ROBIN BIBI BIG BAND

BLOWING UP A STORM!

BBCD RECORDS

Blues is probably the most honest of the music genres you can find in the world today. Practitioners don’t go in for subterfuge, they tend to say it like it is, and it’s more common than not for album sleeves to do what it says on the proverbial tin. Such is the case here, where the album title and the band name announce in big letters who they are and what they do. The Robin Bibi Big Band clearly adore loud shouty rockin’ rhythm ‘n’ blues, and they execute them with appropriate skill and verve. Mr Bibi demonstrates himself as being no slouch in the triple disciplines of writing top notch rhythm ‘n’ blues songs, playing scorching lead guitar over the top of them, and prophesying some hot vocal licks as the cream on the desert. When the band segues into Royal Sonesta Stomp, it’s possible that the front row (this is a live album) were obliged to step back a couple to avoid the sparks that were doubtless bouncing off Mr Bibi’s Fender guitar. In Too Deep takes the pace down a notch, and allows Robim to stretch his technical skills a little further. There is an effortless sense of joy and happiness in evidence here as the band goes through its paces in two separate turnouts, at the Eel Pie Club in Twickenham, and The Tuesday Night Music Club in Coulsdon. There are endless top-notch blues bands doing this kind of thing, spinning out high-level r ‘n’ b sets to selective, but highly appreciative aficionados of the genre. But on the evidence of this album, it’s clear that Robin Bibi and the musicians he likes to include in his set-up are at the top end of the musicianship and writing scales for this kind of thing. The band are holding a couple of Album Launch gigs in July – on the 2nd, at The Tuesday Night Music Club at 194 Brighton Road, Coulsdon CR5 2NF, and on the twelfth, at Crookham Memorial Hall at Church Crookham, Fleet, GU52 8LD. Be there if you can. Tell them Andy recommended it.

ANDY HUGHES.