| CD REVIEW (This review has also been published at www.701.com) |
| Although this immensely enjoyable CD is no longer new (it was recorded in 1996), it�s certainly destined to become a timeless classic if it�s ever brought to light. If there�s a blues, bluegrass, or even classical guitar song waiting to dazzle an audience, this alumnus of Long John Baldry�s �Flying Circus� is the man to do it. There�s an uncanny resemblance to Canadian slide-guitarist David Wilcox here (both vocally and instrumentally), but since I�m now a fan of both, it makes little difference � bring on a triplet! The only difference is that Mr. Vigarino is obviously more accomplished on his instruments � slide guitar, dobro and harmonica. Rapid-fire original licks on �Barefoot Annie�, �Blacktop Road�, �Ramshackled� and �Elbow Room� are definitely all on par with anything Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton have ever created with six or 12 strings. Nick does pay homage to the late-great Robert Johnson, though, on the only cover track, �32/20 Blues� (with Keith Lowe on bass), and if, after hearing it, you don�t want to go out and buy Mr. Johnson�s (or Nick�s) collection of music, then get yourself ready to be buried, because you�re stone-cold dead! My overall favourites on the CD�s magnificant setlist are the chunky-funky slide guitar masterpiece, �Drivin� Me Away� (about a stalled relationship), the title track, dealing with the glamorization of drug abuse, and �If It Wasn�t for Love�, a tender ballad with equally soothing vocals (and celestial background vocals provided by Kathi McDonald, an impressive international artist in her own right, with whom Nick toured and recorded a CD, The Ghost of Time), and yet another bassist, Jim Hruskocy. I was happily groovin� away on this last track and then heard the knock-out saxophone played by Jon Goforth (who also kicks ass on �Blacktop Road� and �Who�s the Dawg), which really blew me away! Speaking of brass instruments, Jay Thomas blows a mean trumpet on �Daddy Rolls It Home�, which was not unlike Hank Williams� �Rattlesnakin� Daddy�, but so much more, with its snappy shuffling rhythm section (by Chris Leighton on drums and Don King on bass), interspersed with a funkadelic guitar � a work of genius! Generally speaking, the lyrics are fairly provocative, in a chauvinist sort of way, but rather sexy at the same time. In �Lie to You�, while putting the moves on some sweet thang, he professes that �she never kissed me like no skinny little white girl�. I don�t know - speaking as a skinny little white girl, mister, I�ve never had any complaints about the way I kiss! But to get a real idea of his �way with words� (not to mention the extent of his vocal range), check out the raunchy blues-blaster �I Need a Woman�/�What I Need� � �a long-legged vixen with intoxicating eyes, big fat nightcrawlin� lips that bring me down to size�. �Who�s Da Dawg� is that manically funky kind of slide that makes you think of a dog or cat running around trying to chase its own tail, which is then followed by �Ramshackled�, Mr. Vigarino�s nod to Leadbelly or even Jimmy Page�s �Bron-y-Aur Stomp� (but without the hand-clapping) � absolutely terrific! NOTES What I find absolutely incredible is that Vigarino was knocked out of the 2002 International Blues Competition in Memphis on the first of three nights - duh! Let�s hope he gets some better �ears� listening at Dennis �Bluesboss� Dudley�s First Annual Slideguitar Fest in Seattle this September (2003)! Apart from his solo sojourns, Nick also fronts Nick Vigarino�s Meantown Blues, along with BB-Award-winners (2002) Sue Orfield on saxophone (who beat out Raven Humphres, so she MUST be excellent!), Rob Moitoza on bass and Chris Leighton on drums (who respectively competed against Bill Majkut and Bill Brammer, from Smokin' Gun, among others). Nick himself has won several awards from the Washington Blues Society�s Best Blues (BB) Awards, but the slide guitar award this year went to Henry Cooper, another favourite of mine, but whose playing style is much more mellow. Henry is also participating in the Slideguitar Fest, along with Mark Riley, Rod Cook, Max Paul Schwennsen and Bill Stapleton. Rob Moitoza and Chris Leighton are providing the rhythm section for all the guitarists and Ed Vance (with Henry�s band) will be special-guesting on B-3. Slide-heavy Seattle never had it so good! |
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