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Chris James & Patrick Rynn – Stop And Think About It

13,50 9,68

Description

Deze cd wordt door de blueskenners overal enthousiast onthaald. De recensies die reeds verschenen zijn liegen er niet om. Als ?special guests? kunnen we Sam Lay, David Maxwell en Bob Corritore vermelden.

Blues fans know vocalist and lead guitarist Chris James and Patrick Rynn as the leaders of their own band, the Blue Four, as well as for their stellar work with a dazzling array of blues legends. Now they're stepping out on their own in Stop And Think About It, their new release on the Earwig Music label.
Over the last 18 years, the duo has honer their on-stage interplay to ESP-like levels. They're proud traditionalists who delight in digging deep into a postwar Chicago vein, yet this debut album also boasts a plethora of satisfying originals. Their rollicking energy level instantly grabs young audiences who may not even be familiar with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.
Loving revivals of vintage numbers on this disc, such as Elmore James' crashing "Hawaiian Boogie" and Bo Diddley's "Confessin' The Blues" mesh seamlessly with their invigorating fresh material such as "You're Gone" and "Mister Coffee."
Special guests on this album include Sam Lay, David Maxwell, Bob Corritore and several more!

Track Listing
1. You're Gone - 3:17   2. Early One Morning - 4:17   3. Mister Coffee - 4:51   4. Confessin' the Blues - 5:26   5. I'd Like to Write a Letter - 4:50   6. Hawaiian Boogie - 3:13   7. Stop and Think About It - 4:49   8. Mona - 4:41   9. Got to Move - 5:25   10. Someone to Love Me - 5:02   11. Relaxin' at the Clarendon - 2:58   12. My Kind of Woman - 3:57

Personnel:
Chris James (vocals, guitar) , Patrick Rynn (bass, 2nd vocal on 10) , Bob Corritore (harmonica on 1,3,5,7,10) , Johnny Rap (2nd guitar on 1,3,10) , Jeff Stone (2nd guitar on 7) , Julien Brunetaud (piano on 1,4,5,6,9,10) , David Maxwell (piano on 2,7,11,12) , Fabrice Bessouat (drums on 1,10) , Sam Lay (drums on 2,3,7,11,12) , Eddie Kobek (drums on 4,5,6,9) , Willie Hayes (drums on 8) , Jonny Viau (tenor sax on 2,11,12) , Allen Ortiz (tenor sax on 2,11,12) , Carla Brown Lee (tenor sax on 4, baritone sax on 9) , Rob Stone (maracas on 8)

Reviews:

1. Maine Blues Society - Phil Whipple -newsletter September/October 2008 

While you probably haven't heard of vocalist and guitarist Chris James or bassist Patrick Rynn, it's only because in 18 years of playing together they've never sought the spotlight.
Part of the famed "Rhythm Room All Stars," led by club owner, harp master and all-around blues spokesman Bob Corritore of Phoenix AZ, James & Rynn are master musicians by any standard.
They've played with Chicago legends like Sam Lay and Jody Williams, and have toured extensively in Europe and the United States with the All Stars.
This disc features five originals & seven covers of timeless classics by Jay McShann, Elmore James and others.We open with "You're Gone," one of the duo's originals that showcases James' great voice and the dazzling harp of Corritore. The band's rendition of Elmore James' "Early One Morning," makes you feel like you've just stepped into a Chicago blues club with its slide guitar and the piano mastery of friend David Maxwell.
Blues purists will find this album difficult to put down. Among the many highlights is "Confessin' The Blues," the McShann tune executed as smoothly as any band could do.
Sam Lay makes a guest appearance on the title track "Stop And Think About It," keeping a beat nobody else on the planet can match. They've assembled a world-class group of musicians for this CD, and it shows in every song.
For their first time out in the limelight, James & Rynn have hit a home run. It's about time the rest of the blues world discovers their phenomenal talents.

