinda Man. An amazing album that I never get tired of. Goes very well with Stevie Ray Vaughan (Best of) and Robert Cray (Take Your Shoes off).

This album was thrilling to listen to, especially if you had heard this artist in his beginning at a place called Bunratty's in Allston, MA. This kind of passionate guitar playing is what will keep the Blues alive for a long, long time. You've done well Ronnie! Give us more please.

I've only had the opportunity to see Mr. Earl perform one time . It was 3:00 am at the old Tips in New Orleans. There were about 20 of us in the room and Earl was playing old T-Bone licks like it was the most important guitar being played anywhere in the world that night.But nothing prepared me for his 'ROUND MIDNIGHT on this record. There is no need to compare it to the great Miles and Coltrane version or any of Monk's wonderful solo recordings but for guitar players he has simply NAILED THIS GREAT SONG AT IT'S MOST SOULFUL HEART and fills the room with beauty.There are musicians that play their instruments and those that seemingly become theirs. Choose your big city -close your eyes - and put on 'ROUND MIDNIGHT. Mr. Earl - thank you sir , David Moore

Short and to the point -- this is one sweet set of songs. Easy to listen to, easy to drift along with the riffs. db

Ronnie deserves this backing with every effort! I thank Verve for this flash of commitment to true ART. I thank Stony Plain and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts for the continued commitment over the past several years. If you never knew that Ronnie teamed up with Gregg, Jaimoe and Marc Quinones, you owe it to yourself to discover the results!
God Bless you, Ronnie!

Heard one of the songs on a Jazz station and loved it. Found the album and its great. Some jazz, some Sanatana, Can't believe this guy isn't more well known.

Ronnie Earl is a bit in and out for me. His blues stuff is brilliant, his West Coast style jazz/rock a bit ordinary. So it is for this album - the blues tracks are great, the others so-so. Previous Bullseye albums like Blues & Ballads, and later TELARC stuff like RE & Friends are better.