Record reviews with Kevin Bryan

Here are the latest record reviews, courtesy of Kevin Bryan.

Laurence Jones - Take Me High (Ruf Records).­ Laurence Jones (pictured) has been hailed as “Young Artist of the Year” in two recent British Blues Awards, and this new Ruf offering finds the gifted singer and guitarist working in tandem with legendary producer Mike Vernon. The two men have been discussing the possibility of working together for several years and now the moment has finally arrived, with Take Me High capturing the first fruits of their artistic collaboration.

Addicted To Your Love and Got No Place To Go provide excellent vehicles for Laurence’s incisive guitar work, and namesake Paul Jones’ stunning harmonica cameo illuminates another stand­out track, The Price I Pay.

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M3 - Rough An’ Ready (Talking Elephant).­ This robust live package dates from June 2004 and finds former Whitesnake mainstays Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody and Neil Murray revisiting the bluesy delights of their illustrious back catalogue, with vocalists Stefan Berggren and Doogie White stepping into David Coverdale’s shoes with power and aplomb. As a trip down memory lane, it’s a well nigh faultless affair, with perennial crowd­pleasers such as Fool For Your Loving and Here I Go Again emerging as the cream of the crop.

Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Things That We Are Made Of (Lambent Light Records).­ Mary Chapin Carpenter established herself as one of the most thoughtful and rewarding singer-songwriters of her generation long long ago, and the insightful country balladeer continues to create albums of the highest quality to remind listeners of the enduring power of honest emotions honestly expressed. Newcomers to her heartfelt meditations on the human condition would be well advised to lend a receptive ear to fine tracks such as Something Tamed, Something Wild, Livingston or her touching musical missive to pioneering gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Oh Rosetta.

Elizabeth Wallfisch -Telemann: Complete Violin Concertos Vol.6 (CPO).­ The latest offering in this excellent CPO series finds violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch immersing herself in the Baroque splendours of a further four concertos from the pen of the German composer Georg Philipp Telemann. This prolific creative figure’s work has historically been overshadowed by the output of his compatriots and friends Bach and Handel, but interest in Telemann’s music has grown in

recent years and this fine new CD provides an ideal introduction to the great man’s complex and eclectic sound.

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