| CD REVIEW (This review was also published on www.701.com) |
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| LIVE IN TORONTO - PAUL FENTON JEALOUS MONK RECORDS (2002) |
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| As a long-time admirer of Mr. Fenton�s slide guitar modus operandi, it really amazes me how so many naysayers of his jaw-dropping technique, which alternates between that of a grinding chainsaw and a mellifluous violin, can�t get beyond the gruff Johnny Winter vocals (with a dash of Presley vibrato) and �bad boy� image he projects to see how great a solo player he is. Just take a listen to his slide breaks, especially on �Time� and �I�m Goin� Upstairs� - he�s one hell of an innovative slide player! I would agree with other reviewers that his lead guitarist, Rick Gunn, provides more �conventional� blues guitar playing, and his best work is captured on this CD, from start to finish, but I maintain that there is just as much of a �blues feeling� to Paul�s sound, even when he�s rockin� it up on tunes like �Shake Your Money Maker� and the Can-conner �Highway 401�. I recently heard of a young band called The Brown Hornets who are being marketed as pioneers of �punk-blues�, but as far as I�m concerned, Paul invented that style 25 years ago! Speaking of pioneers, bassist Mike Pellarin and drummer Doug Inglis fit into this musical equation perfectly, as their playing is every bit as energetic and unrestrained. That being said, his slidework does occasionally lose its elasticity somewhat when he is concentrating too much on the vocalization, which is counter-productive. Bob Dylan never tried to change his voice, and although it may still grate on some people�s ears today, it�s definitely part and parcel of the Dylan entity. The mixing on this recording is a bit uneven in terms of unbalanced volumes and vocal pitches within each song and from one to the other, although the �live� aspect of it has to be taken into consideration, as well. Although the sound is initially fuzzily, midway through the CD it takes on a crystal-clearness, allowing full exposure to each of the players� spotlights, and what a team of players he has here! Peter Jermyn goes beyond ordinary distinction on the Hammond B3, especially on �Time� and �T-Bone Walker Blues�. Although I have heard many different versions by Mr. Fenton of �Shake Your Money Maker�, including the version on the compilation disk, which was produced in Woodstock, N.Y., by Mick Ronson (now deceased), and �Little Red Rooster�, recorded live at the National Arts Centre in 1984, they always sound better the next time around! This instance is no exception. My only major complaint about this and other live CDs is that the audience feedback is removed from the recording, rendering the �liveness� null and void. Just imagine the classic LP �Frampton Comes Alive� without the whistling, cheering and interaction between performer and fans and you�ll see what I mean. Diane Wells |