Sonny Landreth – Grant Street (13 Amp Studio 2012)
There are live albums and then there are LIVE albums! In April of 2004, Sonny Landreth recorded what I consider to be one of the best live performances in ANY music genre. The album generates great vibes from the opening note and showcases Sonny’s slide guitar virtuosity. The production values on the CD are a perfect mix of music and crowd reaction. Many thanks to 13 Amp Studio for re-releasing this gem!
Sonny is from my birthplace (Lafayette, Louisiana) and he has been lauded over the years by everyone from Eric Clapton, John Hiatt, and Clifton Chenier to Bonnie Raitt. (And he will be playing at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Fest in Madison Square Garden in mid-April of 2013) The music on this CD is a blend of rock, blues, and zydeco…yes zydeco..performed at the Grant Street Dancehall in Lafayette. The tunes pulse with a vibrancy that is born from just feelin’ it and playin’ in the moment. Featuring band members bassist David Ranson and drummer Kenneth Blevins, this power trio is so tight you would swear this was a studio recording if it wasn’t for crowd applause during the intros and finishes of the tunes.
“Congo Square” is an infectious swamp boogie jammin’ tune featuring not only Sonny’s voice and guitar but some fantastic percussion playing by Kenneth. “Blues Attack” is an awesome slide guitar rockin’ blues tune on par with the best that Duane Allman ever did…that is a compliment to both! “All about You” is classic southern rockin’ blues and “Brokenhearted Road” drips sexy blues with a Robin Trower feel to it. “Wind in Denver” is power rockin’ blues along the lines of Cream from back in the day….I can see why Eric Clapton says Sonny is the best living slide guitar player. There are also several great instrumental cuts on the album; “Z Rider” is my favorite.
This is “must have” music for your collection and undoubtedly ranks as one of best CDs I have ever listened to. Now if we can just coax him into a European tour sometime soon………
