It’s a long time since Andy Fairweather Low had pop hits like the wondrous psychedelia of ‘(If Paradise is) Half As Nice’ with Amen Corner.
But his popularity remains and remarkably The Invisible Bluesman was recently the biggest selling jazz and blues album in the UK.
And it’s a treat for blues lovers and the saner species of jazz lovers who have long since removed their most favoured digit from more fundamental regions about their persons who revere the blues like a brother, a father, a mother.
It doesn’t matter if you think what’s here was last hip sometime after the Fall – a lengthy episode in the good book long before Live at the Witch Trials.
But don’t be frightened of this particular rebellious jukebox of material: you’re safe from the flood of non-blues or sans jazz rooted mediocrity since, on what proves a rewarding ark of the lost blues covenant with its deep rumblings and jangling perambulations.
Highlights include a fab version of a tune worthy of the Antiques Roadshow ‘Gin House Blues,’ the Bessie Smith inspired 1920s number that Amen Corner covered and took to the top 20 of the hit parade in 1967. Worth a few bob more than a beautiful hand-painted glass liquor decanter even, Fiona.
Biddable auction lots on The Invisible Bluesman include a terrific version of ‘Roll and Tumble Blues’ later adapted by Robert Johnson to become ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day.’
Low down vocals are happening and engaged. Personnel with the Welsh wiz on The Invisible Bluesman include Dave Bronze alternating with Ian Jennings on bass; Chris Stainton or Richard Milner on keyboards; and either Paul Beavis or Henry Spinetti on drums. Bronze lit us up inside back in the day on tracks like ‘Blues Leave Me Alone’ on Eric Clapton’s From the Cradle (Duck/Warner Bros, 1994) that he was on with Fairweather Low and Stainton.
For many years a mainstay in Slowhand’s band – the album Fairweather Low’s website says features material recorded since he left Eric Clapton’s band.
Now 76, Fairweather Low has also worked down the years with an incredible array of icons also including BB King, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and David Gilmour.
The guitarist tours regularly with his band The Low Riders. Here it’s largely covers of blues recorded by the greats like Junior Parker, Jimmy Reed and Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. We loved the rumbling version of Jimmy Reed’s ‘Bright Lights Big City’ from 1961 up there with the way Lisburn bluesman Ronnie Greer and Coleraine singer songwriter Anthony Toner who’s a fine Reed interpreter tackles the idiom when they play things like ‘Good Lover.’
- Check out Billy’s Waltz – our track of the week