MONTREAL
GAZETTE
By
MIKE REGENSTREIF
February 2005
On
his last couple of albums, Kelly Joe Phelps had moved from the solo
work of his earlier efforts to fronting studio bands. On this first
live album of his career, Phelps is back in a solo setting playing
longer, extended versions of songs like "Jericho" and
"Fleashine" from the band albums. As always, Phelps's guitar
playing, rooted in the styles of the old blues masters and tempered
with a jazz-like improvisatory imagination, hypnotically pulls the
listener deeply into his often-impressionistic lyrics. Phelps also
stretches out on long renditions of Skip James's "Hard Time
Killin' Floor Blues" and Reverend Gary Davis' "I Am the
Light of the World" that demonstrate his deep-from-the-well
understanding of traditional blues and gospel music.
****1/2
On
his last couple of albums, Kelly Joe Phelps had moved from the solo
work of his earlier efforts to fronting studio bands. On this first
live album of his career, Phelps is back in a solo setting playing
longer, extended versions of songs like "Jericho" and
"Fleashine" from the band albums. As always, Phelps's guitar
playing, rooted in the styles of the old blues masters and tempered
with a jazz-like improvisatory imagination, hypnotically pulls the
listener deeply into his often-impressionistic lyrics. Phelps also
stretches out on long renditions of Skip James's "Hard Time
Killin' Floor Blues" and Reverend Gary Davis' "I Am the
Light of the World" that demonstrate his deep-from-the-well
understanding of traditional blues and gospel music.
****1/2