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KIRK
FLETCHER "SHADES OF BLUE"
Source: Blues & Rhythm
Magazine
Date: 06/2005
Writer : Phil
Wight |
Kirk
‘Eli’ Fletcher is a rare bird on the blues
scene, an African-American man, still in his twenties
who has thoroughly immersed himself in the classic blues
sounds of the 1950s and 1960s. The son of a Baptist
minister, Kirk's introduction to the blues came as a
teenager, through his older brother's copy of B.B. King's
‘Live At the Regal album, and he hasn't looked
back since. In a relatively short time playing music,
he's impressed a lot of the right people. Coming up
through the ranks of the West Coast blues scene, he's
spent valuable time with Al Blake (former front man
of the Hollywood Fats Band), Richard ‘Lynwood
Slim’ Duran and Junior Watson, among others. Eventually
he joined Kim Wilson's Blues Revue, from there he was
recruited for Charlie Musselwhite's band. While
continuing to work as one of the most sought after
guitarists on the West Coast blues scene, he hooked
up with blues harp player and producer Randy Chortkoff,
which resulted in this CD. As he doesn’t sing,
Kirk is supported on vocals by veteran West Coast
vocalist Finis Tasby, with Kim Wilson on vocals and
harp and representing the distaff side, singer Janiva
Magness. This album was originally released in Germany
in 2003 on Crosscut, this reissue includes three extra
tracks as indicated in the track listing, stretching
it out to a big seventy plus minutes.
Opening
with the instrumental ‘Blues For Boo Boo’,
Fletcher’s sparky guitar and Rod Young’s
big toned Hammond gives this number a jazzy, organ
trio feel. Fletcher gets the classic Vee Jay sound
spot on and Wilson’s vocals and harp set the
tone for a classy reading of Eddie Taylor’s
Bad Boy’. Janiva Magness handles the vocals
on ‘Don’t Go No Further’; Fletcher
opens on acoustic then switches to electric on a romping
run through this Willie Dixon classic.
‘Club Zanzibar’ is a spot-on Little Walter
and the Aces style instrumental with Wilson on harp
and Fletcher doing the Louis Myers bit – nice
one! Tasby handles the vocals on his own composition
‘Worried Man Blues’; Fletcher plays a
charging Elmore-style riff and the whole thing jells
to produce a 50s style retro classic. Kim provides
the vocals on a harp-fuelled reading of B.B. King’s
‘Country Girl’; Tasby steps up to the
plate for a laid back ‘Down Home Woman’
and ‘Stranded In St. Louis’ is a slow
groove with Wilson on vocals.
‘My
Home Is A Prison’ is, as you would expect an
Excello style slowie, Tasby is in best Percy Mayfield
mode for Mr Percy’s ‘Rivers Invitation’
and ‘Hip Hug Her’ is a Booker T. Memphis
groovin’ instrumental. Of the bonus cuts; B.B.’s
You Don’t Know features Janiva on vox and Fletcher
has the B.B. lines straight up, ‘Club Zanzibar’
is, well just an alt take and ‘Don’t Go
No Further’ is an all-acoustic reading.
Kirk
Fletcher is a young man with a big reputation in the
making, he exudes class and style, knows all the classic
licks but never resorts to mere copying, always with
his own take in his trick bag. If this CD does not
cement his reputation then I may just be a simian’s
relation! |
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