Bert Deivert - Kid Man Blues

Hard Danger

www.deivert.com

44:32

Bert Deivert is a key figure in the contemporary acoustic and semi-acoustic blues world. Born in Boston, Mr Deivert has made his home in Sweden but that dos not prevent him from offering a CD that will enhance his reputation no end. Bert started as a guitar man, inspired by the music of Son House, has enhanced his range by developing his skills on mandolin in the style typical of Yank Rachell and Carl Martin. To that he has added a range of exemplary musicians (A few of them are Jann Zander (g); Nina Perez (v); Suchet Malhotra (tabla, cajon), Chester “Memphis Gold” Chandler (g), Bill Abel (g)) and with Tom Paley providing vocal support on “Keep On Truckin’”, in a tribute to Blind Boy Fuller.

The arrangements are exemplary and the recording quality is superb. Check out the interplay of Hammond organ and electric guitar in the minor key arrangement of “Come Back Baby” and the superb version of Skip James’ Cypress Grove, with the intertwining guitars of Deivert and Thai bluesman Dulyasit Saruba and some tasty harp work from Mats Qwarfordt.

I have written before about the growing international flavor of the Mississippi rooted phenomenon we call the blues. Dievert works here with people from three continents and with tracks recorded in places as unlikely as Bangkok, Thailand and with musicians based locally. He gives us blues-based music from the rambunctious to the miserable: RL Burnside’s “Going Down South” to Son House’s “Death Letter”. The title track, Carl Martin’s “Kid Man Blues” is delightful, and through out the CD there are thought provoking lyrics accompanied by with consummate instrumental skills and delivered with powerful vocals panache. And, by the way, the piano playing by German Willie Salomon on State Street Pimp is as good as you will hear anywhere.
Bert Deivert deserves to be in your record collection. This is his 11th or 12th album (depending on whether you count collaborations) but, if you don’t know his work, this one will serve you well. Recommended.