(Review by Russell)
The blues greats are all but long
gone - Buddy Guy is still around, Taj Mahal, Dr.John, very few others (Magic
Slim left us a little over two weeks ago). The next generation (no longer young
guns) includes one Robert Cray.
British blues aficionados were quick to pick up on Cray when he was little
known, his earliest recordings on the Tomato label prized possessions (some
collectors sought Japanese imports).
One of Cray’s first gigs on
Tyneside attracted those-in-the-know to the Students’ Union of Newcastle University. Decades later the man
from Columbus , Georgia ,
USA
walked out onto the stage of Hall One at the Sage Gateshead to a considerably
larger following! Cray said it was a pleasure to be back at the Sage Gateshead,
turned to his band mates and said: Let’s
get to it!
Cray’s band - the long serving Jim Pugh (keyboards) and bassist Richard Cousins with Les Falconer on drums - tours the world more or less non-stop, resulting in the
tightest of professional performances. Ninety minutes of classic Cray material
- from his latest CD Nothin But Love
to a spoilt-for-choice back catalogue - flew by. The sound was superb, testament
to Lord Foster’s building design, the talents of the in-house technicians at
the Sage and Cray’s road crew. Cray’s incomparable soul-blues voice,
undiminished after years of life on the road, at one with his signature Fender
Strat guitar sound, is a rare combination.
Strong Persuader and Smoking
Gun were but two of many highlights. Organist Jim Pugh drove Cray to ever
greater heights, Richard Cousins’ sinuous bass lines floated then danced, then
floated and danced some more and Les Falconer’s in-the-pocket drumming was a
master class. Cray’s vocals - arguably non better since Sam Cooke - left one
thinking the next number couldn’t possibly be as good as the last, but it was,
time and again. The wrought emotion of Chicken
in the Kitchen has to be one of the best things heard in the nine year
history of the Sage.
Robert Cray’s guest on this tour
is Jon Allen. Singer, songwriter,
guitarist, harmonica player, Allen was a revelation. Unannounced, the man with
the Ford Focus (he felt inclined to tell us) strode onto stage and sang with no
little confidence. Possessing a strong voice with an edge to it (think Steve
Marriott, the best of early Rod the Mod) he writes songs about situations (Dead Man’s Suit) and relationships (Happy Now). Great voice, great lyrics,
perhaps best illustrated by Happy Now The lyric, delivered
despairingly, if not with distain, goes…’I
hope you’re happy now?’ Great stuff. Allen likes vinyl. His material is
available on LP or the lesser option - CD. Check out Jon Allen, he’s good.
A great night at the Sage drew to
a close with Robert Cray about to walk off stage yet he had the presence of
mind to thank his special guest Jon Allen. Robert Cray is a class act.
Russell.
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