Colin Linden Rich in Love

Blues has always been a foundation for the music of Colin Linden, although his music has evolved to encompass rock, country and other roots music. Now based in Nashville(and he is even the musical director for the TV show Nashville), he had spun together a new roots recording, "Rich In Love" (Stony Plain)  full of original songs and given some marvelous performances. Linden wrote all 12 songs, although five songs were written with the collaboration with amongst others Janice Powers, Tom Hambridge and Gary Nicholson.

Linden and his various guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles are joined by his fellow members of The Rotting Matadors, bassist John Dymond and drummer Gary Craig. Charlie Musselwhite adds harp to several selections, Reese Wynans adds piano/organ to a number of song and Amy Helm contributes harmonies to several songs as well. This is a terrific country-roots group that play some really strong songs such as the opening "Knob & Tube," with his clever use of electrical terms to describe a relationship ("the current runs from me to you like knob & tube"). Mix in his grainy, genuine singing and adept musicianship and one has a fine performance. He also understands the value of restraint as on the next track "I Need Water," with Tim Lauer adding atmosphere on the organ as Linden sings he needs water to fill these tears as he deals with his heartbreak.

"Delia Come For Me," is a fine ballad which opens with just acoustic guitar as he sings of being framed because he was the first man they found and put someone away and bury in the ground (and he adds some electric guitar fills as Dymond and Craig provide sympathetic support. Musselwhite and Wynans are present on "The Hurt," a bluesy number with Musselwhite playing some very strong accompaniment followed by a lovely and gentle "Everybody Ought to Be Loved."

The title track opens in a somber, austere manner as Linden sings about his baby used to cry while he was sleeping," with Musselwhite's embellishments adding to the mood generated by the vocal and guitar. His way with words and the music mike be likened to The Band in his blending of various musical threads and his adroit way with words like on the plaintive "And Then You Begin," or the honky tonk flavor of "Luck of Fool," with nice use of tremolo.

Linden's songs are sung with wit, warmth and thoughtfulness, superbly played although he and his band eschew empty flash and mirrors, resulting is one terrific recording that will appeal to a very wide audience.

I received my review copy from Stony Plain. My review appeared in the November-December Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 363) downloadable at jazz-blues.com. Here is Colin Linden performing.

Jigsaw Heart Shows Off Eden Brent's Country Side

In 2008, I called Eden Brent’s album Mississippi Number One, “ is a stunning recording of blues, jazz and soul… .“ I also observed that “[a]s a singer she sings with the authority of the late Esther Phillips, if a bit less nasal, while displaying the sassiness of a Denise LaSalle and a bit of Bobby Gentry’s country soul.” I was similarly impressed by next album Ain’t Got No Troubles, noting it “mixes a marvelous pianist and vocalist with strong material, sympathetic backing and varied, imaginative programming resulting in a terrific recording that should appeal to blues and roots music fans.” Eden Brent’s latest album, Jigsaw Heart (Yellow Dog Records) is another recording that  displays perhaps more of her country side as a performer.

Like Ain’t Got No Troubles, this was produced by Colin Linden who also contributes guitar (and mandolin on one track). Some of the others playing behind Eden on this include John Dymond on bass, Gary Craig on drums, Dan Dugmore on pedal steel, Kenzie Wetz on fiddle. Brent’s originals are mixed with interpretations of songs from Joan Armatrading, Billy Taylor & Dick Dallas, and Jimmy Phillips amongst others.

The very first two numbers illustrate the range of music on Jigsaw Heart as well as the extent of Ms. Brent’s talent and artistry.Better This Way has her singing about leaving today but the relationship ended sometime before, so lets raise a glass to toast the past.. This is a classic country waltz that has a bit of a swamp pop feel as well. Everybody Already Knows in contrast is a romp about the whole town knowing Eden and her lover are messing round, with some wonderfully rollicking piano that evokes Jerry Lee Lewis (although perhaps not quite as wild). Both are superbly sung and played and display her considerable gift as a songwriter. The title tracks another wonderful lyric as she asks her cowboy angel whether he has what it takes to un-break her heart.

In addition to these wonderful originals she provides her own take on Joann Armatrading’s Opportunity, with a vocal that suggests Bobby Gentry. Another noted cover is the Billy Taylor- Dick Dallas penned I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free, which was inspired by Nina Simone’s classic rendition of this. Its a good performance with backing singers, although I would love to hear Eden perform this just with her piano.

