Terry Quiett Band - Live at the Orpheum

Lucky Bag Records

Fourteen Tracks: 75:37.

www.terryquiettband.com

When I reviewed Terry Quiett’s last album Just My Luck, I said, This is a CD that should grace the shelves of anyone claiming to be a fan of contemporary blues and blues rock. Well ditto here with, as we say in the UK, brass nobs on.

Terry and his band offer a live performance recorded in the Orpheum Theatre in Wichita, Kansas, in front of what is effectively a ‘home town’ audience. The CD offers a massive 75 minutes plus of fabulous music. Produced by Jim Gaines (who did Just My Luck too) despite the presence of a (justifiably) enthusiastic audience, most of the tracks are of airplay length, with only two of more than 5mins or so. Eleven of the tracks are Quiett originals and three are excellent covers. Fiery slide, some beautifully constructed solos and even a bit of resonator work make the hour-plus pass like a few minutes. The covers are of Hendrix’s Hear My Train A Comin, the Clapton piece Forever Man, and Springsteen’s Cover Me.

The band, as always, consist of Terry Quiett, vocals, guitar; Aaron Underwood, bass, backing vocals; and, Rodney Baker, drums and they are firmly in the furrow of three piece, guitar-led bands, like ZZ Top, Cream and Hendrix; lots of power when needed, but with the ability to bring it down – quite suddenly – for quiet, reflective, but always beautifully played segments.

Big Man Boogie (which was a studio track on Just My Luck) is a stompin piece which displays Terry’s skill with the guitar, with nice touch of wha-wha, while Caroline is a heart-wrenching emotion laden piece with a delightful riff in the back of the verses and a quite outstanding solo. Hear My Train A Comin, out-hendrixes Hendrix and comes with one of those vocal tricks I love, where the guitar, note for note, follows the voice of the singer. Fabulous slide work in the instrumental breaks too. Short Dress also comes with slide, but this time it is an amplified resonator which sounds sensational (also on the excellent Judgement Day which was likewise on Just My Luck). The set ends with a power-chorded nine minutes plus version of Forever Man with Terry going all out, with some fabulous dynamics and a sound that reminds me of my youth when Clapton was God. There is some outstanding foot-pedal work here too! More voice and guitar in unison as well, GREAT.

No doubt about it, Terry Quiett and his band are headed for the big time. Can’t wait to hear/see them live. Come to the UK Mr Quiett. In meantime, guaranteed airplay on my shows.