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Richard Rozze—Lion—Independent
(www.richardrozze.com)

Richard is a British guitarist and singer with a Master’s
degree in Jazz and experience in various roots forms. This
is his blues and rock set, though not necessarily in that

order.

It is quite a smooth and coherent set, with the leader

backed by the experienced bass and drums respectively
of Jonathan Noyce (of Gary Moore and Jethro Tull fame) and Simon Lea, who has
worked with Dionne Warwick and Ronnie Lane. Those names may help to explain

the strong 70s sound on many of these tracks.

Various vintage performers came to mind as the album progresses – Free via ‘’The

River’ (a very Paul Kossoff-sounding guitar break to my ears) and in one or two
other places, Stealer’s Wheel due to the vocals on the opening track, Pink Floyd on
one or two others. There is a fine slow blues in ‘Go It Alone’, the instrumental

‘Sovereign’ is jazz-funk meets the blues (a little like BB King’s late 70s style) and
‘How Can I Sleep When I’m Awake’ leans most closely to blues-rock, as does the
closing ‘The Voice Of The Wind’ – particularly in the electric guitar work.

Admittedly, some of this set is a bit of a stretch away from the blues pure and simple.
But then again, some of the album is very bluesy, and it is always interesting.

Norman Darwen

The James Oliver Band—Humour Does Belong In
Music…Live At The Temperance—Self Release

The James Oliver Band don’t need any introduction. Hav-
ing broken onto the scene as the UK Blues Awards,
emerging artist of the year back in 2020 they have gone

from strength to strength and can be found gigging regu-
larly across the UK, Europe and the USA too.

The Temperance Bar in Leamington Spa has built up
quite a reputation for hosting blues gigs and this production is another live album
to come out of this great venue.

The album opens with a Johnny Burnette tune ‘Tear It Up’, before hitting ‘T-Bone

Shuffle’ which does what it says on the tin so to speak. There is a great take on the