| CD REVIEW |
| Mr. Rotundo is no stranger to the live music scene in Toronto and environs, but the opening track alone ("Stranger") should garner some national as well as provincial gigs for this mesmerizing blues-harp player! When I first heard this song (live at Arizona's in Thorold earlier this summer), I was completely blown away by its explosive, bass-heavy "British Blues Invasion" sound! Curiously, I didn't recognize it right away on the CD. This universal lament of touring musicians is similar in theme to Richie Sambora's "Stranger in This Town", although David's composition is more romantically inclined. Indeed, romance (or the loss of it) seems to be foremost on his mind on this recording. Anyone who has seen and heard Mr. Rotundo live in action knows what a boogie-boss he is, and the boogies, barrelhousers and shuffles come in all shapes and sizes on Blues Ignited, e.g. "I Want to Get Lucky" (done up in true West Coast style), the manic "Wiggle a Little Boogie", "Drinking Overtime" and the title track (with the "false" start). Not to be seen as merely a party-boy, David conveys an empathetic perspective on "Worries & Troubles" (obviously influenced by B.B. King) and "Sellout or Starve", an adamant twist on the Mephistophelean theme of selling one's soul. It's not difficult to see where he got his "little wolf" moniker here, vocally speaking! Interpersonal communication is addressed on "Talk to Me", a neat little jukejoint ditty that David, accompanied by his sidekick, piano-man Julian Fauth, have perfected so well! The slowly smouldering "Come Into My Kitchen", proves that one can be sassy without being sleazy, and David is the master of sustained sassiness. Enrico Crivellaro, a guitarist with heavy jazz leanings, is featured on "Let's Have a Good Time", a "Mustang Sally" sort of collaboration with Rotundo, but without a hook. The next song is "The Sway", another engaging but laid-back collaboration with Rotundo that would have stood out better as the opening track. David teams up with Jack de Keyzer, a long-time musical partner, on "I've Got to Move", the requisite piano-harmonica-slide guitar flamb� dessert! Speaking of piano, that's my only complaint about the CD - the piano mix wasn't prominent enough. The amazingly under-exposed Pete Schmidt and Shane ("Wildman") Scott, from the David Rotundo & The Blue Canadians band, put out the mandatory "oomph" on guitar and electric and upright bass, while Downchild's loss of drummer Greg Cooper is definitely David Rotundo's gain! Make sure you've got an extinguisher handy for this musical blaze! August/03 |
| BLUES IGNITED - DAVID ROTUNDO |
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