Cal Williams Jr – King Billy
When first listening to this CD I thought
that Cal had gone the way of Kelly Joe Phelps and dropped any tracks with his
trademark slide on them…I need not had any concern because about half way
through the CD the slide makes a welcome return.
In listening to this album over the last
few months I must admit that the songs have taken a few listens to grow on
me…probably a little more so than Cal’s previous CDs. I think it is more
because of the Celtic feel to them, and especially the first half of the CD
tending more towards a fingerpicking folk/country style.
Cal’s band includes a number of his regular
players who have appeared on previous CDs; Kory Horwood on double bass, Anthony Pak Poy on guitar and
Emily Davis on vocals. They are joined on King Billy by Dee Trewartha on Violin, Heather
Stratfold on Cello, Jon Hunt on Clarinet, and Emma Luker on Violin…certainly a
large contingency on stage but it doesn’t make the sound too cluttered. There
is a certain space and sparseness in Cal’s music which is a fine line with this
number of players. The listener is not hit with a barrage of instrumental
cacophony but with well constructed songs matched with solid and thoughtful
lyrics.
Players such as John Martyn, Bert Jantz and
John Renbourn come to mind when listening to this CD…not only in the style of playing but also in that they all took from various
sources and created their own style of music which became a mainstay of
British folk/blues scene. Cal does a similar thing here with King Billy…with a
nod to some of his earlier blues influences such as Rev Gary Davis’ “Death
don’t have no mercy” and Sleepy John Estes “Brownsville”…which both making a showing
on this CD, played with a nod to the original versions. I especially like when
Kory’s double bass line slips in on the second verse of Brownsville and Cal’s
short but sweet slide solo comes in half way through...these are joined by some wonderfully self penned tracks.
King Billy is certainly a sign of Cal’s
further development of his signature sound…a beautiful collection of songs and
yet again brilliant musicianship…some "soulfelt" music in a sea of commercial dross which has come out of Adelaide at the
hands of Cal Williams Jr and co!
Anthony V Moulay
Blues from The Bay
BayFM 99.9 - Byron Bay
Australian Blues & Roots Airplay Charts
PS: Kelly Joe Phelps is currently recording an album which he promises will see him return to slide guitar!
PS: Kelly Joe Phelps is currently recording an album which he promises will see him return to slide guitar!
