NEWS, REVIEWS
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23 March
2010 Last Year’s Favourites:
Morrison & Walker
My personal favourite out of all blues CD’s
released in 2009, Morrison & Walker’s
“Live At Studio 99” is a most enjoyable mix
of original sounds, otherworldly
musicianship and superb songwriting.
Recorded live in the studio with just Steve
Morrison on guitar and vocals and Mark
Walker on drums, it is still nothing like what
one has come to expect from modern drums-
and-guitar duos.
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Melodic and adventurous, it is high on colourful arrangements and unusual
voicings and low on noise and distortion, nevertheless possessing a drive, power
and dignity of expression not all that common these days.
The opening track “I Wish” starts the proceedings in a most uptempo mode. If
you’ve never seen Mr. Morrison live, it may take a moment to get used to the
idea that both the steady walking bass and rocking guitar originate from a single
instrument. As soon as you get over that initial shock, his voice kicks in: “I wish I
was rich instead of pretty, and I had a brain instead of a heart, I wish I was tall
instead of compact, I wish I was somewhere instead of around…” Forget Dylan’s
Christmas album – this is what’s happening.
Next in line are jazzy and thoroughly reworked arrangements of Lindisfarne’s
“Train In G Major” and Gershwin’s “Summertime”, the latter’s intro evoking
images of a young Davy Graham at least for this listener. Like the rest of the
four covers present, these numbers have been part of Morrison’s live repertoire
for quite a while now and he has successfully recreated them entirely in his own
image, with Mark Walker’s sensitive and above all musical drumming adding a
further dimension.
From “cotton is high” we go back to 21st century London. A funky track
commenting on the ‘joys’ of surfing the World Wide Web, “WWW” must be a pain
in every Blues Nazi’s neck – chanting “wiki-wiki-wiki, google-google-google, ebay-
ebay-ebay” in their face may well be the last nail in the traditionalists’ coffin!
“Fire In My Belly”, “Soft Shoe Shuffle” and “Inspired Moment” continue with a fine
display of formidable chops of and enviable musical unity between Messrs.
Morrison and Walker. Every note they play is in service of the song, of the music,
of the whole, there are no tricks for the sake of tricks, no showing off egos, yet
the sheer skill displayed is staggering.
An uptempo and typically unrecognisable version of Canned Heat’s “On The Road
Again” follows, then Morrison’s own “Who Am I?”, and then the closer – Sonny
Boy Williamson’s “Bring It On Home”, so minor-key and ethnic, it may well be a
few minutes into the song until you realize you do know the song. Well, maybe
not this actual tune…
I don’t know if it matches your stated preference in the blues, but this CD is
definitely Good Music – give it a try! And better yet – when you get the chance,
go check these guys out live, for at least Steve Morrison is rumoured to be
heading towards the Baltics this summer.
ANDRES ROOTS
Morrison & Walker: Live At Studio 99. Art Of Blues, 2009
Steve Morrison (guitar, vocals), Mark Walker (drums, percussion)
Recorded by Mike Westergaard.
Links: Steve Morrison, Morrison & Walker
Interview with Steve Morrison
YouTube videos: I Wish, Bring It on Home
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