PAUL LAMB & THE KINGSNAKES

This is what Gordon Buzz Brown has to say about the new album and the new DVD:

Too often live recordings fail to accurately capture the true atmosphere of a gig, but this wonderfully alive ambient recording by Roger Lomas ushers me right back into my seat at the newly restored Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne, where, last September, I witnessed a magnificent set of blues from a class act: Paul Lamb & The King Snakes.

The band continues to demonstrate why it is considered to be one of the finest blues bands in the world. These musicians possess a rare mastery of dynamics and an authority for ensemble playing that is so essential for blues, improvising and expressing how they feel at any given moment. This is what makes their music so exciting.

Paul Lamb is totally in tune with the subtleties of this rich musical form, and with his vast experience of performing knows exactly how to steer his band’s individual talents and deliver his brand of blues to an audience, engaging them with his musical excellence, infectious energy and humour. The powerfully emotive ‘Adopted Child’ exemplifies the quality of blues we’ve come to expect from this prime band leader. Listening to his beautifully conceived tongue-blocked octaves, a familiar shiver runs through me as I’m reminded of another master chromatic player I’ve had the good fortune to hear live, the late, great William Clarke. Very different artists - but both capable of moving me with their respective sounds.

Paul Lamb’s passion and conviction for the Blues is without question. Over many years he has honed his craft and now ranks amongst the elite of harmonica players. As he continues on his musical journey, he spreads the language of the Blues with style and a dignity that reflects his unpretentious nature. The Blues is in good hands.

Sometimes you just want a record for your collection - a record that encapsulates all you believe is good about the Blues. One able to lift the human spirit up and beyond. ‘King Snakes & Ladders’ has that indefinable magic that makes it special. A record to treasure. To dig out and play again and again.

Enjoy!

Gordon Buzz Brown