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Ronnie Earl
Recordings between: 2000-2010
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Healing Time
(2000)
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1. Churchin’ (7:12)
2. Catfish Blues (4:49)
3. Idle Moments (8:28)
4. Thembi (5:37)
5. Blues for Shawn (6:28)
6. Glimpses of Serenity (6:13)
7. Lunch at R & M’s (4:12)
8. Song for a Brother (3:42)
9. Bella Donna (5:36)
10. Blues on a Sunday (9:49)
11. Amazing Grace (2:13)
Ronnie Earl’s Healing Time, is his strongest album in years. The multiple Handy Award winner is showcased here performing at the absolute peak of contemporary blues guitar craft. On his Telarc debut, Earl captures the deep blues and meets it with the improvisational daring of jazz.
Guitar virtuoso Ronnie Earl doesn't so much perform the eleven tunes on Healing Time as pour his heart and soul into them—featuring Muddy Waters’ “Catfish Blues,” pianist Duke Pearson's “Idle Moments,” saxophonist Pharoah Sanders' “Thembi,” for which he has written a new bridge section, “Amazing Grace,” and seven originals.
The “boss of the B-3” Jimmy McGriff graces “Churchin’” and the amazing slow-blues workout “Blues on a Sunday.” The Broadcasters include three of the hottest bluesmen on the scene: Ronnie's regular keyboardist, Anthony Geraci, who plays on all other tracks, “Mudcat” Ward on acoustic and electric basses, and Mark Greenberg on drums. Jimmy McGriff's drummer, Don Williams, plays on eight tunes. Healing Time was produced by master of the mixing board Joe Harley (whose résumé in cludes Telarc discs with Mighty Sam McClain and Terry Evans). Telarc
"Put this one on at three in the morning, or any time you need to be healed by a cool wash of soulful blues and bluesy jazz.” Blues Access "This guitar god is as comfortable with the jazz idiom as he is with the blues." Blues Review
Guitarist Ronnie Earl continues his string of all instrumental albums with this stunning follow-up to 1997's critically acclaimed The Colour of Love… Earl peels off sweet and spicy jazz-blues-gospel licks with the touch of a musician whose heart and soul is intimately infused in his music. Earl's love of Muddy Waters shines on a sizzling cover of "Catfish Blues" where his guitar alternately screams and moans through the stop-start rhythm of the song as if it's singing the lyrics. But this is primarily a jazz album with a heavy blues influence, and Earl's Kenny Burrell and Grant Green roots are pervasive throughout. His tensile tone ranges from tender and sensitive to biting and majestic, with touches of Carlos Santana's unique phrasing thrown in. Whether digging deep into the achingly soulful slow groove of "Blues for Shawn" or closing out the album with a rapturous "Amazing Grace," Ronnie Earl proves himself to be a master of moods. Healing Time effectively moves him into the realm of the guitar greats he idolizes. All Music Guide |
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Ronnie Earl & FriendsTelarc
(2001)
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1. All Your Love (4:19)
2. Rock Me Baby (4:30)
3. I’ll Take Care of You /Lonely Avenue (7:53)
4. Mighty Fine Boogie (3:44)
5. One More Mile (6:05)
6. Bad Boy (4:25)
7. Twenty-Five Days (5:46)
8. No More (5:02)
9. Last Night (5:02)
10. New Vietnam Blues (7:56)
11. Marie (5:22)
12. Blue and Lonesome (6:42)
13. Looking Good (1:31)
"Earl’s playing is superb throughout—stinging when appropriate, laying into shuffles with rhythmic fervor, squeezing every drop of juice out of each note on every slow blues…This one has him standing knee-deep in Chicago-style blues." – JazzTimes
"Plenty of low down, back in the alley, gut bucket slow blues that you can really get lost in. Thirteen tracks and 68 minutes of pure listening pleasure." -- Twelve Bar Rag
"If you can judge a performer by his friends, then the guitarist Earl is obviously someone special." -- London Times
The titular friends include Fabulous Thunderbirds founder/harpist/vocalist Kim Wilson who splits the album's vocal duties with Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson, James Cotton, Band drummer Levon Helm, keyboardist David Maxwell and New Orleans legend Irma Thomas (who contributes her distinctive vocals to only two stunning tunes) round out the ad hoc band. Recorded live in Woodstock, NY's Bearsville studio over three days in autumn 2000 and released almost a year later, the session is a loose affair intended to emulate the old Delmark label style of rounding up blues friends, putting them together in a room and rolling tape. Of course, with musicians of this caliber, you're unlikely to go wrong, and the resulting album is a relaxed, unpretentious chronicle of these artist's interaction on blues classics and a few similarly themed originals. All Music Guide |
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I Feel Like Going On
(2003) |
1. Hey José (5:12)
2. Blues for Otis Rush (8:29)
3. Little Johnny Lee (6:33)
4. Wolf Dance (6:23)
5. Mary Don’t You Weep (6:46)
6. Howlin’ for My Darlin’ (7:44)
7. Blues for the Homeless (11:21)
8. Big Walter (5:35)
9. Alone With the Blues (4:24)
10. Travelin’ Heavy (4:49)
11. Donna (7:23)
Ronnie Earl’s Debut for Stony Plain Records
74 minutes of blues, (almost all) instrumental, pure, intense, and soulful, Ronnie Earl recorded with his working band. One track features Boston’s amazing Silver Leaf Gospel Singers. His healing, and spiritual approach to blues guitar playing delivers each note for the maximum amount of soul.
