Although it is more than 16 years since the untimely demise of guitarist Roy Buchanan, his influence lingers on. The ups and downs of his career are well documented elsewhere, but at his peak, Buchanan set the for blues rock guitar which few people have come close to equalling. "American Axe - Live in 1974" captures Buchanan during his peak.
After a brief introduction from the MC, the band kick in with "Too Many Drivers." The engine room of John Harrison (bass) and Byrd Foster (drums) provide a solid platform for the front line of Buchanan (guitar) and Malcolm Lukens (keyboards). Vocal duties are shared out among the band members, with Buchanan usually content to let his guitar to do the talking. He does take lead vocal on "Roy's Bluz," though, the first of three original tracks. It is a slow 12 bar tune, featuring some hard edged guitar.
The album is dominated by covers, which remain faithful to the spirit of the originals, but arranged to make the most of the band's particular talents. So, for example, Allen Toussaint's "Get Out My Life, Woman" retains its funky New Orleans beat, but has some stinging guitar playing, and the organ sounds almost Doors-like at times. The band also tear it up on "Johnny B. Goode," but show they can also make things swing on "Further On Up The Road."
It is on the original tunes, though, that the band are at their best. "The Messiah Will Come Again," for example, has a nicely controlled guitar opening over the appropriately churchy organ, topped off with the spoken vocals. Most of the song is dominated by swooping and soaring guitar from Buchanan, though, all very tastefully done. It is immediately followed, by the starkly contrasting "Done Your Daddy Dirty" where Buchanan leads from the front through the hard driving rock instrumental.
"American Axe - Live in 1974" shows once again that Roy Buchanan was a fine blues guitarist. Like the rest of Buchanan's work, there is a strong rock element to his playing. Perhaps the most obvious comparison is to the blues work of Gary Moore, particularly on tracks like "The Messiah Will Come Again." If you want to know how to add a rock edge to blues guitar, whilst still making it sound classy, "American Axe - Live in 1974" shows how it should be done.
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