MUSIC: BB & Co. – Let It Shine

Shane | 29 August 2018 | Reply

MUSIC: BB & Co. – Let It Shine
Independant
December 2017
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8.5/10

BB & Co’s debut album opens with original Find A Place, Bill Blissett’s boogie woogie piano dancing with an on-point riff from guitarists Paul Fitton and Ivan Kellehear, making it all but impossible to keep from dancing or foot tapping along. Whether you’re listening alone at home or out at a club, you’ll be moving – so best be careful if listening when driving.

This is a seriously experienced group – Blissett, Fitton and Kellehear are joined by virtuoso bassist Jim Awram and the swingingest drummer you’ve heard in a long time, Michael Arkins, and all boast careers dating back to the ‘60s. Between them they’ve worked with the likes of Van Morrison and Them, Dave Hole, Eugene Hideaway Bridges, Graham Greene, Jaime Page, Michael Vdelli, Jeff St John and more bands than we have time to list here. There’s virtually no style of music these cats haven’t played professionally, and it shows in the depth and nuance they bring to the material: sure, it’s the blues, but it’s so much more than that. It’s got soul, rock n’ roll, groove and above all, good times and passion turned up to the redline.

A handful of Blissett’s originals – including the stunning title track and the groovy-to-a-fault Confusion Shuffle – stand boldly alongside classics from Bad Company (Weep No More), Muddy Waters (Standing Around Crying), ZZ Top (Jesus Just Left Chicago) and more.

Most surprisingly, effervescent 60’s pop hit Spooky is transformed into a slinky, smoky and soulful wonder with a scorching guitar solo and a slight hint of leaning towards Santana territory. Elsewhere, the party blues of Delbert McClinton’s Every Time I Roll The Dice and Bobby Blue Bland’s I Don’t Believe keep the good times rollin’.

They say that the blues is about ‘catching lightning in a bottle’, and BB & Co do just that – then help it slap it’s finest high heeled sneakers on and take it out for a good time, boogie woogie night of fun.