Gig Review
The Guy Tortora Band
Saturday, 15 November 2008:
What do you get if you put an American guitarist/vocalist, an Italian bassist, a Hungarian keyboard player and an English drummer together? Well, if you're really, really lucky you get the Guy Tortora Band. In a time of 'credit crunch' and 'global fiscal meltdown', the term 'multinational' is most often used pejoratively. However, these four musicians – Guy Tortora, Costa Tancredi, Janosch Bajtala and Pete Hedley - together brought a distinctively cross-cultural feel to a lustrous performance.
In a set that was two-thirds original material they showed how very good they are. All four had opportunities to solo and did so with aplomb! The first half started with ‘Jefferson Drive’, a lovely ballad which simultaneously paid homage to Guy's Californian hometown of Pasadena, whilst also noting sadly how it had changed sine his childhood. ‘Ain't You Glad That Things Don't Talk’, a 1920's song, was a wryly humorous rocker. ‘Ain't Nobody's Business’, which now has a firm place in the band's repertoire, was mid-paced and tightly played.
A number off the new album, Blind Willie Johnson's ‘Nobody's Fault But Mine’, was beautifully and passionately executed. The band hit a high point on Guy's self -penned ‘When Cotton Was King’, with its climactic power chords and a suburb organ solo from Janosch Bajtala. Next up was ‘Viola Lee Blues’, which had a good sing-along feel. The Guy Tortora Band finished this set with Robert Johnson's ‘Sweet Home Chicago’.
It takes a lot to avoid this favourite from the ‘Blues Brothers’ sounding hackneyed, but the GT band can be relied on to breath fresh life into it every time - an excellent R'n'B workout and crowd pleaser.
... continued
After the break the Guy Tortora Band kicked off the second set with "I Need A Car", a solo number from Guy's first album; excellent riff, a very nice song. We got a surprise next when they played JJ Cale's "Super Blues"! Slow and bluesy, everyone soloed and it was serenely laid back – one to listen out for again.
"Gypsy Woman" featured some very good slide work from Guy. A funky number, "White Boy Blues", had an up-tempo driving sound, delivered with conviction. Overall, the evening displayed a mixture of slow numbers and more up-tempo ones, generating a nicely balanced set – one that was very much appreciated by the audience!
If, as Prime Minister Gordon Brown says, 'serious times require serious politicians', then the Guy Tortora Band offers seriously good music played by seriously good musicians. Another cracking Bluesnight!
Review by: Lewis A Harris.
© Bluesnights. The Dorset Blues Society.
15 November 2008.
