CD Review
Tommy Castro
"Live At The Fillmore"
Blind Pig Records (BPCD 5059)
by Dick Houff
Review date: April 2000
|
 |
1999 KBA Award Winner
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by the Blues Foundation
| |
This is the best damn live performance record that has come out of San Francisco, in years! The Tommy Castro Band just keeps getting stronger and stronger. On this outing, recorded in March of 1999 in front of a sold-out house at the legendary Fillmore; a crowning achievement for any performer that can rise to the heights of Castro, has got to be way beyond words. If you’ve heard Tommy’s previous three studio recordings with Blind Pig Records, you can sense the power, but on this—his first "live recording" he goes well beyond approach. Jimmy Pugh helps out on keyboards from the Robert Cray band, and Tom Poole on trumpet. You take Tommy with his tough quartet and blistering ax attack with blues rock crossovers, along with that Memphis soul (check out the delivery on Castro’s "Just A Man"), and you just don’t want to come down out of the clouds. His interplay and stops with the audience have a gospel tent show excitement that carry’s throughout the auditorium—you can actually feel the energy coming off the CD! Tommy hits you with his best material: Right As Rain / Like An Angel / Nasty Habits / My Time After Awhile / Lucky In Love / I Got To Change / Can’t You See What You’re Doing To Me / Just A Man / Can’t Keep A Good Man Down. Top that with two new songs added after a standing ovation—a totally rockin’ "The Girl Can’t Help It, and the very funky "Sex Machine!" And man, what a way to end a show! In closing, this CD is enhanced with live footage and an interview. The performance is also available on VHS and DVD. Well, I guess I’ll go shopping at the video store—I need to study this guy’s fingers! My highest recommendations.
This review is copyright © 2000 by Dick Houff, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.
|
|
We build websites