Buie, JasonUrban Blues2002Sundown RecordsCD001

Buie, Jason - Urban Blues - 2002 - Sundown Records - CD001

Written by John Taylor

The cover photo on Jason Buie's debut disc would have one believe he's a relative youngster, at least in blues terms. Yet Buie, born in Victoria and who now calls Vancouver home, has been performing for some 14 years now; and no matter how young one starts (in Buie's case, at around 16), that amount of experience comes with a few lessons along the way.

For this project, Buie's recruited some of the left coast's finest for support; Dave Webb handles keyboards, drummer Al Webster and bassist Norm Fisher provide impeccable rhythmic support, and Steve Hilliam and Derry Byrne (both from Colin James' Little Big Band) contribute horns on a handful of tracks. Vancouver institution Stormin' Norman contributes harp to the closer, a cover of T-Bone Walker's Mean Old World."

Buie storms out of the gate with a furious run at B.B. King's You Upset Me, a tough Texas-style shuffle powered by the horns. In style and execution it invites comparison with the aforementioned Mr. James, as both Buie's vocals and his guitar tone are remarkably similar. The reverse-shuffle I Don't Want No Woman, too, benefits from brassy support, and a mid-tune tempo change keeps things lively.

So far so good; the grooves are tighter than a pop star's pants, and Buie's solos are effectively efficient. What to make, then, of Dimples, with it's distorted guitar and solo that soars without really going anywhere? Or I Believe To My Soul, the song marking the final appearance of Misters Hilliam and Byrne? Again, the band is superb, with Mr. Webb's moody organ a highlight; and Buie's fiery fretwork is impressive enough but that aforementioned efficiency is not as evident. Better is the rollicking Wild Women from one of Buie's heroes, Albert King, with it's prominent percussion helping keep things firmly in check, and a fine, if not brief, solo from Mr. Webb.

Given indications so far, one might expect Buie to use his own Big Barbeque, as a showcase for instrumental prowess; but here he keeps things in focus, and the result is a lean, mean workout that oozes grease. 100 Cigarettes, with its funky beat, wah wah'd guitar and multi-tracked vocals, is a brave experiment but perhaps not for everyone.

Big Bill Broonzy's All By Myself is both an abrupt change of pace and a highlight. An all-acoustic affair, it's simply irresistible; Buie leaves the soloing to Mr. Webb, and proves himself a convincing vocalist within the song's sparser framework.

Crosscut Saw brings you back to wailing guitar, but this time Buie employs his piercing tone quite wisely, veering from clean to nasty within the space of a well-considered solo. He's equally focused on his other contribution, the short and sweet Satisfy You, another tune reminiscent of fellow Vancouverite Colin James (and that's a good thing!). Mean Old World is given an acoustic reading to bring things to a close quite nicely, Buie's ringing fretwork augmented with thick-toned harp from Stormin' Norman Cassler and clickety-clack percussion.

There's much to like on Urban Blues, with moments that lead me to believe Buie just might be capable of great things. He could easily go for crossover success a la Mr. James, and there's little doubt he'd find an appreciative audience should he take that course. If he chooses to stay within the blues realm, however, Buie needs to remember that every note counts, as do the notes one doesn't play; they all contribute to the story at hand.

Minor misgivings aside, this is a fine outing. I look forward to hearing much more from Mr. Buie!

Copyright 2003. Review by John Taylor.

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