|
Tom Travis has long been regarded as a towering British
bluegrass icon, playing with Smiley Bowker as the duo Tom and
Smiley, leading with his own bands and running the longstanding
Edale Bluegrass Festival that saw Alison Krauss first perform in the
UK. As a leading light in the British Bluegrass Music Association,
Tom has worked hard to develop the high profile of British bluegrass
music.
The liner notes of A Small Patch Of Blue
sees the BBMA accredited as underwriting the production costs of
this album containing 17 tracks all written by Tom Travis. Recorded
at Kilcullen Recording Studio, Ireland and mastered by John Baldwin
in Nashville, A Small Patch Of Blue is a well-produced top-flight
recording. The fine expressive vocals of Tom (guitar) are easily
reinforced by musicians of a high calibre. Brian Booth (dog house
bass), Bill Forster (banjo ace and harmony vocals), Dave Howard
(mandolin, dobro and harmony vocals), Clem O'Brien (tenor vocals)
and Bob Winquist (blistering fiddle) create a bluegrass powerhouse
that instantly grabs the listener's attention.
The title track is a virtual love song, while Travis pays
tribute to three of country music's legendary top artistes with
"Hank, Lefty and George". Tom
says of the cowboy styled "Billy Ralph",
"Up to the age of seven I lived in the inner city of Manchester
and a desperate looking character of that name owned a scrapyard.
Although not a 'badman' he certainly looked the part, so I borrowed
his name for my villain." A great song about love gone wrong
sees just a little hope to be found when a new girl prompts a quick
"Hello". The gospel side of
Tom Travis comes strongly across with a cappella styled "We
Will Be Kind" and the fuller sound of "A
Room For Jesus".
Top marks go to Tom and the band for creating the special
hybrid Tom Travis Bluegrass Incident…some of Britain's finest hot
pickers and an album that stands clearly in the limelight!!! |
