Thursday, July 30, 2009

Louisiana Red - Back to the Black Bayou

By E. F Nesta

Louisiana Red - Back to the Black Bayou is vintage Red and vintage blues and Mississippi Blues covering a selection of songs from Red's songbook spanning more than 40 years.

Back to the Black Bayou: I'm Louisiana Red; Alabama Train; Crime in Motion; Ride On Red, Ride On; Sweet Leg Girl; The Black Bayou; Too Poor to Die; Don't Miss That Train; You Done Quit Me; I Come From Louisiana; Roamin' Stranger; At The Zanzibar

Personnel: Louisiana Red: Vocals, Guitar; Little Victor: Guitar, Harmonica; Robert Alexander Pettersen: Drums; William "Bill" Troiani: Upright Bass; Kim Wilson: Harmonica; Dave Maxell: Piano; Bob Corritore: Harmonica; Reidar Larsen: Piano; The Hawk: Guitar; Jostein Forsberg: Harmonica; Peter Lundell: Percussions

Louisiana Red - Back to the Black Bayou was released on the Bluestown Records label at the Juke Joint Studio (state-of-the-art/old-school analog studio) during the International Notodden Blues Festival in July/August 2008. So, amongst peers and contemporaries Louisiana Red found the fountain of youth and laid down a blazing release.

Noted to be well into his 70's, which for him is truly only a number, and having lived in Germany since the early 1980's, he has never lost the feeling for his roots and the music that runs through his veins. Little Victor who produced this release and has a long history of playing with Red selected the songs from the extensive Louisiana Red songbook, but with a twist on the arrangements to bring out different nuances to the music.

Little Victor wanted to record the release playing with a two guitar format that as Victor noted "is rarely heard on blues records these days." The release opens with the track I'm Louisiana Red an introduction to Louisiana Red for those blues lovers who may have forgotten about this blues icon. Ripping chords come straight at you as Red tells his story through soulful vocals and hot guitar licks. The arrangement of the Red classic Alabama Train has a complete makeover with a different groove that highlights Red's vocals and places his guitar work as fill until the end where all of Red's energy explodes and he accelerates the Alabama train to a smoking conclusion.

Crime in Motion features Red whaling away on slide guitar, but his vocals prowess is what will catch you on this track as he lets it all hang out. Ride on Red, Ride On first recorded in 1962, has lost nothing to time and this progressive arrangement brings new luster to the song. The track Sweet Leg Girl slows down the pace and brings out that familiar blues beat that will have you swaying and nodding to the lyrics that Red renders in a down-home style that will touch your soul. The Black Bayou and Too Poor To Die are Mississippi Blues and straight ahead blues from day's gone-by as Red and the band turn back the clock and lay down a classic groove.

Don't Miss That Train is an old Gospel song that shows Red's diversity as he covers this track like the great Gospel musician he could have been. Other great tracks include, You Done Quiet Me, I Come From Louisiana, Roamin' Stranger, and At The Zanzibar, each with its own Red signature and style stamped on the arrangement.

The release contains great blues, Mississippi Blues, and Gospel tracks that represent music from an era of 40-50 years ago, so for the blues devotee there will easily be a favorite or favorites to select from.

Websites where you can procure Louisiana Red - Back to the Black Bayou are Amazon, Play, CD Universe, Louisiana Music Factory, Emusic, and Blues Town Records.

E.F Nesta is the owner, contributing writer, and Publisher of Luxury Experience Magazine (http://www.LuxuryExperience.com).

Luxury Experience Magazine is a monthly on-line publication, which is read in over 80 countries with a reach of over 100,000.

Luxury Experience Magazine features experiential articles on luxury products and services; we do not book reservations or sell products on-line.

Luxury Experience Magazine's mission is to provide experiential editorial exposure on luxury products and services, and introduce brands and products to an audience across 80+ countries.

Luxury Experience Magazine is a team of high-energy professionals who bring a broad and extensive international background to their writing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=E._F_Nesta
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