Barbiani, Jimi: Boogie Down The Road – Live!

Inspired by the likes of Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa and Jimi Hendrix, Italian left handed guitar slinger Jimi Barbiani is a man of tradition, a man of blues and a man with some serious fret histrionics. And yet if you look at the track selection for his live album, Boogie Down The Road – Live!, you'll discover that this Jimi also likes to mix it up and infuse his style with a serious dose of energetic riffmongery. With six of the ten cuts powerful covers, everyone from John Lee Hooker to ZZ Top are given an injection of Italian blues heaviness. And it's the busting bout of the double Z's, in the shape of "La Grange", that maybe gives the best example of what this man is capable of. The gritty classic handled with supreme respect but when it comes to the solo, Barbiani knows when to let rip and make sure you know it is him and his ideas you are hearing. The result is one of the best takes on this song I can remember. With Stevie Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" revealed next, the contrast couldn't be any more sharp, the smooth tone and touch from the frets matched by some sumptuous keyboards from Pietro Taucher, who also guests on three other numbers.

The core of the band alongside Barbiani arrives in the shape of bassist Daniele Vicario and drummer Gianluca Zavan. This trio bringing the power you undoubtedly hope for but also the poise to know when to reveal a true understanding of the heart and soul required to make the likes of "Hey Joe" and "Look On Yonder Wall" both exhilarating and, when the mood requires it, exuberant. Four original Barbiani tracks appear and if there's one slight disappointment it's that with the jazzy, funky "Looking For The Truth", smooth and relaxed "Sad Soul" and railroad track bustin' "Ten O'Clock Train", so utterly captivating, the opportunity to hear more actual Barbiani would have been most welcome. However when you grind and slide along with "Going Down" (Don Nixon) there's no denying that when Barbiani and his band focus on someone else's song, boy do they go the distance; the rhythm section locked in tight as the guitar fires out incise attacks and never once misses its intended target. It really is a trait revealed throughout and one that leaves you wondering why this Italian fret-smith isn't much more renowned than he currently is.

Closing with the controlled thunder of Barbiani's own (and "Spirit In The Sky" reminiscent) "Boogie Man", where Nicholas Zampa makes his presence thoroughly felt on keyboards, the show comes to a crashing crescendo and one that lives long in the memory. Wherever Jimi Barbiani lays down his boogie blues shuffle is where the party's sure to be and whenever you put this excellent live disc in the player, that's certain to be where the fun goes through the roof. Get Down The Road and get your boogie on with Jimi – and that's an order!

Track Listing
1. BOOGIE CHILLEN

2. LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH

3. SAD SOUL

4. LA GRANGE

5. CAUSE WE'VE ENDED AS LOVERS

6. HEY JOE

7. TEN O'CLOCK TRAIN

8. GOING DOWN

9. LOOK ON YONDER WALL

10. BOOGIE MAN

Added: February 17th 2018
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Boogie Down The Road - Live! @ The Grooveyard
Hits: 1801
Language: english

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