Guitarist Ronnie Earl recorded the majority of the instrumental release I Feel Like Goin' On live in the studio with no overdubbing. As one of the best contemporary blues guitarists around, Earl naturally shows off his prowess on these 11 cuts, with sturdy assistance from Dave Limina on piano/organ, Jimmy Mouradian on bass, Lorne Entress on drums, and special guest guitarist José Alvares. On the whole, I Feel Like Goin' On is tight, passionate, and gritty, especially on the soul-blues of "Hey José," "Blues for Otis Rush," "Howlin' for My Darlin'," and "Travelin' Heavy." While the majority of the album is uptempo, Earl does slow down the pace on the beautiful ballad "Donna" and the traditional gospel-flavored "Mary Don't You Weep," featuring the only vocal appearance on the disc, by the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers. All Music Guide |
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Now My Soul
(2004)
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1. Blues for J (7:10)
2. Double Trouble (10:40) Featuring Kim Wilson
3. Feel Like Goin On (6:40)
4. Abandoned (7:16) Featuring Kim Wilson
5. Walkin on The Sea (6:25)
6. Black & White (5:59) Featuring Kim Wilson
7. Kay My Dear (8:49)
8. Maxwell, Mudcat, and Per (4:58)
9. My Buddy Buddy Friends (3:43) Featuring Kim Wilson
10. Walter Through Kim (5:09)
11. #7 (5:49)
12. The Magic of Sam (3:50)
13. Untitled…..(:36)
Guitarist Ronnie Earl's realization that you don't need a vocalist to sing the blues freed him up to roam across the vernacular music landscape, dipping into jazz, gospel, and soul, and has made him one of the most innovative and interesting musicians working in contemporary blues. It's hardly a radical step, since scores of jazz musicians have been mining the blues for 80 years without vocalists, and in Earl's case it was a natural shift -- maybe even an obvious one given that he has often cited John Coltrane as a predominant influence. On Now My Soul, his second release from Stony Plain Records, Earl moves a bit back to neutral ground on the vocal issue, with roughly half the tracks featuring singing from either Kim Wilson or Greg Piccolo, and one track, the delightful "Walkin on the Sea," showcase the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers.
But the instrumental pieces are the most powerful, allowing Earl's inherent jazz sensibilities to surface, and as an ensemble player, he shines. The album opener, Jimmy Smith’s "Blues for J," does a masterful job of capturing Smith’s easy-grooving sense of the blues (Dave Limina handles the B-3 duties here), and Piccolo’s tenor sax pairs nicely with Earl's guitar for a track that shows nicely how much joy can reside inside the blues. "Kay My Dear" visits the same territory, only in darker hues, and when the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers hit with "Walkin on the Sea," one is reminded that the blues is really more about releasing what haunts us than it is about bottling things up in a primal moan-and-groan session. Of the vocal pieces, a cover of Otis Rush’s "Double Trouble" works best, with Wilson’s singing and ghostly harmonica runs slipping in and out of a wonderfully ominous and atmospheric soundscape.
