Robin Trower
Album: Roots And Branches
Label: Cadiz Music
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.trowerpower.com

Robin Trower needs no introduction. He is, quite simply, one of the best guitarists that this country has produced, from his early days in Southend with The Paramounts , to great popular success as lead guitarist with Procol Harum, followed by his own Robin Trower Band with whom he made some classic albums and on to his more recent work with Jack Bruce.

On this album, Robin has gone back to his R & B and blues roots and has recorded six of his favourite "classic" songs alongside five of his own songs which he has rearranged to suit the mood of this album.

The covers consist of such familiar songs as "Hound Dog "[ written by Leiber and Stoller], "The Thrill Is Gone" [B. B. King],"Little Red Rooster" [Willie Dixon], "I Believe To My Soul"[ Ray Charles], "That's Alright Mama" [Arthur Crudup] and "Born Under A Bad Sign" [Booker T. Jones and William Bell].

Robin says that he wanted to create original arrangements of these well-known songs, so that they "would not suffer too badly in comparison to the classic tracks". In this regard, I would say that Robin has succeeded admirably. The "new" versions are, in general, so different from the originals that comparing them is a redundant exercise. What really makes the difference are the stunning guitar solos from Robin which inhabit each of the songs. The instrumentation is simple-supporting Robin's magnificent guitar playing are the album's producer, Livingstone Brown [bass ], Chris Taggart [drums] and Luke Smith [keyboards]. Robin handles the vocals with help from Richard Watts on four songs [who also plays bass on a couple]. Paul Jones adds harmonica magic to "Hound Dog" and "That's Alright Mama".

As I have already mentioned, the guitar playing is magnificent throughout the eleven tracks. Robin's aim was to be able to "let loose on guitar " and he certainly does that. Just listen to his solo on "Little Red Rooster", for example, and you will hear what I mean. Great stuff!

One of Robin's greatest influences was, of course, Jimi Hendrix and this is clearly audible on "The Shape Of Things To Come", which will, no doubt, find great favour with fans of The Experience, as, indeed, will "Born Under A Bad Sign", which has more than a hint of Jimi in it.

In contrast, "Save Your Love" [not the Renee and Renato song, thankfully] is a slow burning blues with a lovely guitar solo backed by some tasteful organ from Luke Smith. Another delicious slow blues is the atmospheric "Sheltered Moon", which features Richard Watts' soulful vocals and yet another great solo from Robin.

The album closes with another cracking Hendrix- influenced track, "See My Life", which contains the line " I just want to play my guitar". Long may Robin Trower continue to play his guitar because, on the strength of this album, he is right on top of his game !

Peter Cowley