CD Review
Tab Benoit
The Sea Saint Sessions
(Telarc Records - CD-83573)
by Dave "Doc" Piltz
Review date: October 2004
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Tab Benoit is a guitarist and songwriter with his roots deep in the Louisiana Cajun tradition. To call Benoit's style of guitar "swampy" would be understating what he is trying to convey to the extreme. The 36 year old Benoit has remained true to his roots on a consistent basis from his debut album on Justice Records to his current release, The Sea Saint Sessions, on Telarc. Among other things, Benoit is a true road warrior, performing where ever and whenever he can, winning converts to his Louisiana style guitar on the way. No matter where Benoit is playing, north or south, eat or west, you can always see people up having a good time screaming and dancing, many doing a Cajun two-step to a Tab Benoit-penned song.
Benoit's latest release, The Sea Saint Sessions, represents Tab Benoit at his best. Primarily supported by his regular band mates, Darryl White (drums) and Carl Dufrene (bass), many of the songs on this CD were written just prior to being recorded or written at the Sea Saint Studio and recorded immediately. As a result of this spontaneous effort by Benoit, his band and the guest artists appearing on The Sea Saint Sessions, the end result is a recording that has a clear "live in the studio" feeling built into it. All of the songs on the CD have a nice, relaxed flow to them, with solos that have a great spontaneous feeling to them. Even more importantly, when you hear Benoit perform the same songs live (which I did recently), you can tell that what is on the recording is as from the heart as his live performance.
Overall, the songs on The Sea Saint Sessions range from slow blues ("Sufferin' Mind") to funky R+B ("Baby Blue") to zydeco ("Boat Launch Baby"), with a sound that is dominated by Benoit, White and Dufrene. The additions to certain songs are nice and uncomplicated from guest performers that include Brian Stoltz ("Baby Blue" & "Hustlin' Down In New Orleans"), Monk Boudreaux (Monk's Blues), George Porter ("Making The Bend") and Cyril Neville along with Monk Boudreaux ("Planeen Man"). The blues is swampy, the funk is pure New Orleans and the zydeco makes you just want to get up and dance.
The Sea Saint Sessions is Tab Benoit's latest, and perhaps his best, recording to date. It reflects his maturing as a performer and a songwriter and is worthy of the highest recommendation for anyone interested in listening to some good Louisiana style blues. To find out more about Tab Benoit, visit his website at www.tabbenoit.com and pick up a copy of this fine recording at your favorite music establishment.
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