Buddy Guy: Born To Play Guitar – Album Review

“A lot of people look at blues and think it’s a sad music. If you listen to the lyrics of the blues, if it don’t hit you, it hits someone you know. And we sang about the good and bad times, so you can’t say it’s all bad.” ~ Buddy Guy

The blues holds extraordinary powers. It has the ability to lift you up, even if the odds are against you. It’s through the sharing of life’s experiences and the mixture of meaningful stories and feelings that makes the blues such a soulful and important genre. When it comes to telling a story about the blues, no one does it better than Buddy Guy. At 79 years young Guy sounds fantastic and can still mesmerize an audience. Buddy Guy carries the blues torch handed to him by Muddy Waters with a promise to keep the blues alive.

Born to Play Guitar

BORN-TO-PLAY-GUITAR- LP PICwas released last week, but this past birthday weekend was the first opportunity I got to listen to the album from beginning to end without interruptions. (Yes, The Blues Blogger celebrated yet another birthday, as did Buddy Guy last week.) My party was a private affair with no invites other than my wife Dee of course. A quiet and delightful time with my favorite person. Well, maybe… not so quiet. As we sat out on our deck, with both our neighbors gone for the weekend, I played Born to Play Guitar and had it cranked fairly high. Something I haven’t done in a while, but the album was so much fun that it became the main soundtrack to my entire weekend.

 

Track Listing:

1) Born To Play Guitar
2) Wear You Out feat. Billy Gibbons
3) Back Up Mama
4) Too Late feat. Kim Wilson
5) Whiskey, Beer & Wine
6) Kiss Me Quick feat. Kim Wilson
7) Crying Out Of One Eye
8) (Baby) You Got What It Takes feat. Joss Stone
9) Turn Me Wild
10) Crazy World
11) Smarter Than I Was
12) Thick Like Mississippi Mud
13) Flesh & Bone with Van Morrison (Dedicated to B.B. King)
14) Come Back Muddy

The first and title track on the album, sets up everything beautifully – as Buddy tells his story and explains why he was Born to Play Guitar. Guy continues to tell his tale of the blues, along with collaborations with Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top on the heavy rock tune “Wear You Out,” and his awesome duet with British singer Joss Stone on “Baby You Got What It Takes,” as well as music legend Van Morrison on the B.B. King tribute “Flesh and Bone.”

With producer/songwriter Tom Hambridge joining Buddy once again, together they have gathered a terrific collection of songs that includes Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds who shows his ability on the harmonica on the blues shuffles, “Too Late” and “Kiss Me Quick.” “On Back Up Mama,” and “Whiskey, Beer & Wine,” and “Thick Like Mississippi Mud” you can still hear Buddy tear into his axe like the timeless blues master he is.

Born To Play Guitar finishes off on an emotional and genuinely personal track, “Come Back Muddy” written for Guy’s mentor Muddy Waters. A different contrast to the album’s poised opening, with its sentimental lyrics and acoustic blues guitar – A song that reminds us that Guy has indeed lived up to his promise of Muddy’s dying wish – to continue to keep the blues alive!

All in all the latest release Born To Play Guitar really knocked me out! If you’re looking for a push start to your day or a soundtrack for your party perhaps, then this album should be at the top of your playlist! Its infectious blues grooves dripping with awesome guitar chops along with that cool soulful vibe, may just be what the doctor ordered.

Have you heard the latest release Born To Play Guitar from Buddy Guy? Have you ever seen Buddy play live? This recording sounds a lot like hearing Buddy play live. What are your thoughts? Please leave your comments in the area below.

The Blues Blogger

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