| CD REVIEW (This review has also been published at www.701.com) |
| THE TORONTO SESSIONS - ARCHIE EDWARDS |
| Recorded at the Rivoli in Toronto in 1986, when Archie Edwards was 68 years of age, this "quilt" of Piedmont (or East Virginia) country blues is comprised of Archie's own compositions, re-interpretations of other traditional blues songs like Blind Lemon Jefferson's 'One-Dime Blues' (retitled 'One Thin Dime Blues') as well as snippets from other music and lyrics re-constructed according to how Mr. Edwards feels these songs should sound (e.g. 'Sitting on Top of the World'). I personally like this rather complicated acoustic blues guitar-picking, but the choppiness inherent in this style of playing might seem a bit repetitive to some listeners after the first half of the CD. His vocals are the "real McCoy", though, and there is some excellent slide-playing to be heard if you continue listening ('I Called My Baby Long Distance'), which the artist himself aptly describes as "Archie Edwards doing Robert Johnson". What I find intriguing about this style of playing blues is the contrast between the snappy, optimistic guitar-picking and strumming which belies the misery contained in the lyrics. It was encouraging to me to note that a pick is not used at all to play the guitar, incorporating bass and percussion with the sole use of one's fingers and thumb (a style I use myself, as I'm quite useless with a pick!). At one time toying with the idea of crossing over to rock and roll, Archie was also very wise in paying heed to Mississippi John Hurt's notion that "rock and roll players gonna be ten cents a dozen pretty soon, so you stay where you are". In fact, 'I'm Down Today' is what he refers to as the backside of Hurt's 'Talk About Trouble I've Had It All My Days.' The CD is further enhanced with a liner booklet containing a fairly detailed personal biography by author/photographer Barry Lee Pearson, an autobiographical musical background, as well as personal anecdotes from Archie introducing each song. Archie takes pains to stress the difference in "country blues" and "dressed up blues", presumably with electric guitar, drums, horns, etc. ("It just don't sound the same"). There is also a personal note from Fred Litwin, President of NorthernBlues Music, outlining the origin of the recordings, i.e. via Serge Sloimovits, via Joanne Smale (publicist for Jeff Healey, among others). There were apparently enough tracks preserved from this recording to compile a second volume from this late, great, bluesman, so stay tuned! |
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