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For a long time I have wanted to record an album of blues that did justice to the rich variety of sounds and dynamics available from an acoustic piano - with no props and no accompaniment.  I also wanted to record something that dug into the tradition of 20th Century piano blues yet at the same time was forward-looking and personal.

When I sat at the piano, it was the improvisations and my own compositions that came alive and allowed me the greatest vehicle for expression.  The result is an album comprised of original pieces encapsulating my feelings at the time and reflecting some of the approaches to playing solo I have developed over the years.

James Goodwin

Reviews for Blue-Eyed Devil:

"It’s at times like this that I wish I had paid more attention in Mr Cecil Cranston’s music class at the Young Gentleman’s Academy I attended (1962-65). Then I would be able to speak in knowledgeable technical terms of the awesome technique employed by James Goodwin. Instead I’ll say this: James Goodwin has recorded an absolutely brilliant CD’s worth of original, solo performances.

Recorded in Sheffield on a Bösendorfer Grand, whether it be a boogie (‘Goodwin Boogie’ – not played at too fast a tempo, a fault in many boogie woogie performances), a quietly reflective slow blues (‘Blues For Stella’, ‘Fireside Blues’), or kicking over the traces on ‘Snake Hips Shuffle’ or ‘Lumber Camp Strut’ Goodwin is the real deal. I can’t praise this guy’s playing too highly, fans of piano blues will have to have this one, it’s the dog’s bollocks with bells on!"

Phil Wight, Blues & Rhythm, issue 134, 2008

"There are few releases of solo blues instrumental piano albums these days, but even if there was a lot of competition, this would still be worthy of your attention."

Norman Darwen, Blues-Art Journal, September 2008
UK
EUROPE

 

 

JAMES GOODWIN: Blue-eyed Devil: Solo Blues Piano
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