An untitled 13th track finds Earl sincerely thanking God, friends, and fans for the privilege of playing, and it touches on his battles with manic depression, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Perhaps that's what comes through in the best moments on this album -- that sense of joyous deliverance Earl's guitar playing reaches when the blues becomes a vehicle of release and transcendence and he takes himself (and his audience) to a place where the pain drops away. In the end, the blues isn't about pain at all. It's about what resides (to quote Blind Willie Johnson) in the soul of a man, and what he chooses to do with it. For that you really don't need words. Steve Leggett, All Music Guide |
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The Duke Meets the Earl
(2005) |
1. West Side Shuffle (7:43)
2. Two Bones & A Pick (8:06)
3. My Tears (15:53)
4. Looking for Trouble (6:42)
5. What Have I Done Wrong (6:42)
6. Zeb’s Thing (7:27)
7. I Need You So Bad (8:14)
8. A Soul That’s Been Abused (13:05)
The Duke Meets the Earl seems like an obvious album, pairing two of New England's finest contemporary blues guitarists, Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl, who both share the same sort of hard, clear tone in their playing…For Earl, who has been working in a kind of jazz blues hybrid style in recent years, it marks a return to straight blues, and with guests like Jimmy McGriff and Mighty Sam McClain aboard on select tracks, The Duke Meets the Earlhas the feel of a super session. Throughout, Earl's guitar is featured in the left channel and Robillard’s in the right, leading to some wonderful guitar dialogues, particularly on an epic, nearly 16-minute-long version of Walter Price’s "My Tears."
Another extended workout occurs on "A Soul That's Been Abused," an Earl original, which features McClain on vocals and stretches out to just over 13 minutes. McGriff brings his Hammond B-3 magic to two cuts, Eddie Taylor’s "Lookin' for Trouble" and B.B. King’s "I Need You So Bad," while the B-3 part on "A Soul That's Been Abused" is handled by Dave Limina . Other highlights include covers of T-Bone Walker’s "Two Bones and a Pick," Magic Sam’s "What Have I Done Wrong," and Earl's smooth, clear slide style on another original, "Zeb's Thing." With only eight tracks, but clocking in at over 70 minutes, The Duke Meets the Earl gives these two fine guitarists plenty of room to talk to each other, and the result is a classy set of no-frills contemporary blues, with just the slightest hint of jazz to keep it all smooth. Steve Liggett All Music Guide |
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Heart and Soul
The Best of Ronnie Earl
(2006) |
1. You Give Me Nothing But The Blues
2. I Want To Shout About It
3. Ronnie Johnnie
4. I Cried My Eyes Out
5. I Smell Trouble
6. Catfish Blues
7. Soul Searchin’
8. A Soul That’s Been Abused
9. Little Johnny Lee
10. Ships Passing In The Night
11. Blue Guitar
12. What Have I Done Wrong
13. Abandoned
14. Off The Hook
15. Drown In My Own Tears |
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Hope Radio
(2007) |
1. Eddie’s Gospel Groove (5:07)
2. Bobby’s Bop (5:55)
3. Blues for the West Side (8:48)
4. I Am With You (8:15)
5. Katrina Blues (3:35)
6. Wolf Dance (8:07)
7. Kay My Dear (6:39)
8. Blues for the Homeless (8:32)
9. Beautiful Child (8:45)
10. Blues for Otis Rush (9:52)
11. New Gospel Tune (4:40)
A front runner for this year's Top 10 list, Ronnie Earl has crafted one his best albums ever in Hope Radio. Concentrating on his strengths, this is pure instrumental blues, informed by Earl's passion for jazz and fuelled, emotionally, by a release from his troubled past. Live, the credit for the success of this record must be split with Dave Limina, whose prowess on piano and B3 organ is stupefying, allowing Earl those precious nanoseconds to execute every note with newfound passion, absolute confidence and razor-sharp precision.
