Christopher Dean Band Featuring ‘Chicago’ Carl Snyder – Need A Friend | Album Review

Christopher Dean Band Featuring ‘Chicago’ Carl Snyder – Need A Friend

Lost World Music – 2023

www.christopherdeanband.com

13 tracks; 56 minutes

A touring musician since 1997, Christopher Dean started out with Big Jack Johnson & The Oilers and formed his own band in 2000. Since then they have toured frequently, notably long the East Coast, and recorded several albums, most recently Songs From French Street (2021) which received very positive reviews for its soul-blues approach. This time around Christopher has gone back to a purer blues style, covering material from a range of the blues greats. The band is Christopher on vocals and guitar, Mike McMillan on second guitar, Dave Hollingsworth on drums, Walter Jarrett on bass and ‘Chicago’ Carl Snyder (an early supporter of Christopher’s music) on keys; horns are added to some tracks by Steve Lombardelli and Nate Myers play harmonica and sings on a couple of tracks.

“What Have I Done Wrong” is the first of three visits to the Magic Sam catalogue: the band’s lively version has some excellent interplay between the two guitarists and Carl’s piano stylings, making a great start to the album. There is an immediate contrast with Memphis Minnie’s “Need A Friend”, Christopher and Carl playing in a semi-acoustic style and Dave using brushes to create an effective, older style blues. Back to the West side of Chicago for a busy take on Otis Rush’s “It Takes Time”, the bass pushing the tune along and Christopher responding with some fine fretwork, very much in Otis’ signature style. “Out Of Bad Luck” is the second Magic Sam tune, the churning rhythms punctuated by Carl’s piano and an impassioned solo from Christopher before the band takes us back to 1954 for ‘Baby Boy’ Warren’s shuffle tribute to “Mattie May”. The pace drops for Magic Sam’s “Call Me If You Need Me” before a visit to New Orleans for “Country Boy In New Orleans”, a Snooks Eaglin song from his time as a street musician in the Crescent City which manages to blend country and swing, saxophone helping with the NO style. Horns also appear on an excellent reading of BB King’s “Blind Love” that really bounces along.

Christopher turns to acoustic slide for Blind Willie Mc Tell’s “Cold Winter Day”, making a complete change of style and pace from the BB King cut, but equally accomplished. The only original song here is “Appalachian Woman”, a lively cut with some terrific country picking over a thumping rhythm, Christopher sharing the vocals with Nate Myers, as he does on a swinging take on Robert Lockwood’s “Pearly B” which has a touch of jazz in the guitar chords and Carl’s solo, this time on organ, with short harmonica and sax solos towards the end. Buddy Guy’s “Strange Feeling” gets a full band treatment with horns and organ providing a lush backdrop for Christopher’s vocal; the longest track on the album, there are ample opportunities for everyone to solo. Christopher then closes the album with “Blue Serenade”, an obscure song originally recorded by Babyface Turner for Modern in 1952. Christopher again uses a different style of playing, perhaps influenced by Elmore James, nicely counterpointed by Carl’s cool piano work.

Throughout the album Christopher shows himself to be a fine and varied guitar player and is well supported by the band, making this an enjoyable disc that will appeal to fans of traditional blues styles.

Please follow and like us:
0