Untitled Document

Covering Their Tracks Danny Bryants Redeyeband BMRCD 20046

This is the third Redeyeband CD from the Blues Matters Record arm of the popular magazine. However it is the first by this excellent band that includes covers. Of the ten tracks there are six covers and four original material tracks. The first track is a musical reply to critics who say Danny is not old or experienced enough to play blues and he's a Hertfordshire lad and not a pukka blues player from the Mississippi Delta or wherever .The lyrics are a brilliant retort to these stupid critics with their heads stuck firmly up their own bottoms.

The 12 bar progression, with its fills and growling vocals are pure blues. The track has some super guitar as we have now come to expect from one of Great Britain 's favourite blues players. The title quite clearly states “This is The Blues”. Quite so!

First of the covers is a “Hendrix Jam” taken from the extended version of Voodoo Chile ( not Slight Return).It's something the band started jamming along to in the studio and decided to keep. It's a lot of Hendrix but it's a lot of Danny too. Danny has his own style and it stands out even over the top of Jimi the Maestro's music. With plenty of wah wah and a solid drum and bass foundation, Danny's gruff vocals and superb guitar licks, the song sounds bluesier than Jimi ever played it, and that certainly is not to any detriment.

One of Danny's most respected players is Eric Clapton, and one of his favourite songs is “Old Love” from “slow hand's” Journeyman album. This version is far more dramatic and emotional than the original both vocally and certainly the solo which is fabulous. The bends are pitch perfect and the tone superb, played over a well metered rhythm section of Andy Burt and Ken Bryant.

An Elmore James inspired, slide dominated number entitled “Blues Before Sunrise” makes you realise just how versatile Danny is on guitar. It's a brilliant showcase and the slide playing is as good as you'll get. I like George Thorogood when it comes to slide playing but this track matches anything I've ever heard by a slide player. Many can play slide guitar, but not many can make it sound as good as this. Excellent vocals too on this traditional sounding 12 bar blues.

Declaring his love for his fiancé Kirby, comes the track “Lean on Me”, an overdubbed jangly chord theme with lead fills over the top and Danny's meaningful lyrics. The solo is another beauty, with nice tone and fluent delivery.

Eddie Boyd's “Five Long Years” has been covered by many over the years and I would think from Buddy Guy to Ian Parker, I've never heard a bad version. I still haven't, Danny's version is excellent too with a wonderful intro. He sings it so well and the composition suits Danny's vocal style to perfection. Ken and Andy are there with him, perfect rhythm backing under Danny's ultra bluesy guitar. It's a great track this one, utterly superb.

Popa Chubby might not be a household name but the fact is, he's a brilliant artist. Danny subscribes to this train of thought and has had the presence of mind to record the wonderful composition “Nobody Loves Me Like I Love Myself”. The song by Popa C is unbelievably good but Danny's version is just out of this world. Well sang and played so brilliantly, you would have thought Danny had written the song himself. This song and particularly the guitar progression is outstanding. Truly outstanding.

Bob Dylan's “Girl from the North Country ” has been played for years to great effect by Walter Trout. Danny admits to using Walter's excellent arrangement of the great songwriter Bob Dylan's composition. The result is well worth the effort, very similar to Walter's playing but with Danny's signature all over it. With mellow vocals and great guitar work including volume swells as Walter would have done, it's a wonderful inclusion to this album.

In an attempt by Danny to write an original composition in the style of his mentor Walter Trout, I think Danny gets pretty close with “Time (To Say Goodbye)”.It's a good song and sits well with the classic covers on this CD. To close the album, another Danny Bryant original instrumental plays us out. This number, entitled “Memories”, is dedicated to his late Grandmother and is a very nicely played piece of music, typifying Danny's ultra proficient guitar playing accompanied as always by Ken and Andy's steady rhythm playing.

This is a very nice CD album of varied content and one I am pleased to have as part of my record collection. If you want blues or sentimental songs and a wonderful instrumental thrown in, you will not go wrong with this CD.