Earl's tone rules the day across 11 seamless originals but exceptional inroads are made withBlues for the West Side, an 11-minute opus that wrenches your gut with its soulful range and sheer majesty. Wolf Dance pays an upbeat tribute to Hubert Sumlin, while Kay My Dear - another deliciously languorous assault - demonstrates the subtle power of a taut rhythm section that always knows when to rise or fall between Earl's spirited takeoffs. Blues for Otis Rush, likewise, serves up a 10-minute slow burn of endless gratitude that commands your total attention. You'll not find a better way to spend 78 minutes. Promise. By Eric Thorn (Penguin Eggs - Spring 2008)Stony Plain Records
"Both gentle and powerful, the amazing persona of Ronnie Earl exerts itself once again in Hope Radio. Knowing that Ronnie would be the last person in the world to leave the other guys out, it would be a great injustice for me not to give credit where credit is due. Just as the fact that a great woman exists behind every great man, the same can be said for a musician and his band. Hope Radio is, in every way, an outstanding effort from Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters. Though he and the band display an amazing talent for gently fusing instrumental blues and jazz, a genuine Delta and gospel purveyance as well, Hope Radio is all-inclusive blues more than anything else. And yes, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters are certainly alive and well." Brian Holland's review atModern Guitar Magazine (Read more)
~~Mark Pucci
Celebrated guitarist Ronnie Earl has been hailed by musicians and critics alike as one of the premier blues guitarists of his generation .His intense spirituality and approach to music as a healing force is beautifully displayed on the Hope Radio Sessions DVD, a companion piece to his CD released last year on Stony Plain. Premier Guitar magazine said in its review: “... a blues guitarist and his band at the top of their game. In this DVD, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters adeptly weave between jazz and blues with their cohesive, soulful jams. This all-instrumental performance stretched across two nights captures what has drawn blues enthusiasts to Earl for over 25 years ... Deep, mesmerizing and spiritual are adjectives that could describe both Earl's playing and the man behind the Fender. While each song is its own adventure, as a whole they create a rollercoaster journey of emotions that few instrumental guitarists can achieve.” Read more at
http://markpuccimedia.blogspot.com/2008/12/stony-plain-records-artists-garner-six.html
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Hope Radio Sessions DVD
(2008) |
- Intro (1:30)
- Bobby's Bop (6:01)
- Blues For The Homeless (8:02)
- Eddie's Gospel Groove (5:20)
- I Am With You (8:13)
- Kay My Dear (6:44)
- New Gospel Tune (4:26)
- Blues for Otis Rush (9:58)
- Blues for the West Side (8:42)
- Lightnin' Hopkins Thing (4:33)
- Interview (10:58)
- I Shall Not Be Moved (2:15)
"On Hope Radio,Earl secured the facilities of Wellspring Sound Acton in Massachusetts to film a two night blowout of gospel rhythm and blues before a select audience of admirers...it is his stretching dynamics on guitar that continue to stun the masses via the first night gems "Blues for the Homeless" and "Eddie's Gospel Groove."
"The Broadcasters, a consistently thrilling combo to view and hear, push Earl on successive sets, as drummer Lorne Entress, keyboardist Dave Limina and bassist Jimmy Mouradian stretch boundless drops of improvisation into soul searching grooves. They are aided by special guests' Nick Adams on guitar and Michael "Mudcat" Ward on upright bass and piano. But, the proof is in the pudding, and Earl slams it down hard on the second night, expressing through his instrument major shifts in amplification and tone on "Blues For Otis Rush" and "Blues for the West Side." ~ Bill Whiting,Honest Tunes, www.honesttune.com
“We can now view Earl doing what he does best, that being how he can take any of his songs down to a whisper and then explode his solos to a wild and mind-boggling frenzy.” “Ronnie Earl is truly a special musician, the likes of which I never tire of seeing live. Over the years I have seen Earl with various incarnations of the Broadcasters literally destroy a room with his awesome power, exquisite tone, and superb control. He is truly a master of his instrument who plays from deep inside his soul. There are very few guitarists who can, in one passage, make you feel like you are speeding in a Ferrari and at other moments soothe your psyche. Ronnie Earl is definitely one of those rare and gifted artists.” ~Bob Putignano, Blueswax, www.blueswax.com
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Living in the Light
(2009)
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1. Love Love Love 8:47
2. S.O.S 9:04
3. Take A Little Walk With Me 7:34
4. River Charles Blues 5:46
5. What Can I Do For You 8:00
6. Recovery Blues 7:17
7. Blues for Fathead 3:40
8. Child of a Survivor 9:28
9. Blues for the South Side 3:24
10. Ain’t Nobody’s Business 5:56
11 Donna Lee 5:30
12 Pastorale 3:47
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Spread the Love
2010 |
01 Backstroke 3:47
by Albert Collins
02 Blues for Dr. Donna 6:09
by Ronnie Earl & Paul Kochanski
03 Chitlins Con Carne 5:05
by Kenny Burrell
04 Cristo Redentor 5:12
by Duke Pearson
05 Happy 5:42
by Ronnie Earl & Dave Limina
06 Patience 6:07
by Lorne Entress
07 Miracle 5:59
by Ronnie Earl
08 Spann's Groove
by Dave Limina
09 Skyman 8:19
by Ronnie Earl
10 Blues for Slim 5:12
by Ronnie Earl & Eddie Jones
11 Tommy's Midnght Blues 5:16
by Ronnie Earl
12 Eleventh Step to Heaven 3:41
by Ronnie Earl
13 Ethan's Song 5:30
by Ronnie Earl & Dave Limina
14 Blues for Bill 3:11
by Ronnie Earl |
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