CD REVIEW: BIG ROLLING WHEEL – Big Rolling Wheel

Shane | 23 September 2015 | Reply

CD REVIEW: BIG ROLLING WHEEL – Big Rolling Wheel
Independent
June 2015
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8 /10

Sometimes the best bands are the ones who have spent years under the radar, quietly learning their craft and accruing the skills to pay the bills. Big Rolling Wheel are one such band: multi-racial, multi-generational, and multi-talented, and to call Big Rolling Wheel a power trio, or a blues band, is to unfairly narrow their abilities and musicianship to a far-too-small window.

Drawing primarily from the blues, with flourishes of rock and jazz, as well as the individual members’ African and Portuguese (Big Rolling Wheel hail from Lisbon) heritage, this album radiates warmth as Rui Vasconcelos, Daniel Matias and José Cordeiros display telepathic skills on their bass, drums, and guitar respectively.

Cordeiros’ consummate guitar work and earthy, emotive vocals lead the way, while Matias and Vasconcelos never falter in their support of the songs, which are also all written by the singer/guitarist. Abel Zambujo also contributes some sax and harp, most notably on Last Stone and Revolution.

No Spring chickens, the collective experience on their tools shows, as does – most importantly of all – the knowledge of what NOT to play. The results are stunning, from jazzy grooves (Howling Dog) to powerful rock beats (All The Misery) and slower blues jams (Big Wheel, Lifetime, Dusty Road).

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