CD Review of Black And White

by David  Blue of NET RHYTHMS, TOTAL MUSIC MAGAZINE

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Hertfordshire born Danny Bryant has been plying his trade with his Redeyeband for the last nine years and those have produced over two thousand performances. It is that hard toil that has now reaped deserved recognition for Danny and his band. His performing credits include playing alongside Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Greg Allman, Buddy Guy, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Black And White is their sixth album and follows the massively popular Live album which has hit the I-Tunes Top 10 blues charts in six countries. 10 original tracks start with Tell Me, a grinding blues rock with searing guitar. It’s good to know that there are a number of top class young blues guitarists coming through and Bryant is in the forefront. Between The Lines is slower than the opener but still has that grinding blues feel. Love Remains is the ballad! There’s a bit of Axl Rose in his vibrato and the song is good enough as he follows the formula but the extended solo is the highlight.

Twenty One is a strolling, rocking blues with another scorching solo. Any Wonder is a power ballad and he is just getting better and better. Low Down Blues is an uncomplicated chugging blues and he continues to swap slow tracks with more up-tempo ones on Walk Away. This is acoustic led and very good despite its simplicity. I do like his guitar style and he is becoming more and more of a favourite. Old Blues Song has a bit of Joe Cocker in the vocal and it’s another slow one with yet another strong guitar solo. This type of blues power ballad could be called pastiche or passé nowadays but it still gets my vote. The penultimate track, Last Goodbye is a blues based 70s rocker and the closing title track, Black And White is a low key, acoustic finish – good song though.

Danny Bryant is one of the best guitar players that I have heard this year and that’s black and white.

David Blue