Maurice Hope – November 21, 2015 at 03:18PM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Scottish bluesman, Andy Gunn has covered a great deal of ground during his recording career; one that has seen him record with his band, Jumpin’ The Gunn for Virgin’s Point Blank outlet. Immersed in the music of the likes of Muddy Waters and Lighnin’ Hopkins among others in Miracle Of Healing he has his fourth self-produced album out. Following on from Flip Flop Kinetics, Bonar Bridge Sessions and Regional Variations his latest album Miracle Of Healing combines blues with r&b, rock and a soulful brand of folk as in the company of co-producer Martin Stephenson (acoustic guitar, percussion), Neil Harland (electric bass guitar), Kate Stephenson (drums), John Steel (keyboards), Steve Smith (electric, acoustic blues harmonica), Jim Hornsby (dobro) and Malcolm MacMasters (pedal steel guitar) plus harmony vocalists, Susanna Wolfe, Miriam Campbell).
“Black Heart” enriched with delicious grooves and the feeling they are about to burst out of the speakers, “Beyond The Open Door” idles along a little too much to be convincing; unlike harmonica, keyboards (tasty work) plied shuffle “Brighter Days” and beautiful understated ballad “Freedom Reality” and likewise, equally impressive “Harmony Of One”.
“Hold On” for one reason or another prompted me to think Leonard Cohen before it was back to business as usual on bustling number “Planting The Seeds”. It in turn is followed by sobering blues warmed gentle rambling “Miracle Of Healing”, warmed in organ and spare, but adequate tempered instrumentation Gunn gets his message across, although his vocals tend to drag a little, and lack flexibility required to carry off the tune unreservedly, could be just me looking for the perfect song (and preferring his music to be more uptempo)!
I may have found just that on “Troubled Women”. Moody, funky and restless Gunn has a powerhouse rhythm section coupled with lead guitar and probing harmonica aid him magnificently. Sounds like something Tony Joe White might have done and be proud of it.., or a previously unknown, hidden direct from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It is that good.
Maurice Hope
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