It’s been a good while since I’ve listened to some good
music lately, both old and new. Whether it’s from the realms of Progressive
Rock, Metal, and Jazz Rock, something special and magical is about to happen.
Mick Abrahams, guitarist as with his work with Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig, and as
a solo artist, he is often overlooked in the history of the guitar players. When people think of guitarists, they think of Eric Clapton,
Jimmy Page, and Brian May to name a few. But Mick Abrahams himself deserves
some recognition in the history of the sounds of the blues in his DNA that
would have made Robert Johnson very happy for.
This year, he’s brought along special guests including Bill
Wyman (Rolling Stones), Paul Jones (Manfred Mann), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake),
Jim Rodford (The Kinks), and his successor Martin Barre from Tull to name a
few. All have come together to lend a helping hand for Abrahams for an album
entitled, Revived! This is a
wonderful touch for Mick himself to get on the groove on his guitar and bring
the Blues Rock sound with a driven, strong, powerful rhythm that he comes up
with. 50% of the royalties and the sales for the album will
proceed to the children’s charity of Kids ‘n’ Cancer in which they are going
through to help them in the UK saving Proton Therapy treatment for their
cancers and tumors.
And this is a wonderful benefit for Mick to help out for
the charity and lending a helping hand on what the children are going through
and Mick himself isn’t doing this for the money, he’s doing this because he is
lending help for support and knowing that he’s got their back. The DVD features an interview with Mick himself about the
making of the project and you could he has an excellent sense of humor in him
and shows no sign of stopping. There’s also sessions during the rehearsals
including practices between songs such as: Chuck Berry’s Nadine, Canned Heat’s On the
Road Again, the ‘50s rock essence for What
About Love?, and Hungry for Love.
Watching these outtakes shows Mick along with Patrick Walshe
in which he’s helping him through guide vocals and George Muryan doing some
Blues improvisations on the Hammond Organ, they are having a wonderful time
working on the tracks that inspired and influenced Mick’s playing and his roots.
Hungry For Love has
this wonderful reminiscent of the Beatles first album Please Please Me while the opening track of Blodwyn Pig’s Summer Day sees Mick nailing his adaptation
of the song in the heavy rock bursting crunch in a mid-tempo beat. Organists Josh
Phillips and Chris Gore take the keyboards for a driving down the blues highway
for some amazing solo work and improvisations to get into the groove and
tapping their feet on the rhythm for Eliz.
& Abys Jam and the drive down for a different version of Summer Day with Hammond.
Dragonfly in which
his son Alex wrote, both he and Mick do a beautiful father-and-son duo. The composition
is very much a laid-back acoustic beauty. And you can imagine the sun rising
into the right moment but it’s the country-tinged waltz take of Goodnight Irene shows Mick going in the 1950s
and the styles of George Jones and Hank Williams. Not to mention Paul Jones bringing
wonders to his harmonica to capture the atmosphere.
But he and Mick share vocals on the 12-bar walking blues
take of Jimmy Reed’s Bright Lights, Big
City. It’s a great touch to have a slowed down groove followed by former
Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden creating amazing riffs on his instrument
and Jones harmonica both sharing turns on what will happen next and their touch
of Reed’s song makes it spot on.
I really enjoyed listening to Revived and it shows Mick’s return to the Blues Rock adventures.
And I hope we get a chance to see more of Mick Abrahams return to the spotlight
anytime soon and this is a wonderful take of the ‘50s Rock and Blues/Soul influences.
This is my fifth time listening to Revived!
Mick Abrahams and his friends showed how much support and honor that
knowing he will be back.
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