Brad “Guitar” Wilson
Cali Bee Music Inc.
12 songs time – 50:35
Fear not, blues-rock is alive and well in the hands of Los Angeles based Brad “Guitar” Wilson. Now that more authentic blues is getting to be a rarer commodity, blues-rock of high quality will have to suffice I suppose. Brad apply handles the vocals in a gutsy delivery along with his undisputed guitar skills. He is backed by a capable rotating rhythm section and occasional keyboards. His guitar straddles the fence between blues-rock and more straight-ahead blues. Whatever the case, he surely knows his way around his instrument. The program is evenly divided between originals and covers. Brad also is the producer of this well-crafted guitar extravaganza.
“Ballad Of John Lee” is a tribute to the boogie master John Lee Hooker. It features the requisite boogie beat. His aggressive take on Muddy Waters’ “Walkin’ Thru The Park” Is refreshing and features Frankie Vriens on organ. His phrasing on Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “House Is Rockin'” is different from the original, but no problem. On the live version of Otis Rush’s “I Can’t Quit You Baby” his alternate phrasing throws the song off. He also changed some of the lyrics. However none of that takes away from his more-or-less straight ahead high-powered blues guitar showcase.
The original “You’re The One For Me” is a radio ready rocker. String bending is the name of the game on “All Kinds Of A Fool”. Freddie King’s guitar style and tone are captured on “Someday After Awhile”. “Hang With A Bang” veers off into disco territory save for the guitar pyrotechnics. The lone instrumental “Avatar” visits the Jeff Beck zone of joyfully controlled noise. Wow it is truly a keeper!!! Once again the vocal delivery mars their version of Cream’s “Tales Of Brave Ulysses”. The charging guitar saves the day. The band skidders away via the road song “Drivin'”.
A gift from the guitar Gods to the guitar lovers. Another modern-day blues-rock classic. A driving assortment of drum-bass combinations push the guitar antics of Brad “Guitar” Wilson. In this instance the moniker is more than deserved. High end production values are the cherry on top of this guitar fest. We have a winner!