Jigsaw Heart is a superb recording. Eden Brent has a range as a pianist, singer and songwriter comparable to the late Charlie Rich. Like Rich she brings complete authority to renditions of blues, country and soul. I look forward to hearing more from Eden Brent and her continual musical growth.

I received my review copy from Yellow Dog Records. Here is a video of a interview and performance by Eden.

Colin Linden Very Much Still Live

Canadian Colin Linden latest recording Still Live (Yellow Dog Records) is a live recording at a neighborhood Nashville tavern, the Douglas Corner Café. He has been living in Nashville since the 90‘s. It is Linden’s 11th album under his own name although he has contributed to many recordings by a variety of artists of a variety of stripes. He was backed on this by John Dymond on bass and harmony vocals, Gary Craig on drums and the legendary Spooner Oldham on organ. One selection, a new version of his John Lennon in New Orleans, was recorded in a studio during a rehearsal for this performance.

Linden impresses with his songs, his playing and his singing over a program of mostly originals (the one cover is a nice restrained rendition of Howlin’ Wolf’s Who’s Been Talking). The opening Big Mouth is a blues rooted number displaying his considerable picking skills as well as his restraint and sense of dynamics. A country-folk flavor marks Between The Darkness and The Light of Day, while Smoke Them All, a collaboration with his wife Janice Powers, is a solo performance that displays Linden’s considerable finger picking guitar (with some jazzy accents) as Linden sings “barrelhouse at midnight the piano moans.” It is a moving tribute to his late friend, pianist Richard Bell. 

Other performances include Sugar Mine, a lovely rootsy ballad with Linden’s touch on the electric guitar complemented by the light backing he receives. Dark Night of the Soul, has a lovely lyric that Linden will be their for his friend and lead them from the dark night of the soul while Too Late To Holler is an exuberantly performed rocker with a very soulful vocal. Remedy was written with Jim Weider and recorded by the post Robbie Robertson The Band on their comeback album, and Linden’s bluesy-roots rendition with Oldham gritty on organ is a strong performance that has some of the same feel to it that The Band imparted to so much of their music. 

I called Linden’s From The Water a stunning recording, and Still LIve is a similar appealing mix of blues and roots songs.

I received a review copy from Yellow Dog Records. Here is a video of Colin Linden in performance.

Colin Linden From the Water

I am presently listening to Colin Linden's most recent recording, Still Live (Yellow Dog Records) and realized that I had reviewed one of his earlier albums a few years back. I will writing a review of the new release in a few days, but I thought I would also post this review from a few years back. I received a review copy from a publicist or the record label. The review appeared originally in the August 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 319).

Canadian Colin Linden has been playing blues and blues-related roots for some time and has a new CD, From the Water (True North) that certainly will enhance his reputation as a thoughtful and skilled player and singer. This disc is comprised mostly of his originals (some penned with others), the record benefits from his often restrained approach. 

The opening title track has a hypnotic groove akin to that of the North Mississippi Hills Country bands but benefits from a lighter accompaniment. His silences speak more effectively than some of the unrestrained heavy metal approach of some award-winning blues groups from Mississippi. This is followed up by a lovely ballad sung in French, again with spare backing which makes his strong slide solo stand out . An old Blind Teddy Darby recording is the source for a superb country blues performance of Built Right On the Ground, with Paul Reddick adding some nice harmonica support to Linden’s spellbinding guitar and vocal. Smoke 'Em Down, again sports a light accompaniment with Linden on acoustic guitar with Gary Craig using brushes on his drums as he sings about a barrelhouse pianist whose left hand would smoke ‘em all. 

A more rock and roll blues groove follows with Trouble Comes in 3’s, with a melody suggestive of Lieber & Stoller’s Riot in Cell Block 9, although his vocal sounds slightly mannered, and drummer Craig is not as supple. Between the Darkness and the Light of Day, is more of a blues-tinged contemporary folk original with an uplifting lyric of pushing on through life’s obstacles, followed by his spiritual vision on I Have Seen a Miracle, with perhaps more of a country flavor and a vocal that would have been home with The Band. Devilment takes us back with a hokum feel on a lyric of a woman seemingly innocent but having devilment on her mind with lovely piano by John Whynot. John Lennon in New Orleans, has a surreal lyric about being a wanted man no one can recognize with a soulfully sung vocal. 

The remaining tracks are as deftly performed and Linden and his collaborators have written some very strong originals that display plenty of heart without any bombast. Linden’s mix of blues and blues-based roots material here and his understated, but heartfelt performances, makes for a stunning recording.

Here is a video of Colin Linden performing the title track, From the Water.