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The guitar work as you would expect from these two guys is great throughout, the songs are
well constructed and the album is well produced. However, there is something missing to my
ears, the whole does not equal the sum of the parts. I’ve always been a fan of Marcus’s vocal
delivery style which is powerful and similar to Paul Rogers, check out his ‘Blue Radio’ album
and you will get my drift. With this album I feel there is a lack of conviction or belief in Mar-
cus’s voice, which is a shame as Pete’s great lyrics tend occasionally to get lost as a result.

Anyhow, that aside please don’t let me put you off please give this album a spin.

Ged Wilson

The Love Light Orchestra—Leave The Light On—Nola
Blue Records NB017

Although formed in 2016 the band who are; John Németh,

vocals; Joe Restivo, guitar; Gerald Stephens and Al Gamble,
keyboards; (the late) Tim Goodwin, upright bass and Matthew
Wilson, electric bass with Earl Lowe on drums. Horns are
provided by Marc Franklin, trumpet and all horn
arrangements; Scott Thompson and Paul McKinney trumpet;
Jason Yasinksy, trombone, Art Edmaiston, tenor saxophone
and Kirk Smothers, baritone saxophone; were faced with

many practical difficulties presented by the recent global
pandemic, thus delaying the release of this, their debut album until now. The music on offer
here, harks back to the warm and sparkling, orchestral sounds of mid fifties blues as delivered
by the likes of Memphis legends B.B. King and Bobby Bland, during the era of swanky
nightclubs, filled with eager audiences ready to hear class filled blues. The band takes its name

from Bobby “Blue” Bland’s 1961 hit ‘Turn On Your Love Light’. The album includes ten
numbers, nine originals and one cover; these numbers were inspired by the crooners,
shouters, and entertainers, who dominated Beale Street and more before rock ‘n’ roll and soul.

The opener ‘Fading Fast’, is an extremely mellow tale of a disappearing love affair, this
powerful yet, languid brass driven ballad features crisp piano, rich coasting guitar and a
divinely fat, purring saxophone while over the top John Németh’s creamy vocals glide

effortlessly. ‘Come On Moon’, is a fine example of the blues being played by a very smooth big
band, a highlight is the laid back jazz-rich grooving guitar. On ‘Give Me A Break’ and ‘Open
Book’, you are taken back to when Sam Cooke was in his prime, delivering sweet flowing,
uplifting toe tapping music. B.B. King’s 1952, ‘3 O’clock Blues’, is a majestically slow burning
gossamer ballad, that is also delicately arranged for a serious soul-burning, blues orchestra.
The languid and engagingly slow, brass driven New Orleans ballad ‘After All,’ is also firmly in
B. B. King territory. ‘Leave The Light On’, is a splendidly tripping, trilling tramping, piano led

boogie-woogie, with the orchestra building in, led by a very fine jazz rich guitar. ‘Follow The
Queen’, is quite simply a full bodied, full tilt, horn-rich swinging orchestra roller.

Simply Divine!

Brian Harman