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dramatic songs (that reminded me of Alex Harvey) with expressive lead guitar reminiscent of
Gary Moore and ‘Brother’ is a restrained melodic ballad.
‘Watch What You’re Doing’ is back to the strident blues rock with Layla shouting out the vocals,
‘The Truth Song’ is slower and more dramatic and ‘Baby Bird’ (as the title suggests) is a delicate
ballad. ‘Jasmine’ is another loud rocker and ‘We’re All the Same’ is a slow blues very much in the
Gary Moore vein with screaming lead guitar, while we finish with a lovely acoustic song ‘Shine
Brightly’ with Layla showing another softer side to her vocal delivery. I presume this album,
recorded in Germany’s Megaphone Studios by Martin Meinschafer, was a Lockdown project but
the limited participants have made an album that they can be very proud of it has lots of variety
and excellent playing and singing.
Graham Harrison
Eric Demmer—So Fine —Gulf Coast Records
Eric Demmer is a Sax player/Vocalist based in Texas USA and “So
Fine” is his debut album for the Gulf Coast record label. Eric has
some pedigree as a sax player having performed with the likes of
B.B.King, Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown and Buddy Guy to name
just three no less!
The album opens with the funky, ‘Don’t Talk To Me’ followed by
‘She’s So Fine’ a New Orleans style rhumba with some nice Latin
percussion. ‘Will It Ever Be The Same’ is a more mellow rock
based number featuring Mike Zito on vocals. ‘What Was I Think-
ing’ has a touch of humour with its tongue in cheek spoken word vocal.
‘I’m Alright’ is a guitar based blues with a customary sax solo from Eric. Things slow down a
little with ‘Let Me Go’ a blues number enriched with some tasty B3 organ from Shawn Allen. ‘Any
Day Get Away’ is another funky, wah infused blues with more awesome work from the brass
section before the album closes with the guitar riff led ‘Have You Ever Loved A Woman’.
This album is well produced by Eric and Mike Zito and the song arrangements are well con-
structed throughout. Where things are lacking somewhat is with Eric’s vocals. They tend to
come across as weak and lack the dynamism these arrangements are crying out for. However,
on the flip side Eric is a first class sax player, his solos are awesome and the brass arrangements
on this album are right up there with the best. If horns are your thing you are going to love this
guy, give him a spin.
Ged Wilson
Sunjay—Black & Blues Revisited —Mighty Tight Records
Sunjay is a young and upcoming rising star on the British blues
scene. Having been nominated previously in the British Blues
Awards Sunjay is now starting to make his mark with his latest
offering, “Black & Blues Revisited”.
The album opens with Willie Dixon’s ‘Built For Comfort’ a bright
upbeat twelve bar blues to get things rocking. Sunjay follows up
with a great rendition of the Blind Willie McTell number, ‘States-