Blue Notes: 'Train Keeps a Rolling'
The cover shot for guitarist Jeff Golub's new CD, Train Keeps A Rolling, tells a story - as does its title. The picture features Golub, guitar case in hand, standing between two sets of railway tracks with a black Labrador.
Golub has endured a tough couple of years. In 2011, the optic nerves of his eyes inexplicably collapsed, leaving him blind. Then last year, while attempting to board a train, he misjudged the position of a carriage entrance, and fell on to the tracks. He was dragged a short distance by the train before fellow passengers pulled him to safety. Miraculously, he sustained relatively minor injuries.
The Labrador is his guide - although the pooch clearly wasn't paying close attention that day: it stayed on the platform.
A former rock musician who served long stints in the bands of Billy Squier and Rod Stewart, Golub is generally marketed as a "smooth jazz" artist, but like fellow guitarist Larry Carlton, who is pigeon-holed the same way, he has deep roots in the blues and plays with fire as well as finesse. In common with many American blues-based guitarists of his generation Golub, 58, started out copying the "British invasion" bands who had made their names playing Chicago blues-derived rock - among them The Yardbirds.
The title track, although an allusion and a tribute to Tiny Bradshaw's , is a Golub original, and a wry reference to his accident.
A number of other tracks reflect his love of British rock, including covers of Paul Carrack's from 1974, Sting's from 1979, and a version of Willie Dixon's that's indebted to Georgie Fame's horn and Hammond organ-driven version from 1964.
Another notable British Hammond player from the 1960s is Brian Auger, best known for the cover of Bob Dylan's he cut with Julie Driscoll, a hit in 1968. Auger moved towards jazz in the 1970s, and he and Golub have a successful partnership in : working with Auger has brought out the best in Golub's blues rock-meets-Wes Montgomery guitar work.
The organist doubles on Hammond and Fender Rhodes electric piano, and also contributes three original compositions, as well as bringing in long-standing associates drummer Steve Ferrone, bassist Derek Frank and guest vocalist Alex Ligertwood.
The album opens with a splendidly retro reworking of one of the signature tunes of a hero of Auger's: Jimmy Smith. Lalo Schifrin's was a hit for Smith in 1964, with Kenny Burrell playing guitar, and Golub and Smith have a great time with it, with strong support from a sharp horn section.
Other high points include Auger's and , Golub's title track with a driving Ferrone drum part which suggests a train in motion, and Curtis Mayfield's . All are instrumentals.
The tracks featuring guest vocals are a mixed bag. Christopher Cross does a good job with , but the inclusion of vocals on is perhaps ill advised. Although Golub's guitar replaces the verses sung by Sting, the chorus is a little too close for comfort to the Police original. Apart from a few spacey electric piano runs, Auger has little to do on the track, and the album's best moments feature both principal players working hard.
Still, it's generally a strong album with some fine guitar and keyboard work, and it's good to see Auger getting some well-earned exposure. Let's hope it marks the end of Golub's run of bad luck.
Three classic Hammond organ and guitar albums.
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(1964, Blue Note): guitarist Grant Green spars with organist Larry Young, who later took the organ trio format into radical new territory with Tony Williams' Lifetime. Elvin Jones on drums completes a high-powered trio.
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(1966, Verve): the first collaborative album recorded by Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery features some fine bluesy reinterpretations of four standards and one original from each of the principals - Montgomery's and Smith's . Other notable participants in the sessions included Clark Terry on trumpet and Grady Tate on drums.
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(1966, Columbia): the second album to feature guitarist George Benson as the principal artist, but the first with his own band; this marks the beginning of his partnership with organist Dr Lonnie Smith. They strike sparks off each other.
