NICO DUPORTAL AND HIS RHYTHM DUDES - GUITAR PLAYER

Puedes leer la versión en español de este blog en

elrockandrollyyo.blogspot.com

1. When I'm Gone   2. Lost In The Game   3. Polish Woman   4. Oh Baby   5. Can't Afford To Lose Her   6. She Knows How   7. Real Good Lovin' Tonight   8. Big Mary's   9. Guitar Player   10. Oh Oh   11. Josh & Slim   12. Much Later   13. Polish Woman (bonus track)

Rhythm Bomb Records / RBR 5800

Ladies and gentlemen, from France, Nico Duportal And His Rhythm Dudes!!!

Brand new CD from the French band. A band that I believe is the best one playing Rhythm'n'Blues in Europe for sure. Nico Duportal is a true guitar ace (I've seen him even compared to T-Bone Walker at least in a couple of places) and is the owner of a voice that fits the style wonderfully. And the same can be said about His Rhythm Dudes: from Thibaut Chopin, who plays the slapbass, to Pascal Mucci at the drums, not forgetting sax players Alex Bartein (baritone) and Arnaud Desprez (tenor) and the piano man Olivier "Red" Cantrelle.

Thirteen songs have been included in the CD, being the last one an alternative take of "Polish Woman" as a bonus track (not much difference from the take chosen for the third cut of the record), and from the opening drum roll in "When I'm Gone" to the last note of that alternative take of "Polish Woman" what we get is top quality Rhythm'n'Blues.

Seven of the songs have been written by Nico Duportal or band members, being the other five covers (yes, that makes twelve, but remember that there is a repeated song) from which is really hard to highlight one out of the rest, as all of them keep top level. High quality Rhythm'n'Blues. Anyway, my favourites are "When I'm Gone", first song of the record; "Lost In The Game", a song made to keep the dance-floor packed and that has good piano; "Can't Afford To Lose Her", composed by slapbass player Thibaut Chopin and in which he plays harmonica brilliantly; "Real Good Lovin' Tonight", another one to keep everybody at the dancefloor and that offers a good work of the brass section; the instro "Josh & Slim"... Well, I can go on and highlight all of them as all of them deserve their share of applause.

It's said: a very good Rhythm'n'Blues record indeed. And when I write Rhythm'n'Blues I mean pure, true, real, old school Rhythm'n'Blues, and not that modern "thing" that some media want to make us believe is Rhythm'n'Blues.

I can't but recommend this terrific record. Really, do yourself a favour and buy it.