Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues – Hans Theessink vs. Ruben Hoeke Band vs. Aynsley Lister
HANS THEESSINK
Wishing Well
Blue Groove
We like Hans Theessink round our way. His take on acoustic blues is a real pleasure, especially when you’ve had the chance to see him perform live as I did when he visited the Embra Folk Club a few years back.
And here he is with an excellent set of songs taking in acoustic blues, folk and a hint of Americana on an album that includes some fine self-penned songs as well as the legally obligatory Trad. Arr, along with Brownie McGhee, Townes van Zandt and, ugh, Bob Dylan.
It says a lot for his own songs that you’d be hard pushed to work out what was what in a blind tasting test, apart from the well kent songs like ‘Wayfaring Stranger’ and ‘Delia’. It’s practically all Theessink as his acoustic route takes on 6 and 12 string guitars, resonator dobros, banjo, mandolin, mandocello and more, and you’ll be hard pushed to find a better roots album this year. Highly recommended.
RUBEN HOEKE BAND
Loaded
Dimension
And we’re staying in Dutch Dutchland for our next offering, albeit a radically different take on the blues.
Ruben Hoeke is a well known playa on the scene, as a performer, radio presenter and booking agent. And when he straps on his guitar he sure does like to rawk. Because this is 100% fully loaded, red blooded blues rock.
It can be a bit relentless at times, but when he eases back a wee bit, and lets the song breathe as he does on ‘Love And Emotion’ and ‘End of The Line’, it’s very enjoyable. It helps that he has a top quality singer in the shape of Frank van Pardo, even if the latter does seem to think he hails from Mississippi.
The music draws in blues and southern rock, and if you like your guitars to be right up front, give this a try.
AYNSLEY LISTER
Home
Cadiz Music
It’s been a wee while since we’ve heard from the no longer young, no longer whizz kid, but here he comes covering a James Morrison song and throwing some jazzhanded shapes with his version of an Anthony Newley song from the 1964 musical “The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd”. You think I’m making it up, but I’m not.
Yes, in between the originals he has a bash at both the pop ballad ‘You Make It Real’ and the big show tune ‘Feeling Good’. But it just goes to show how he’s developed a wide palate over the years, as this record takes in slow blues like ‘Insatiable’, a touch of AOR on ‘Broke’, a bit of southern rock on ‘free’, and the aforementioned interesting covers.
I think it’s a great album, strongly enhanced by the diversity of music on offer, although some of the “I’m not getting back in the bus until you say we’re blues” brigade might take umbrage. For the rest of though, this is a welcome return.
Hear tunes from these records and a great selection of blues, presented by me every Thursday at 20.00hrs, GMT on
Rockin’ The Blues – Get Ready To Rock Radio
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