Guitarist singer songwriter Jeff Pitchell has found a way to encompass the wide swath of these styles on his latest album, Brown Eyed Blues. He is delivering an ambitious sixteen track collection of over a dozen original songs, remixes, and a bonus live take. Pitchell enlisted a cadre of talented friends to help with this endeavor including Tom Hambridge (co-composer, co-producer, drums), Reese Wynans, Duane Betts, Rick Derringer, and the late great Charles Neville.
The opening track, “Now You Know,” is a steaming dish of Texas Blues served up in the power trio format à la ZZ Top and SRV. The swinging title track, “Brown Eyed Blues,” features barrelhouse piano from Dan Fontanella, and the Jump Blues “Wait,” is a sure fired dance floor filler with hot saxophone and crisp lead guitar from Pitchell. Expert drumming from Hambridge drives the modern blues with Gospel flavors “Caught Up In The Wave,” and Wynans grooves hard on the Wurlitzer during the R&B fueled message of hope “Every Day.” Duane Betts lets loose some of that patented family guitar style on the breezy funk “When We Kiss.” Pitchell cowrote the slinky shuffle with Hambridge, “Do Right Girl,” as a sweet tribute to his wife Betsy, and the thundering “Beg, Steal And Rob” was a collaboration with B3 master Bruce Feiner.
Guitarist Johnny Stachela from the Allman Betts band sits in and channels Lowell George on the swamp symphony “Any Way You Can.” Pitchell loads up on the percussion with four drummers and evokes Santana on the east bay rocker “Stay While The Night Is Young.” The first of two tracks featuring the sweet sound of Charles Neville on saxophone “Meet Me” also features him on vocals for the saucy Chicago shuffle. Legendary harmonica player James Cotton opens the funky remake of the Willie Nelson standard “Whiskey River,” followed by the guitar and vocal dual with Rick Derringer “Got To Keep My Head Up.” The loping shuffle “When It All Comes Down,” is the third remix in the collection. The magical performance of “Soulshine,” is the highlight of the album that captured Pitchell at his best alongside Neville and guest vocalist Michael Allman. The final track “Welcome To The Beat,” is listed as a “Bonus,” but the salsa showstopper could be a title track or a preview of coming attractions.Rick J Bowen
BIOGRAPHY
Singer, songwriter and guitarist, Jeff Pitchell, achieved national recognition when his album,
Heavy Hitter (Pyramid Records/EMI), reached #7 on the Billboard charts, outselling Delbert McClinton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Johnny Lee Hooker & Muddy Waters. Jeff has recorded with such greats as J. Geils, Rick Derringer, Dave Mason, James Cotton, and Clarence Clemons. He received international recognition when he toured Europe, playing with the Commitments as a special guest. He won the "Best Guitarist" in the State of Connecticut at age 15. He has won numerous awards since, including two songwriting awards from the Great American Songwriting
Contest. The International Songwriting Contest (ISC) judge and renowned blues legend John Mayall subsequently recorded Pitchell's song "An Eye For An Eye" on one of his albums. Pitchell and his band, Texas Flood, won the BEST BLUES ACT in New England in a six-state vote. Early 2023 Pitchell released Playin’ With My Friends.
TRACK LENGTH
01 Now You Know 03:24 02 Brown Eyed Blues 03:45 03 Wait 04:17 04 Caught Up In The Wave 04:03 05 Every Day 03.21 06 When We Kiss 03:33 07 Do Right Girl 05:19 08 Beg, Steal and Rob 04:38 09 Any Way You Can 04:19 10 Stay While The Night Is Young 03:3211 Meet Me 04:28 12 Whiskey River 05:14 13 Keep My Head Up 05:14 14 When It All Comes Down 04:29 15 Soulshine 05:42
WEBLINKS
- OS: www.jeffpitchellofficial.com
- FB: www.facebook.com/jeffpitchellofficial/
Betsie Brown, Blind Raccoon, betsie@blindraccoon.com
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