Barry, StephenHappy Man1995Productions Bros.BROS-5001-2

Barry, Stephen - Happy Man - 1995 - Productions Bros. - BROS-5001-2

Written by John Taylor

Steven Barry's been a fixture on Montreal's blues scene for quite some time, as both bassist-at-large and as a bandleader. He has a number of discs to his credit; Happy Man, released in 1995, is his second outing under his own name, and marks the 20th anniversary of the Steven Barry Band.

Life as a journeyman musician usually means one makes a lot of friends, and Steven's no exception. His core band consists of Michael Browne (perhaps better known as Michael Jerome Browne since launching his solo career) on a variety of instruments (banjo, mandolin, and violin in addition to guitars), Andrew Cowan (guitars), John McColgan (drums, washboard), Jody Golnick (sax) and Martin Boodman (harmonica). Guests include old friends Jorn Reissner, Gordon Adamson, Ken Pearson, and a "passing horn section."

The play list is generous, with 15 tracks in total. The majority are relatively straight-ahead blues tunes, although there are a couple of ballads by Barry (he wrote five in total), including the title track, that fit reasonably well within a varied set. Elsewhere there are tunes from Z.Z. Hill, a pair from the Wolf, J.B. Hutto, and a handful of traditional tunes from the likes of Johnny Shines and Blind Lemon Jefferson. The band has chosen wisely, avoiding the overdone in favour of some lesser-known compositions that are equally strong.

Barry, Cowan, and Browne all share vocal duties, with Barry himself the weakest; he's okay on the softer material, but simply lacks the ferocity necessary to pull the bluesier stuff off with any conviction. Much better is Mr. Browne, who invests in the songs he sings with passion and grit. That approach, along with an intelligent and tasteful approach to instrumentation, gives the CD something of a revue-style feel, adding immeasurably to the disc's appeal.

While there's lots of variety here, the overall sound is perhaps best described as "laid-back." There's no screaming, no over-the-top solos or excess; arrangements are invariably tight, with every note carefully considered. What the music lacks in raw passion is more than made up for by intelligence and taste; still, one wishes the band would let loose a bit. The tracks that work best are those driven by Browne's acoustic instrumentation (proving it's not a lack of electricity that keeps things on the sleepy side) and his fervent delivery; they contain a spark that's largely absent elsewhere.

Not an exceptional disc, but it's a fine enough platter, enjoyable if not absolutely essential. It provides a pleasant listen, and if that's sufficient, I'd recommend Happy Man. If your tastes lean to the raw and the rough, however, you'd do well to look elsewhere.

Copyright 2003. Review by John Taylor.

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