Blues On Stage - Bobby Radcliff

Bobby Radcliff
"Live at the Rynborn" CD Review
CD BT-1141 © 1997 Black Top Records, 10 tracks, 57 minutes
by Ann Wickstrom
annw@osas.com

Captured in November 1996 at the Rynborn Theatre in Antrim, New Hampshire, this performance is raw, intense, and honest. Radcliff's in-your-face style demonstrates his bravery, for this recording is not flawless (it is live, after all) and there are times where you find yourself saying, "What was that?" But that's what makes it so appealing.

Radcliff, 44, is a big admirer of the Chicago west-siders, particularly Magic Sam, but he is an interpreter, not an imitator. Although this CD is 90% standards (just one original), he manages to surprise even those listeners who thought they'd heard it all. Selections range from Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk" to a well-disguised Kool & the Gang Medley.

Radcliff-who is playing here with a trio-rips off solo after solo after solo throughout. He switches back and forth between lead and rhythm, shifting gears frequently when it comes to the rhythms themselves. He sings on several tunes but vocals are definitely not his strong suit.

This CD is, at it's worst, an interesting listening experience. At it's best it is volatile and brash in a very cool sort of way. It is not for the faint of heart, and that's what makes it a lot of fun.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com