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Blues Underground Network |
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Blues Underground Network |
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Jim Byrnes "Everywhere West"
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One way or another we all know Jim Byrnes, whether via movies, television series, his charitable work with World Vision Canada and Face The World Foundation and yes lets not forget he is one of the finest blues singers and musicians around, proving that point over and over again as he has churned out musical gem after musical gem since starting in the 80's with the release of “Burnin’” on Polydor, as the Jim Byrnes Band. Now 3 decades later Jim Byrnes once again throws his magic into the ring with his 4th Album for Black Hen Music, "Everywhere West". Jim Byrnes started his musical career in 1964 with his first professional gig and continued on to play with an immense lineup of greats including, "Furry Lewis, Henry Townsend, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Taj Mahal, Robery Cray", to name just a few. Now into his 46th year of playing the blues he continues to awe and inspire us thru his lyrics, musicianship and his delivery of both. Collaborating with Byrnes' on "Everywhere West", once again, is Producer/Musician/Singer/Songwriter Extraodinaire, Steve Dawson, one of the most respected and sought after Artist Canada has had the good grace of producing, always bringing his special talents and magic to what ever he touches. "Everywhere West" consists of 12 Tracks, two of which were written solely by Jim Byrnes (Hot As A Pistol/Me and Piney Brown) and one which was co-written with Tim Hearsey (Storm Warning). Steve Dawson is credited for five tracks, of which he arranged four (Bootlegger's Blues/No Mail Blues/From Four Until Late/He Was A Friend Of Mine/) and wrote one (Walk On). Other Tracks rounding out "Everywhere West" include Yield Not To Temptation (Ralph Bass/Sonny Thompson), Black Nights (Lowell Folsom), Take Out Some Insurance On Me (Jimmy Reed) and You Can't Get That Stuff No More (Louis Jordan/Sam Theard). All the above tracks make for one thoroughly entertaining and diverse Album. One thing that is certain when you are dealing with a Jim Byrnes Album, is that when you listen to it you are going to be taken away and sent on a incredible journey. "Everywhere West" is absolutely no exception to that rule. Like a grandson who is mesmerized with the story telling of his grandpa, you will be mesmerized with the sounds, lyrics, and texture of "Everywhere West". Not only does Jim Byrnes thrill you with what he brings to the table, you will also be thrilled at all the other voices and sounds you will hear, such as Slide Guitar, Trumpet, Baritone/Tenor Sax, Banjo, Hand Claps, Marxophone, Wurlitzer, Weissenborn, Mandolin, Fiddle, Piano, Trumpet, National Tritone, Mandotar, Acoustic Guitars, Pump Organ, Mellotron, Pedal Steel, Dobro, Tenor Banjo, and the heavenly voices of Jeanne Tolmie, Geoff Hicks, Keith Lowe, and Steve Dawson. Are you starting to get the picture on how special "Everywhere West" is? Thought you might be. "Everywhere West" is one of those special Albums that seems to come out of nowhere and hits you up the side of your head with its shear brilliance, easily cutting threw yesterdays mediocrity. Jim Byrnes continues to impress us with not only his amazing skills, but his instinct of whom to bring to the table when he gets that hankering to serve us all one of his bountiful musical treats. "Everywhere West" easily receives my highest rating of 5*****. Highly Recommended and Thoroughly Enjoyed... Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) Jim Byrnes’ 4th album for Black Hen Music, finds Jim collaborating once again with producer Steve Dawson. Jim’s bluesiest album in years. “Everywhere West” includes raw and stripped-down takes on classic material and some originals by Jim himself. Tracklist
1. Hot As A Pistol 4:46 Listen To Samples Here... Review By Jordan Richardson At the risk of invoking a sort of Billy Bob Thornton wrath, the first time I came across Jim Byrnes was on Highlander: The Series playing Joe. Now Joe was a Watcher, a member of a secret organization charged with “watching” the Immortals. Joe’s “cover,” I guess you could say, was as a bookshop clerk in Seacouver. Byrnes himself is clearly a Watcher, but more importantly he’s a damn good listener. With Everywhere West, Byrnes latest recording, the blues musician proves his knack of hearing and feeling the raw, real, dirty blues and delivers the goods through a dozen gratifyingly gritty cuts. His tenacious, mean, ugly-in-a-good-way voice blends with his precise guitar to produce the ultimate blues and roots engine. Everywhere West is the fourth collaboration between Byrnes and producer Steve Dawson, the president of Black Hen Music. A host of other musicians fill out the vibe, creating a nice packed sound to the record that contrasts impeccably with Byrnes’ modest style. The Juno-winning Byrnes gets off to a raucous start with “Hot As a Pistol,” a searing track that more than earns its namesake. Dawson lays out a thick slide guitar as the cut deliberately chugs through its muggy paces. Byrnes’ vocals rock as he articulates the meaning of the blues and alternates between speaking and singing with just the right trace of sandpaper. The rendition of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Yield Not to Temptation” is one of my favourite tracks. Dawson brings the banjo out on this barnstorming gospel number. Jeanne Tolmie and Byrnes blend handsomely and the call-and-response of the chorus had my hands reaching for the skies. The track is either a robbery or a revival. Maybe both. Byrnes has dedicated Everywhere West to “all those who have gone before” and there are hints of homage everywhere. His love for the art form shouted and stomped from wooden floors and broke-down stages is apparent with every holler and sneer he ecstatically delivers. “Deep down, blues is an acceptance of life,” Byrnes says. “You stand in front of life and life says ‘that’s the way it is baby.’ To play the blues, you take all the bullshit that’s been piling up and you channel it through your guitar and voice. You let the pain go and turn it into a good feeling.” Whether he’s digging deep into a Byrnes original like the first-take recording of “Storm Warning” or piling it all on to a sweltering version of Jimmy Reed’s “Take Out Some Insurance on Me,” Byrnes is letting the pain go and giving the listener an opportunity to do the same. Everywhere West is every bit the revival and the robbery, that’s for damn sure, and Byrnes is still every bit the Watcher. Review By Reverend Keith A. Gordon November 16th, 2010 is the date scheduled for release of Everywhere West, the latest album from award-winning Canadian roots-and-blues artist Jim Byrnes. This is Byrnes' fourth album for Black Hen Music, and his eighth release overall, Everywhere West a collection of original material and choice covers and a logical follow-up to Byrnes' acclaimed 2008 release, My Walking Stick. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Byrnes was actually born in St. Louis, Missouri and holds dual U.S./Canadian citizenship. While growing up St. Louis, the city a hotbed of blues and R&B music, Byrnes was surrounded and influenced by artists like Muddy Waters, Ike & Tina Turner, Ray Charles, and the great Chuck Berry. These rich, diverse influences come to bear on Everywhere West, with Byrnes covering such songs as the Mississippi Sheiks' great "Bootlegger's Blues," Robert Johnson's "From Four Until Late," and Lowell Fulson's "Black Nights" as well as songs from Bobby "Blue" Bland, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, and Howlin' Wolf, among others. Everywhere West also features a number of songs written by Byrnes and his longtime collaborator, musician, producer, and Black Hen label head Steve Dawson, and was mostly recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs. Esteemed as an artist and musician in his adopted homeland, Byrnes has won two coveted Juno Awards for "Blues Album of the Year" for 1995's That River and 2006's House of Refuge, as well as a 2006 Maple Blues Award as "Male Vocalist of the Year." The multi-talented Byrnes is also an accomplished actor, appearing on TV and film in such series as CBS's Wiseguy, various Highlander TV series and films, and most recently, on the SyFy network series Sanctuary. Byrnes has also provided voice work for such animated series as X-Men: Evolution, Beast Wars: Transformers, and Stargate Infinity, among many more. Byrnes will be hitting the road in support of Everywhere West, touring clubs and festival dates in both North America and Europe. About Jim Byrnes Jim Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri – that’s blues country. He grew up on the city’s north side. One of the neighbourhood bars had Ike and Tina Turner as the house band. As a teenager going to music clubs, he and his buddy were often the only white people in the place. “We never had any problems. We were too naïve, and had too much respect for the music and culture – they knew it, they could tell.” Starting piano at age five, by age thirteen, Jim was singing and playing blues guitar. His first professional gig was in the summer of 1964. Over the years, he has had the great good fortune to appear with a virtual who’s who of blues history. From Furry Lewis and Henry Townsend to Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Taj Mahal, Robery Cray and so many others, Jim has been on the blues highway for 40 years. Byrnes moved to Vancouver, BC in the mid-70s after years of drifting, working odd jobs and playing music. In 1981 he put together a band that became a staple of the local music scene. In 1986 the Jim Byrnes Band played 300 nights. Jim Byrnes’ fame as an actor has grown immeasurably from his too-numerous-to-mention TV roles, with highlights including Lifeguard in the CBS series Wiseguy, worldwide success in Highlander, and his nationally broadcast variety show, The Jim Byrnes Show. As for highlights in his musical career, Jim mentions “Sittin’ down in a room with Muddy Waters, just him and me, and he showed me a couple of licks on his guitar.” His greatest musical moment was the first time he saw Howlin’ Wolf. “I was devastated. I was 17. Who could take the Rolling Stones seriously after watching Howlin’ Wolf down on his knees singing Little Red Rooster?” Jim has proven that a serious car accident in 1972 has done anything but hinder him. Despite two swipes with death and some pretty hard knocks, Byrnes has still managed to rack up an enviable string of credits, both on and off-screen. Jim’s first love, however, is the blues. His evocative, smoky vocals are found in a truth that doesn’t come overnight. During the 80s, the Jim Byrnes Band released “Burnin’” on Polydor, followed in 1987 with “I’ve Turned My Nights into Days” and 1995’s Juno-Award winning “That River” on Stony Plain. February 2004 saw the release of Jim’s latest project, “Fresh Horses” on Black Hen Music. This new recording is the result of a musical meeting between Jim and Steve Dawson (of Zubot & Dawson). Jim and Steve realized they shared common tastes in music and realized that a collaboration between Jim and the Zubot & Dawson band would be a refreshing and exciting project. In Jim’s words, “Early bluesmen were really ‘songsters’ who interspersed their blues with spirituals, popular music, folk songs, anything to get the crowd to take note, and I suppose that’s how I cast myself when I began my career. In the spring of 2003, Steve Dawson approached me about the possibility of a collaboration and I leapt at the opportunity to create a musical dialogue with the very finest players of a whole new generation; sort of fathers and sons, you know? It’s been a long, hard road and so ‘Yahoo, thank the Lord’, I thought, ‘fresh horses’.”
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