Can’t say I’d heard of Pat Fulgoni before he got in touch to share this album (released on his own ironically named label Chocolate Fireguard). But it seems Huddersfield-based Fulgoni has been making a living as a musician, singer and producer for 30 years, most notably with the funk rock outfit Kava Kava. Listening to the eponymous Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience, that professional pedigree is evident. The album from his latest band is, to be sure, more useful than a chocolate fireguard.
The opening cover of Albert King’s ‘Everybody Wants to Go Heaven’ goes about its business with quiet confidence. Fulgoni has a satisfying, velvety voice and good phrasing, occasionally giving it a bit more welly, while guitarist Jacob Beckwith deploys a suitably bluesy tone and knocks out a neat, measured solo. It’s a classy if low key electric blues sound, and enough to
make it clear everyone knows what they’re doing – except perhaps for the irritating organ chord that plonks along monotonously for long spells.
Still, ‘Drifter’ confirms the initial positive impression, with a teasing bass intro from Rory Wells, subtle swinging drums from Zebedee Sylvester, and slinky piano from Sam Bolt. It’s soulful, with hints of jazz about it, and Fulgoni delivering a more expressive vocal on a “wherever I lay my hat” style tale. They also show the ability to stretch a tune out to five and a half minutes to good effect, Beckwith’s guitar solo shifting persuasively from chatty to piercing, while Bolt adds a liquid electric piano solo.
So far, so sophisticated. And the same is true of ‘Keep The Blues Alive’, its Muddy Waters-like stop-time riff put over in understated fashion, bolstered by fluid bass playing, an interesting guitar solo with good variations in pace, a jazzy piano showcase, and a good blues feel to Fulgoni’s vocal, sustaining interest all the way to its dying ending.
The sophistication doesn’t always work quite so well mind you. The jazz-funky groove of Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘Lady Day And John Coltrane’ is all very well, with its cool, stuttering drums and trip’n’stumble guitar riff, but is less bluesy in intent and a bit overlong. ‘Confusion Blues’ is similarly restrained in its funkiness, and I makes me hungry for something disruptive to be thrown into the mix, which a swirling, Wurly-sounding organ solo doesn’t satisfy.
These “meh” moments are offset elsewhere though, by ‘Midnight Train’ for example. The former comes with a rocking intro, and its shuffling rhythm isn’t a clickety-clack train cliché. Wells’ bass gets up some steam, and Beckwith lets loose some howls on guitar and a solo with real cutting edge. Meanwhile Fulgoni kicks his vocal up a few gears for some nicely done storytelling, and interjects with “Hear the drummer get wicked!” as Sylvester shows off his funky chops. It sounds like they’re having fun. ‘Bleeding Heart’ also takes a different turn, a short and sweet traditional blues consisting of just piano, voice and trilling harp that speeds up and slows down and includes a snazzy barrelhouse showcase from Bolt.
The real highlight though is ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, which is an excellent, thoughtful outing for just Bolt’s piano and Fulgoni’s voice. It’s a musical journey of discovery, Bolt’s piano inquisitive and impressive, and Fulgoni’s vocal control top notch as he explores different ways to bring an emotive edge to the song. To close they then just about get away with the eight-minute length of ‘Stickin’ The Knife In Blues’, with its late night jazz bar ambience. Fulgoni is acidic on the pointed lyric about bad behaviour and selfishness, while Beckwith contributes an elegant, splintery solo to go with Bolt’s chiming piano explorations.
Sounds to me like Fulgoni and his pals are really more jazz and funk musos than bluesmen, but that doesn’t make them bad people. Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience may not really be my cup of cappuccino, but it’s still well done, in its refined way. As Whispering Bob might once have put it, “nice”.
Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience is out now, and can be ordered here.
The opening cover of Albert King’s ‘Everybody Wants to Go Heaven’ goes about its business with quiet confidence. Fulgoni has a satisfying, velvety voice and good phrasing, occasionally giving it a bit more welly, while guitarist Jacob Beckwith deploys a suitably bluesy tone and knocks out a neat, measured solo. It’s a classy if low key electric blues sound, and enough to
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| Pat Fulgoni prepares to give it some welly Pic by Mal Whichelow Photography |
Still, ‘Drifter’ confirms the initial positive impression, with a teasing bass intro from Rory Wells, subtle swinging drums from Zebedee Sylvester, and slinky piano from Sam Bolt. It’s soulful, with hints of jazz about it, and Fulgoni delivering a more expressive vocal on a “wherever I lay my hat” style tale. They also show the ability to stretch a tune out to five and a half minutes to good effect, Beckwith’s guitar solo shifting persuasively from chatty to piercing, while Bolt adds a liquid electric piano solo.
So far, so sophisticated. And the same is true of ‘Keep The Blues Alive’, its Muddy Waters-like stop-time riff put over in understated fashion, bolstered by fluid bass playing, an interesting guitar solo with good variations in pace, a jazzy piano showcase, and a good blues feel to Fulgoni’s vocal, sustaining interest all the way to its dying ending.
The sophistication doesn’t always work quite so well mind you. The jazz-funky groove of Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘Lady Day And John Coltrane’ is all very well, with its cool, stuttering drums and trip’n’stumble guitar riff, but is less bluesy in intent and a bit overlong. ‘Confusion Blues’ is similarly restrained in its funkiness, and I makes me hungry for something disruptive to be thrown into the mix, which a swirling, Wurly-sounding organ solo doesn’t satisfy.
These “meh” moments are offset elsewhere though, by ‘Midnight Train’ for example. The former comes with a rocking intro, and its shuffling rhythm isn’t a clickety-clack train cliché. Wells’ bass gets up some steam, and Beckwith lets loose some howls on guitar and a solo with real cutting edge. Meanwhile Fulgoni kicks his vocal up a few gears for some nicely done storytelling, and interjects with “Hear the drummer get wicked!” as Sylvester shows off his funky chops. It sounds like they’re having fun. ‘Bleeding Heart’ also takes a different turn, a short and sweet traditional blues consisting of just piano, voice and trilling harp that speeds up and slows down and includes a snazzy barrelhouse showcase from Bolt.
The real highlight though is ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, which is an excellent, thoughtful outing for just Bolt’s piano and Fulgoni’s voice. It’s a musical journey of discovery, Bolt’s piano inquisitive and impressive, and Fulgoni’s vocal control top notch as he explores different ways to bring an emotive edge to the song. To close they then just about get away with the eight-minute length of ‘Stickin’ The Knife In Blues’, with its late night jazz bar ambience. Fulgoni is acidic on the pointed lyric about bad behaviour and selfishness, while Beckwith contributes an elegant, splintery solo to go with Bolt’s chiming piano explorations.
Sounds to me like Fulgoni and his pals are really more jazz and funk musos than bluesmen, but that doesn’t make them bad people. Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience may not really be my cup of cappuccino, but it’s still well done, in its refined way. As Whispering Bob might once have put it, “nice”.
Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience is out now, and can be ordered here.
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