Hall of Shame
"This is now the sixth Chris Cain solo release I have produced, not to mention his work with me on projects like the Ford Blues Bands' "In Memory Of Michael Bloomfield" CD, and I continue to be in awe of his incredible talent. It might seem decisively unfair to the majority of the musicians on this planet that so much natural skill, ability, and creative energy should be found in just one person. But there you have it." —Patrick Ford
What we have here is the next best thing to B..B. .King and Albert King and he’s right here in our own backyard. This is the sixth CD by this San Jose based artist and with it and the work he’s recently done with compadre’s , he seems to have gained confidence that translates to this CD.
This CD is full of influence and references as diverse as B..B. King and Wes Montgomery. His growls and groans vocally through the disc, are smooth and soulful and reminiscent of his influences, mostly B.B. King. Never once does he shout, or demonstrate a raw exuberance, of say a Sam Moore or Otis Redding. It’s always mellow and smooth with a deep throaty resonance. As for his guitar, he demonstrates why many feel he’s the best blues guitarist on the West Coast. Obvious influences are again B. B. King, Albert King and Albert Collins.
On this disc he has the assistance of long time collaborator and fellow blues traveler, Patrick Ford, for whom he provided assistance on his last effort. Now Patrick has returned the favor with his drumming and production.
Chris presents a seamless and sophisticated set of contemporary guitar based blues on this disc. It even references many others, while at the same time maintaining his own integrity and style. Most often B.B. King comes to mind while he plays, but then Chris will trail off into a Wes Montgomery or Albert King styled riff that gives a whole new dimension to a song.
Speaking of personal asides, catch his tribute to the late Albert King on “World Got The Blues At Sunrise.” It uses the mentors style without copying it. This cut, as a matter of fact, seems to be this albums soul center, all else revolves around this second cut. From this jumping off point he demonstrates his mastery over a plethora of blues styles that incorporate jazzy nightclub feels to raunchy after-hours raveups.
This is an album and artist in the blues idiom definitely on the upswing.
—Brian Augustine, Sierra Blues Society
In Chris Cain’s home kitchen you’ll find a deep and powerful spice cabinet. You’ll find the same in his new CD.
To adequately write a review of this new release, “Hall of Shame” it might be best to take a refresher course in creative writing. This platter is that spicy.
Sparing standard industry cliche and ambiguity, Cain’s melodic and lyrical ventures into stories of skirmishes in love—both won and lost, grant him a voice likely denied him in a previous domestic setting. He now has the floor!
If a broken heart and a piano are his pots and pans, then a powerful voice and a stinging guitar are his meat and potatoes.
A master of that shady spot between blues and jazz, Cain navigates between stories of love found, lost , spoiled and set free. It seems only fitting that Chris include in this project, a song he wrote the day he received the phone call from Memphis telling him that his friend and mentor, Albert King had just passed. This song weeps for the worlds loss of the big man, and if there is a connection between us here and “them” up there, then Albert also sheds a tear and is touched deeply by the song, “ World Got The Blues At Sunrise.”
Music reviewers often dribble words about projects in need of definition or clarity, which is why this written appetizer isn’t necessary. When you pick up Chris Cain’s new album “Hall of Shame” you smartly go straight to the main course.
—Terry Nelson
“Chris Cain is one of those artists that all the other artists groove to.”
—Blues Revue
Albert King sang “Don’t Throw Your Love on Me So Strong.” Some who hear this album might want to say to Chris Cain, “Don’t throw your blues on me so strong.” But after a string of projects that took him away from his own writing—the brilliant “Cain on King” and working with the Ford brothers on tributes to Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield—Cain is back to putting his own life in music. And this album is like listening to him bleed...
—Read more from the John Orr of the San Jose Mercury News
“Cain is a phenomenally gifted musician who has refined the pure match of strapping guitar and husky vocals. If his string attack doesn’t devastate, his voice will.”
—Blues Revue
“Chris Cain’s Hall of Shame (Blue Rock’It Records) is successfully soulful, jazzy blues. Lyrics, on a scale of one, one being an element of pure musical expression, to ten, ten being an element of pure verbal expression, come in at around three. Cain really shines as a front line and vocal arranger here. His vocals are reminiscent of a younger B. B. King. Overall arrangements recognize rests as being in partnership with notes in creating music. The Real Blues Magazine observation that “Chris Cain is one of those artists that all the other musicians groove to” is pretty accurate. Sometimes, it seems that there’s no point to a musician devoting all energies to a traditional genre such as blues, because the patterns and songs have all been written, done, recorded and bought; it seems something like continuing to hammer a nail after it’s driven all the way into the board. Cain reminds us here that there’s plenty of opportunity left to polish the blues.”
—Bluesbytes
* * *
Articles, Interviews, Reviews, etc.
Middle-Age Blues - The Ups and Downs of Chris Cain
An interview by Niles Frantz for Issue No. 31 of Blues Access Magazine in 1997 Read more...
Hall of Shame
Read the Hall of Shame release announcement and quotes from several of Chris's peers and music journalists about the record. Read more...
Chris Cain: A Blues and Jazz Musician with Roots from Albert King to Robben Ford
A short bio and history of Chris Cain's musical career, influences, recording history, etc. Read more...
Photos
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |