KIRK FLETCHER "MY TURN" Source: Blues In Britain Magazine Date: 06/2010 Writer: Mick Rainsford

Mentored by Al Blake – cutting his blues teeth with the Kim Wilson Blues Revue, Charlie Musselwhite and The Fabulous Thunderbirds – guesting on albums by Lynwood Slim, the Mannish Boys and The Hollywood Blue Flames – and debuting on Delta Groove with the critically acclaimed “Shades Of Blue” – it is no wonder that Fletcher has stepped out of the shadows as a fully fledged, multi-talented artist in his own right, as this fine set so ably demonstrates.

Fletcher is joined by a plethora of supremely talented musicians that includes Michael Landau (guitar) and Paulie Cerra (sax/vocals) as he delivers a dynamic blend of vocal and instrumental blues that highlight an artist confident and at ease with a myriad of blues styles.

The set opens with “El Medio Stomp”, a number that captures that raw energy and excitement of a young Long John Hunter as Fletcher twists and turns, rollin’n’tumblin’ his way through in a seriously, lowdown and funky style.  Jesse Edwin Davis’ “Natural Anthem” stays in that lowdown funky groove, the baying horns echoing the slide guitar which has a distinct Ry Cooder feel.  “Blues For Antone” is an obvious tribute – a brooding instrumental that raises the spectres of Freddie King and Magic Sam as Fletcher demonstrates his natural command of tone and phrasing allied to instinctive creativity.

Fletcher takes two vocals himself, giving Jimmy Reed’s “Found Love” a West Coast makeover without altering the familiar rhythms, his wistful vocals suitably low-key – whilst on Sly Stone’s “Let me have It All”, those wistful vocals stand in stark contrast to the seriously funky wah-wah, organ and horns.

Paulie Cerra also takes two vocals, grooving his way through “Ain’t No Way”, a lowdown West coast swinger replete with buzzing guitar and hard riffing horns bathed by organ – whilst on “Congo Square” Cerra is wistfully blue as the band lays down Mexicalli rhythms underpinning Fletcher’s Santana inspired guitar. 

A real highlight is “Way Back Home” which, to me, is a musical representation of a musician finishing a stint on the road and looking forward to returning to the welcoming comforts of home.  It opens with melancholy, mellifluous sax and beautifully understated enticing guitar that gradually builds in anticipation as the artist gets nearer to home, ebbing and flowing as problems are encountered along the way – finally reaching home as indicated by the back porch guitar that closes the number.

There is no doubt about it – Fletcher is a “monster guitarist” – a huge talent capable of scaling the heights of blues stardom – and as such this set can only come highly recommended.