[Harp-L] Re: Jason Ricci Revue

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Great post Dave, I think your assessment is right on. Here's  something you
might find of interest:

Review of Done with the Devil - JR&NB by Steve Jones of the Crossroads
Blues Society of Freeport Illinois

(this guy has a list of BLUES reviews a mile long and perhaps his BLUES 
reviews creds are a tad more worthy of attention?)



Elizabeth

"Through their many appearances over the years at Big Cities Lounge, Jason
Ricci and New Blood have developed quite a local following. It is always
fun to  count the number of harmonica players in the audience at one of their
shows. But  Jason is not the whole show, a point he firmly emphasizes in the
liner notes on  the bandâs latest release. Last year Shawn Starski was
named one of âThe Top Ten  Hottest New Guitar Playersâ by Guitar Player
magazine. Todd âBuck Weedâ Edmunds  is a monster bass player, equally at home
playing James Brown funk or big band  jazz. Drummer Ed Michaels is the most
recent addition to New Blood. His skill as  the timekeeper provides a solid
foundation for the bandâs improvisational  forays.

Ricci has always been an eclectic musician. He has solid  credentials as a
bluesman, having played with the likes of Big Bad Smitty and  R.L. Burnside
in juke joints throughout the Mississippi delta. But his musical  tastes go
way beyond the simple 12-bar blues format. Check out the supercharged  cover
of The Misfits punk classic âI Turned Into a Martianâ. Ricci shouts and
howls through the lyrics as Starski fires off a taut guitar solo over
Michaels  powerful rhythm. Then Ricci unleashes one of his dazzling harmonica runs,
 playing complex lines at a pace faster than the mind can comprehend. The
band  tackles the jazz classic âAfro Blueâ, with Ricci taking the opening
solo at a  breakneck pace, using a simple diatonic harmonica to create an
intricate solo  full of technical brilliance. After Starski and Edmunds turn in
solid solos,  Ricci finishes the track with more outstanding blowing,
including a quote from  âMy Favorite Thingsâ. Producer Phillip Wolfe fills in the
arrangement on Hammond  organ. The band also stretches out on the Edmunds
instrumental, âPtryptophan  Pterodactylâ, with Wolfe on the Fender Rhodes
keyboard.

The disc also  features plenty of blues material. Willie Dixonâs âAs Long
As I Have Youâ is  propelled by Michaels big beat . Ricci hoarse vocal
contrasts with the clean  guitar lines Starski contributes. Michaels handles the
vocal on his original ,  âKeep the Wolf From My Doorâ. The trackâs menacing
tone comes from Starskiâs  outstanding guitar work and a booming bass line
from Edmunds on the sousaphone.  The band goes acoustic on âHow It Came to Be
â, with Starski singing his  composition and playing the dobro. The title
track is a high-energy rockinâ  blues piece with more stellar harp playing
from Jason. The band plays tribute to  a friend lost to cancer on âHoller For
Craig Lawlerâ.

The soulful âSweet  Lovingâ has a strong vocal performance from Ricci and
some sparkling melodic  guitar playing from Starski with another solid
contribution from Wolfe on organ.  Jason is even better on the autobiographical â
Broken Toyâ, his impassioned vocal  and harp playing effectively conveying
the dark emotional content of the  track

After playing hundreds of gigs for each of the last few years,  Ricci and
his band mates have developed into a musical powerhouse. They have the
talent and skills to head in any direction that their musical muse takes them.
Producer Wolfe has done his job, keeping the band focused and reining in some
of  the excess of prior projects. The end result is the strongest release
yet for  Jason and New Blood. This one should please their many fans and
garner them some  attention from discerning listeners around the world."


Posted by Steve Jones at _1:42 PM_
(http://crossroadsreviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/done-with-devil-reviewed-by-mark.html)
(http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=61950945749511342&postID=3962378474603095035)
Labels:  _July-August 2009 Newsletter_
(http://crossroadsreviews.blogspot.com/search/label/July-August%202009%20Newsletter)

Contact Information
Crossroads Blues Society
P.O. Box  722
Freeport, IL 61032

Our web site:
_http://www.crossroadsbluessociety.com_
(http://www.crossroadsbluessociety.com/)





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