Ask blues to name their favourite finger pickers and I'll wager that most will overlook one of the finest practitioners on the planet, one who's been at it long enough to have achieved legendary status in almost any other field of endeavour.
And yet - thankfully - Rory Block perseveres. Leaving home at age 15, she studied with Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt. She has a handful of Handys to her credit, including Best Acoustic Blues Album for 1999's "Confessions Of A Blues Singer. She's released some twenty discs in a career that stretches back to the sixties; "Last Fair Deal" is her Telarc debut; Rory describes it as "a total celebration of my beloved instrument and best friend, the guitar." It's a magnificent collection that clearly establishes once and for all that Rory deserves a place on anyone's list of acoustic blues greats.
Like most of her previous outings Rory mixes the traditional, including fiery covers of pre-war blues and gospel tunes, with her own originals that manage to respect tradition while updating it. In lesser hands, updating usually means adding contemporary touches in an attempt to modernize the music, with the results often either uneasy or just plain unsatisfactory. Rory's updates, however, are more like logical extensions of musical thought, a carrying forward that sees ideas that start with the firmest of foundations expanded and re-examined. In short, it's evolution, not mere experimentation. And in either case, whether the material be new or old, we find Rory working within parameters unlikely to alter anyone's definition of what constitutes 'real blues.'
So we get the opener, "Gone Again," inspired by partner Rob's acquisition of a new Harley Davidson. It opens with the sound of the bike revving and the two preparing for an inaugural ride, morphing as we go into a musical interpretation of a cruise; think of traditional 'train songs' and you'll get the idea. Elsewhere there's an almost eerie "Amazing Grace," recorded without Rory's knowledge, capturing her in "some bizarre tuning I'll probably never find again." Indeed, gospel is here in almost equal measure, with Rory tackling tunes like "Hallelu, Hallelu" and "Look What The Lord Has Done" and her own "Declare" with fervour and conviction. The title track, of course, is from the Robert Johnson songbook, as is "Traveling Riverside Blues"; both are given readings that combine reverence with passion to stunning effect. And Rory's tender side comes through with the stunning, gorgeous "Two Places At The Table," a song so achingly beautiful that it alone could stand as a testament to the power of music.
Those expecting Telarc's usual stellar sound quality will be in for a bit of a shock; Rory captured a number of these tunes spontaneously, on occasion with little more than a portable cassette deck. But pristine sound isn't really what the blues are all about anyway, and there's an immediacy to her performances that overrides any minor sound problems. Rory's unswerving dedication to her craft and her art is evident in every note.
An absolutely stellar outing, this one gets my very highest recommendation!
Telarc Records
23307 Commerce Park Road, Cleveland, OH 44122 USA
Web: www.telarc.com
Buy this CD NOW:
Your purchase through the Amazon.com links at the end of each review, or by simply clicking on this banner (below) to order this or many other products from Amazon, helps to support this website as well as the featured blues artist.
"This review is copyright © 2004 by John Taylor, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without permission."
Copyright reuse notice: If you would like to reprint or use this review please include the above copyright notice, contained within the quotation marks, PLUS this statement: "Used with permission." Then send an email to Ray at: mnblues@aol.com indicating how you are using the review or the website page address it will be appearing on. Thanks!
Your purchase through the Amazon.com links at the end of each review, or by simply clicking on this banner (below) to order this or many other products from Amazon, helps to support this website as well as the featured blues artist.
Click on this banner to get you new low percent credit card:
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! You can help support this blues website by making a contribution (click on the banner below for details).
Or mail a donation to: Ray Stiles % Blues On Stage, PO Box 582983, Mpls, MN 55458. Thanks!
Web Hosting & Design:
CLICK HERE for Web Design SPECIAL, get your own website for just $75.
The most affordable web hosting and design services available. Click Here
to find out how you can host your current site at Blues On Stage, or how I can help you design your own website!
If you would like your CD reviewed, please send TWO (2) copies, along with promotional material to:
Blues On Stage
PO Box 582983
Minneapolis, MN 55458-2983
E-mail Ray Stiles @ mnblues@aol.com with any questions.