2. Triple R Blues - Ton Wanten - September 4, 2008 
I can't tell you how long I have waited for this album of these two guys? Really !!
The first time I talked to them was during the (former) Dutch Blues Estafette in Utrecht. At the time they were working with the legendary Jody Williams: making his come-back album a success !!!
The second time was also with Mr. Williams, this time promoting the album: "You Left Me In The Dark". Chris, Patrick and Drummer Willie "The Touch" Hayes provided a solid base for Jody Williams to "do his thing".
At that time I wished I had some music from these two guys? Man they were so great on stage!! Not only musically, no, you could tell by looking and listening that they had fun making music, in a very professional way.
Well now?. At last the album "Stop and Think About It" arrived.
The first thing that surprised on the album is the voice of Chris James, this guy can sing !!! Of course he is a guitar wizard! Chris is really a very talented guitar player but not the one that keeps on throwing notes on you.. he knows what he is doing, not too much, playing with finesse. Patrick Rynn, The Gentle Giant on Bass is just great in what he does: laying down a strict foundation of bass but also in a very relaxed way.
The album turns out to be an all star album with people like: Bob Corritore (!!!) on harmonica on 5 tracks, the legendary Sam Lay playing drums on 5 tracks and of course Willie Hayes on one song on drums.
All in all 13 other musicians participated in this great blues album, because that is what it is; a BLUES album. With 5 self penned songs, and 7 covers of legendary blues players like: Elmore James, Jay McShann, Bo Diddley and Snooky Pryor.
The first song on the album "You're Gone" is already BULLSEYE ! West Coast meets Chicago, great rhythm, Bob Corritore blowing his brains out? what a song.
James and Rynn succeed perfectly in covering a blues classic: "Early One Morning" (Elmore James). With lots of respect to the writer, but playing in their own style. Chris' slide guitar playing is superb. "Mister Coffee" is one of the self penned songs, and yes it "hits the spot".
Carla Brownlee, Eddie Kobek and Julien Brunetaud are doing a great job on "Confessin' The Blues" led by Patrick and Chris. "I'd Like To Write A Letter" is again a real blues song, heartrending beautiful. "Hawaiian Boogie" is the party song on the album. David Maxwell, Jeff Stone, Sam Lay and Bob Corritore join Chris and Patrick on the title song of the album: "Stop and Think About It". The classic "Mona" is played with the real jungle beat from Willie Hayes, great!! It has a real vintage sound to it? maybe because of the guitar sound? I don't know. After that it's again an Elmore James song: "Got To Move", wow?. No words?. !
The "Snooky" Pryor song, "Someone To Love Me" is (I.M.H.O.) the only flaw on the album, why? I don't know? it seems not really in place some how. Right after that great slide guitar on "Relaxin' At The Clarendon", with Johnny Viau and Allen Ortiz on the tenor sax and again Julien Brunetaud on the piano. This is an instrumental masterpiece. And shows the craftsmanship of the individual musicians. The last song on the album is also an Elmore James cover "My Kind Of Woman", I can play this song over and over again.
I am so happy with this album! Playing it makes me happy! Chris James and Patrick Rynn have succeeded in making a wonderful blues album. Buy it !!!!!!!!!!

3. Written by Don Crow - Thursday, 07 August 2008
Currently, guitarist and vocalist Chris James and bassist Patrick Rynn are a part of Bob Corritore's Rhythm Room house band in Phoenix, AZ.  However, we go back a long way with these two.  Anyone familiar with the good old days at the Boardwalk Cafe back in the mid-Nineties might recall that Sam Lay did a few well-received shows there, (one of which was released as "The Sam Lay Blues Band--Live" earlier this year) and these fellows were backing him then.  They've continued to play together, backing a slew of well-knowns, and have released their debut CD for Earwig Records, "Stop And Think About It," twelve cuts of vintage blues which, from the first note, grabs you and makes you wanna boogie!!  
The fellows mix in several well-chosen covers along with their originals, all keeping alive the infectious spirit of this set.  Another thing listeners will glean from this album is the fact that Chris and Patrick have played together for so long, they have that innate "musical telepathy," where each one can anticipate the other's moves without missin' a stroke.  There's an all-star "A-list" of guest musicians present, too, that give this one the feel of a Maxwell Street jam.  Bob Corritore is on harp, Jeff Stone on second guitar, David Maxwell on piano, and the old "double-shuffler" himself, Sam Lay, is on drums on five cuts.  
From the opening riff of "You're Gone," this one had us hooked.  Chris' slide and a cool sax chorus held together by Pat's thumpin' and Sam's shufflin' fuel "My Kind Of woman" and "Early One Morning."  Their original, "I'd Like To Write A letter," is classic slow-blues, while the fellows further show their diversity with a spot-on read of the :shave-and-a-haircut" Diddley beat of "Mona."  
We had three favorites, too.  Chris really shows his slide chops on "Hawaiian Boogie."  The title cut is a devilish shuffle that reminds us all "not to write checks your tail can't cash!"  And, "Mister Coffee" has a Delta vibe going, and is the tale of a ladies' man who's always "good to the last drop!"  
It's great to see these guys get a national release.  Chris James and Patrick Rynn and "Stop And Think About It" definitely fall in the category of "keepin' the faith!!"   Until next time....Sheryl and Don Crow.

