|
"The
Three Kings"
Jeff Golub's guitar is
fully tenured in the school of rock, having blazed
in the service of Billy Squier (early
'80's) and then Rod Stewart
(1988-1995).
Since going prolifically solo, the cool, controlled burn
of contemporary jazz mellowed those strings. Until most
recently. The heat's hot again but burning pure
blue this time in tribute to The Three Kings: Albert,
B.B. and Freddie. Doing so, Golub devotes all the
attention to seeing that his Stratocaster's attitude
across "Born Under a Bad Sign" remains big, bold, steely
and sweeping, as the horns sledgehammer their downbeats.
That the bent string finish stop an escalating rush of
soloing note properly embodies "Let The Good Times
Roll." And that "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" yanks
tense and ultimately tenser yet by a high-toned heave.
Golub, you see is pure guitaist. This means instumentals
like Freddie's "Side Tracted" and his own "In Plain
Sight" (co-scorched with Robben Ford's and Sonny
Landreth's guest guitars), flame readily and steadily.
And also that singing slots open up, which get
marvelously filled within the band by the contrasting
voices of drummer Josh Dion pleading "Help The Poor" and
(surprise!) New Orleans' angular pianist Henry Butler,
who craoks out on the three aforementioned. Golub never
looks back-"Do You Think I'm Sexy" is so gone, now
convincingly replaced by the new, blue mentality of "I'm
Tore Down."
Dennis Rozanski
(October - November 2011
Issue)
Back to The
Three
Kings |
