Mike Garner presents his 6th CD with 8 originals and 3 covers (Rolling Stones, Howlin’ Wolf & Tony Joe White), giving it an eclectic mix of blues and roots music. Some tracks are solo, others have his current trio with Warren Houston (drums) and Dave Robinson (bass). A guest keyboard player & guitar player appear sporadically.
Garner takes us down to the crossroads with ‘Devil Played the Harp’ showcasing his harp playing; then to the upper stratosphere with ‘I Went Up on the Mountain’ showing his acoustic slide technique. ‘Dream with in a Dream’ has a jazz/blues groove reminiscent of George Benson / Robert Cray and features guest guitarist, Richard Anaru (Rotorua) showcasing a superb subtle solo with guest keyboardist Liam Ryan (Nelson) bubbling underneath on Hammond Organ. See: www.youtube.com/user/cadsalley#p/f/0/9auf6HOD5BM .
The ’40s electric Chicago groove is well captured by the band on the track ‘When I was a Boy’ and the line “…… don’t take a mortgage on the present / in case life foreclose on you.” is still a relevant phrase today but check out the solo!
The John Mayall (“Blues Alone” period) groove number ‘Baby Don’t Do That’ bounces along with that rent party vibe and the Stones song ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ is given the Ry Cooder treatment, emphasizing its country feel. Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘How Many More Years’ shows a rural blues influence, as does ‘Circle ‘round the Sun’.
The title track ‘Why a Woman gets the Blues’ suggests a New Orleans evening, with a tasteful slide guitar solo. The final track is an instrumental number ‘Elegiac Blues’ (elegian = expressing sorrow), the solo effort where Garner layers guitars / banjo / mandolin, in a haunting manner.
The musicians’ interpretation of all these styles is superb, making this a well rounded CD. These 11 tracks show the broader musical spectrum being covered by Mike Garner. An excellent album and a fine companion for his previous CD “Cad’s Alley”.
Recommended: ‘Elegiac Blues’, ‘Dream within a Dream’.
Available: Info: www.marbecks.co.nz www.mikegarner.co.nz