4. Mazzmusikas - 2009.02.22
Blanke bluesrock heeft op de een of andere manier toch altijd iets minder soul dan zwarte blues. Toch komen zanger/gitarist Chris James en bassist Patrick Rynn een heel eind. Nummers van Elmore James, Snooky Pryor en Jay McShann worden afgewisseld met eigen nummers, terwijl Mona van Bo Diddley de perfecte Bo Diddley-behandeling krijgt; precies het goede, stugge ritme dat Diddley zo onweerstaanbaar maakte. James laat hier horen dat hij niet alleen een prima zanger is, maar vooral ook een uitstekend gitarist, die precies dat mooie ruwe randje aanbrengt dat voor bluesrock onmisbaar is. Er spelen op dit album twee verschillende pianisten mee en vier verschillende drummers, plus op een beperkt aantal nummers een paar goede blazers. Dat zorgt voor wat afwisseling, terwijl James en Rynn samen ervoor zorgen dat het toch een mooi afgewogen album wordt, met een fraai groepsgeluid. Prima bluesrockplaatje kortom. (HM)

5. www.bobtjeblues.com - Ton Kok - 2009.02.3 
Chris James en Patrick Rynn zijn niet de meest bekende namen bij de gemiddelde bluesliefhebber, toch hebben deze heren inmiddels een indrukwekkende staat van dienst opgebouwd. In 1990 kwamen ze elkaar voor het eerst tegen in Chicago en sindsdien spelen ze vrijwel onafscheidelijk samen. Tijdens hun verblijf in Chicago speelden ze met veel locale muzikanten. Ze hadden daar blijkbaar een goede indruk achtergelaten, want kort na hun vertrek werden ze benaderd door shuffle koning Sam Lay om deel te gaan uitmaken van zijn band. Inmiddels hebben ze ook een aardige discografie opgebouwd en zijn ze te horen op cd?s van ondermeer The Sam Lay Blues Band, Rob Stone & the C-Notes, Big Pete Pearson, Dennis Binder, Tomcat Courtney en Jody Williams. Met hun band The Blue Four toerden ze als begeleiders van laatstgenoemde over de hele wereld. Nu ligt hier de eerste cd onder hun eigen naam: ?Stop And Think About It?. En om meteen maar met de deur in huis te vallen, de heren leveren een puik stukje ?old school? Chicago blues af. Geen vernieuwend product, geen virtuoze hoogstandjes, maar oerdegelijke, ongepolijste 12 maten blues. Chris James speelt gitaar en zingt, terwijl Patrick Rynn de bas hanteert. Ze worden verder bijgestaan door een dertiental muzikanten, waar van de eerder genoemde Sam Lay de bekendste is, maar ook de overigen staan hun mannetje. Twaalf nummers, waar onder zeven covers. Vier daarvan zijn van de hand van Elmore James, waarin Chris James laat horen dat hij de stijl van naamgenoot Elmore aardig onder de knie heeft. Verder nummers van Jay McShann, Snooky Pryor en Bo Diddley (?Mona?). Stuk voor stuk strak en energiek gespeeld, maar de vijf werkjes van de hand van beide heren doen hier zeker niet voor onder. De opening shuffle ?You?re Gone?, de slow blues ?I?d Like To Write A Letter?, de titelsong ?Stop And Think About It?, het instrumentale ?Relaxin? At The Clarendon? zijn prima werkjes en het nummer ?Mister Coffee? is voor mij het pronkstuk van deze cd. Kortom, liefhebbers van ongecompliceerde vijftiger- en zestiger jaren Chicago blues kunnen deze cd zondermeer aan hun verzameling toevoegen. Voor degenen die nog twijfelen, in mei a.s. zijn Chris James en Patrick Rynn als begeleiders van Big Pete Pearson in de Benelux te horen en te zien voor enkele optredens. Tevens zijn dan van de partij harmonica speler Bob Corritore, die ook op deze cd te horen is, en ex-Paladins drummer Brian Fahey.

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