Moore Blues: Mick Simpson

Flash Harry Productions: PO BOX 650 Doncaster DN4 7WK

I received this tribute album from Duncan Mangham who had mentioned the name Mick Simpson before. Mick is an excellent guitar player who plays in the style of Gary Moore. This CD is a very accurate rendition of the Irish guitarists music.

The Jimmy Rogers song, Walkin' (By Myself) gets the album underway and Mick Simpson plays this superbly well, faithfully reproducing Gary Moore's rendition of the old bluesman's song, both musically and vocally. Gary Moore also recorded a song made famous by Albert King, entitled Oh Pretty Woman. Mick Simpson plays it just the way Gary does and I thought there was some Albert King style licks in there too.

Cold Day in Hell is a Gary Moore original song and Mick successfully captures Gary's Albert King influences and phrasing. Another very accurate tribute and well sang too. A Gary Moore tribute would not be complete without Parisienne Walkways included and so it is, a nicely toned rendition of the classic Lynott/Moore composition. I never tire of this song.

Another fabulous classic Gary Moore song is Still Got The Blues For You. Mick again sounds so accurate in every part of this song, you could be forgiven for thinking Mr Moore was contributing to this album. This song is one of my own favourites, it's brilliant and so well reproduced by Mick. Roy Buchanan's The Messiah Will Come Again is included on this album but for all I like Roy Buchanan, this song doesn't seem to sit well with the other compositions on the CD although it's certainly well played.

Robert Johnson's Crossroads is also included and it's another favourite of mine! Again superbly reproduced in the Gary Moore style although I think it was very much in the Cream style, it's good to hear. Then to stay in the roots of the blues, Mick plays The Thrill is Gone, made famous by BB King, Mick polishes  off this song with ease.

Two songs to finish the tribute are Moore original compositions. Story of the Blues is an amazing tribute to the Irish guitar hero with Mick's tone and vocal phrasing so accurate and with superb programming to add the brass section by Andy Littlewood, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a genuine Gary Moore track burned on to the CD! The guitar playing is superb too.Then from the eighties heyday of Gary Moore's rocky era, Mick plays Empty Rooms, a brilliant song. Again anyone could be forgiven for thinking this was a straight rip from a Gary Moore album as the whole song is so accurate down to the  slow bass solo ably handled by "Johnno" then picked up again with a rip roaring guitar solo to take this song to the end of the album.

This well presented CD has a superb Duncan Mangham studio shot of Mick Simpson, crouched over his Les Paul, subtly illuminated to make Mick Simpson look like Gary Moore. It works too! The album also has three bonus tracks of Mick's original instrumental tracks. He is an excellent player and has created a very enjoyable tribute to the Irish guitar god.

Steve Lally