Beggar Joe: Beggar Joe

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DVDfever.co.uk – Beggar Joe: Beggar Joe CD reviewElly Roberts reviews

Beggar Joe: Beggar Joe
Distributed by
C.A.T. Records

  • Released: October 2009
  • Rating: 8/10
  • Vote and comment on this album:View Comments

Hot, hot, hot.

If you’re gonna do a debut album, it might as well be impressive. This is exactly that from Manchester quintet Beggar Joe.Known locally as the cool Street Soul Guys, this tag streamlines their repertoire far too much. Beggar Joe is a unique amalgam of musicians with various musical backgrounds.

Singer–guitarist Jon Kenzie began playing guitar when he was 10, though it took a local blues guitarist to get him fired -up leading to busking stints in the city and local bands. Keyboardist Justin Shearn took his cues from listening to his dad playing intricate blues guitar, though he turned to his passion towards keys. Bassist Andy Brown taught himself to play upright bass having a member of heavy metal bands in his youth. Percussionist Rome Mosabbir lived in Malaysia for 10 years, also studying Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian, Cuban and Samba styles adding another slant to Beggar Joe’s eclecticism.Finally, drummer Chris Butler took early inspirations watching his uncle drumming in a blues band.

By definition, this is a pretty heady mix of styles all delivered with a confident swagger as they glide through the styles with an urban cool provided by Grammy award-winging producer Al Stone, who worked on Jamiroquai’s hit album Travelling Without Moving.His touch is all over the sublime ballad No More Revelations with Kenzie pulling out the stops on an impressive vocal a la Jay Kay.

It’s the blues that opens this musical box of delights though, featuring the delicate finger picking he learnt early on. Bassist Brown unleashes a funky groove that drives the piece towards a world blues template favoured by Eric Bibb, and you’re hooked.Steel guitar riffs open an explosive Sleeping City that’s full organic flavours bolstered by Kenzie’s throaty vocals, keeping things nice’n’edgy, giving it an Allman Brothers texture. After a prolonged four minute laidback format it explodes into a Led Zep blues romp.

Via rolling piano, things take a jazzier mood for the restrained Evil Overcomes, though their blues tendencies emerge due to the steel guitar picks with Mosabbir’s percussion adding a menacing touch.They shift mood and style for the gentle Rely On. Filigree guitaring and soft tones make this a magical track with Kenzie’s exquisite voice just kept in focus.

No doubt Mosabbir’s experience is given centre stage on the Brazilian –flavoured Mind Strays. The jazzy bass and shuffling drums and percussion give this Latin textures allowing Kenzie to open those cultured tubes, and striding rhythms of Time Is Now give it a Cuban. Lead –off single Ain’t No Way has all the funky splashes of Jamiroquai, deserving attention from A-list compilers across the nation’s radio stations. Tinkling guitar unveils ethereal Misbehaviour while Kenzie does his immaculate crooner-thing, again nodding towards Bibb’s worldier vision. Nifty picks and lightweight percussion lay the foundation for Kenzie to add his swooning vocals.

Oh…and don’t forget to miss out on the ambient hidden ending to the 13 minute long Can You See?

The verdict – A must buy.

Weblinks:myspace.com/beggarjoe /beggarjoe.com /cat-records.co.uk

The full list of tracks included are :

1. Puppet King
2. Sleeping City
3. Evil Overcomes
4. Rely On
5. Zabba
6. Mind Strays
7. Time Is Now
8. Ain’t No Way
9. No More Revelations
10. Walk Away Part 1
11. Walk Away Part 2
12. Misbehaviour
13. Can You See?View the discussion thread.blog comments powered by Disqus= 0) {query += ‘url’ + i + ‘=’ + encodeURIComponent(links[i].href) + ‘&’;}}document.write(”);})();//]]]]>]]>

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