"Ben Poole - Trio /// Live '19" New Double Live Album Released Friday 31st January 2020

Blues rock guitarist,singer songwriter Ben Poole releases his new double live album on Friday 31st January which was recorded over 3 nights in July 2019 in Barnsley, The Half Moon in South London and Bootleggers in Kendal Cumbria.

It features Wayne Proctor (drums) and Steve Amadeo (bass) along side Ben Poole (vocals, guitar) and showcases Ben’s most popular songs from his past two albums including 2018’s critically acclaimed Anytime You Need Me and 2016’s Time Has Come.

The new live album marks Ben’s first live album in five years since 2014’s Live at The Royal Albert Hall and for anybody attending the 3 gigs this is a perfect reminder of what for London was the hottest day of last year with sweat running down the walls and watching a very special talent.

Over 100 minutes of live music with 2 tracks on the second cd stretched out to around 15 minutes each all full of musical interplay from 3 musicians with jaw dropping feel and timing.

Take It No More's fuzzed out riff off 2016's Anytime You Need Me cd is a great set opener and Ben's breathless vocal delivery fits the music perfectly .

Win You Over with it's rolling guitar riff and jaunty drum rhythm is next up before one of my favourites in Start The Car.Ben's guitar riff and vocal are joined by Wayne's wonderful bass drum that has a real kick to it.I love the way the guitar riff drifts in and out before mid song the band take it down for some guitar picked ad libs before Wayne's bass drum starts it all off again with Ben's superb guitar solo in the outro taking the song to new heights.Kudo's to the live production too as Steve's bass holds it all together.

Ben turns Have You Ever Loved A Woman into an 11 minute epic all starting on Ben's picked soloing for 4 minutes where you could hear a pin drop as the crowd marvel as his expertise.It has the feel of a smoky jazz club as Ben shows off his vocal range and bass and drums only add to the back drop and feel until 7 minutes in a fuzzed up near feed back show of force Ben solo's with band kicking in and rocking out till the end and you just think wow.

Don't Cry For Me ends cd 1 on a high with Ben's vocal superb and bass and drums in perfect union in the quieter opening before again turning up the notch to 11 in the second half with more lengthy soloing and band work out.

Cd 2 all leads to the half an hour of extravaganza of the closing 2 songs Anytime You Need Me and Time Might Never Come which showcases this band and the talent contained within in exemplary fashion.There is extended guitar soloing and band work outs dropping to a whisper then building to a crescendo showing a wonderful light and shade feel that the blues can move mountains with feeling passion and musicianship that very few can match.

Ben Poole Trio Live 19 deserves a place in anyone's collection and will make many an end of year best of list for sure.



Photo Credit and used with thanks : © Robert Mangold