Hot Tuna - Steady As She GoesFurther reading:
You can find details of the Hot Tuna tour dates and Jorma's blog on his site.
If you'd like to hang out on Guitar Omnivore some more, you can read my review of the Epihone Jack Casady bass.
Although you could probably just scroll down to see it,you can also click on this link to last weeks Cd reviews to check out Rory Block's tribute to Rev. Gary Davis here.
Don't go away yet! Plenty more reviews of this weeks best guitar Cds below. More Rock and Roll legends, pagan black metal,some over priced import reissues and...Peter Gunn?
Robbie Robertson - How to Become Clairvoyant
Hot Tuna aren't the only rock legends releasing an album after a long period of time. After a decade, Robertson returns with a couple other rock legends (Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood) in tow. Clapton makes the biggest contribution,co-writing three songs and adding some guitar and vocals. While very little of Clapton's personality comes through on the guitar tracks,it at least lacks the bland quality of his work under his own name. The album also offers up some surprising guests. There's pedal steel master Robert Randolph. OK,he makes sense. Then there's Tom Morello and...Trent Reznor? Huh. ATTENTION CARLOS SANTANA! This is how you have "hip and current" artists perform your music without becoming a guest on your own album. Morello and Reznor both do their thing but this is clearly Robertson's show. Excellent backup from the rhythm section of Pino Palladino and Ian Thomas provides the rock solid foundation for some worthy songs to the Robbie Robertson library.(Will Pino Paladino ever get some recognition commensurate with his talent level? I suppose not.) Even if this wasn't the only choice, terrible cover art not withstanding, this would still be the best thing he's done in ten years.
Ha Ha Tonka - Death of a Decade
Young bands,pay attention. This is how you do new music that is inspired by old music without sounding like watered down copies. Listen and learn.
Kampfar - Mare
A true trend setter for Norwegian black metal in the 90's,Kampfar remains a relevant, if more accessible band today. Musically,they fall back on formula a bit but the lyrics use their interest in folklore to explore the more feminine themes of witches and witchcraft. (Not that I can understand a thing Dolk is saying,anyway.)
Robben Ford and the Blue Line - In San Fransico
While this is a bit pricey as an import,the original issues of this 1995 album are going for far larger prices.T his is a welcome reissue for the Robben Ford fan who doesn't feel like forking out $60+ for this sound track to a German TV appearance.
B. B. King - All Over Again 1983
This live set from King shows him in good form. While many of his studio albums in the 80's had producers adding synthesizes in an attempt to make him "current" (as if) his live shows were still the real deal. The set has some of the usual favorites like "Caldonia" and "The Thrill is Gone" and rarities like "Sweet Little Angel",removed from the set list in later years due to it's risque lyrics (spread your wings,indeed).
Ginger Baker - No Material
If you check this out hoping for some jams on "White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love",boy are you going to be disappointed. Never heard of Sonny Sharrock and Nicky Skopelits? Proceed with caution. Already know who they are? Dive right into this long out of print reissue.
Jerry Granelli - A Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing
This is apparently the week for expensive import versions of hard to find,out of print albums. Drummer Granelli offers up both Bill Frisell AND Robben Ford along with a front line of Kenny Garrett (you know,the Kenny G we DON'T wish would go away) on alto sax and Julian Priester on trombone. Even at $20,that's pretty hard to resist.
Tim Berne - Insomnia
Well,at $30 I'll be able to resist this reissue but if I see it for a more reasonable price,I'm grabbing this sucker. Alto saxophonist (and Bill Frisell buddy) Berne offers up an absolutely inspired line up of sax/trumpet/bass/guitar/violin/cello/clarinet and drums. Berne also plays some baritone sax,something I haven't heard him do too much. The group features a couple of my favorite criminally lesser known musicians: guitarist Marc Ducret (on 12-string guitar!) and cellist Erik Friedlander (it's not due to the short list of competition that he is one of the best jazz cellists around.).
Henry Mancini - The Complete Peter Gunn
While not a guitar album in the traditional sense,it's hard to under estimate Mancini's influence on American culture,for both putting jazz music on TV and using some twangy guitar to do it. Still absolutely hip,this set offers up two discs with 49 tracks of Mancini cool and includes the famous Duane Eddy version of the title theme.
Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers
Part of the underground metal scene since the 80's ,Vicious Rumors has always blended in a bit of thrash with their brand of classic metal but never got the recognition they deserved. Hopefully this time around will be different because they have arguably assembled their best lineup yet. VR mainstay Geoff Thorpe teams up with Kiyoshi Morgan for a dual guitar lineup that does their legacy proud. New singer Brian Allen might just be,dare I say it,at Rob Halford level? (Listen for yourself and tell me I'm wrong!) Testament guitarist Eric Peterson does a guest guitar solo on the album's opener "Murderball".
Sharon Isbin - American Landscapes
The music is so good on this album,you can forgive Isbin holding the guitar upside down on the cover. It doesn't hurt that she is one of the best guitarists in the world and is playing a set of compositions that aren't the same old tired "classics" we've been hearing forever. Originally released in 2002,this is yet another reissue in this weeks long list,but it's a worthy one.
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