that promoters thrust upon them to fill
seats, the group has a “take-no prisoners”
attitude to their music. These intra-band
discussions do a great job of framing
the Brothers’ story of how the ensuing
album, Punch, helped the band evolve
into a powerful and muscular musical
machine. —Jason Shadrick
ALBUM
I Belong to the Band:
A Tribute to Rev.
Gary Davis
Rory Block
Stony Plain
Records
I Belong to the
Band is the
fourth CD in
Rory Block’s “Mentor Series” of recordings, in which she pays tribute to great
blues guitarists that she studied in her
youth. The previous tribute recordings
were to Son House, Mississippi Fred
McDowell, and Robert Johnson.
Block’s legion of fans will surely find
this a fascinating and exciting departure.
Prior to recording this disc, Block asked
Stefan Grossman and David Bromberg
for some lessons in the good Reverend’s
brilliant and peculiar style, which is very
different from her own style, even though
Davis was a huge influence on her
both musically and personally. Playing
12-string throughout the CD, she proves
herself a powerful, pile-driving rhythm
guitarist, laying a solid foundation for
some multitracked supporting fills and
solos. Block has also multitracked vocals,
and between the guitar fills and the choir
of Rorys, there are moments that almost
seem a little cluttered.
Speaking of vocals, Block has some
vocal eccentricities that some listeners
may find off-putting. A lifetime of study
and practice of some of the purest blues
available has given her a ferocious edge,
which can be nothing short of overwhelming, and she doesn’t hold anything
back here. This is a powerful piece of
work, but it may not be for the fainthearted.—Gayla Drake
Must-hear track: “I am the Light of
This World”
