GUY KING

Livin’ It

IBF Records

By Linda Cain

Chicago blues club patrons know Guy King from his work with the late, great Willie Kent, who reigned as one of the city’s most traditional West Side Blues artists throughout his long career.  King played lead guitar with the famous bass player and went on to become Kent’s bandleader up to his final days.

On his debut CD, Livin’ It, one might assume that Guy King would follow in Willie Kent’s musical path and lay down some gritty Chicago-style blues.   Surprise!  For his first recording, King follows another path – that of big band blues artists like T-Bone Walker, B.B. King and Gatemouth Brown. There’s even a touch of Percy Mayfield, Ray Charles and Robben Ford.  Although Guy King (G.K.) is quite capable of gettin’ down with some wailin’ Chicago blues as a live act, on CD he switches gears to enter into jazzy blues territory, not unlike his fellow Chicago guitar buddy Dave Specter.  He’s a very tasteful and skilled producer, arranger, guitarist, singer, songwriter and bandleader who likes to lay back and be cool; he knows how to make the music flow.  On Livin’ It, Guy is the King of Smooth.

But just to let you know he can cut loose, too, G.K. kicks off the CD with a tribute to his late mentor. Willie Kent’s instrumental “Countdown,” with its driving drums and mighty horn section powering the interplay between guitar and keyboard, sounds very much like the kind of intro you’d hear at a B.B. King show. The band is so tight that, in an instant, it switches gears into the jazzy blues fusion number, “Think.”

“Go Out and Get It,” a self-penned G.K. tune, is in a similar groove with catchy lyrics, memorable melody and upbeat rhythms. The song reminds us to get off our behinds and just do it.

As a bandleader, arranger and producer, G.K. knows just the right amount of ingredients to blend into each musical recipe. The horn section can go from Memphis soul to Texas swing, the female backup singers give us a touch of the Rae-lettes, while the rhythm section simmers and grooves. Of special note is keyboardist Ben Paterson who is at home on Chicago blues and jazz stages. He and guitarist King play off each other, weaving in and out of some lovely melodies.

The upbeat title track, “Livin’ It,” is a perfect example of the breezy, jazzy Uptown blues style that suit him so well. King’s gentle, mellifluous voice is best suited for this type of song, rather than the solid blues tunes, which call for a gruffer singer.

King is a crooner, not a moaner. On his cover of T-Bone Walker’s romantic ballad “I’m Still In Love With You,” his honeyed vocals and sincere delivery are simply dreamy. It’s the kind of song that melts the ladies’ hearts.  “My Pretty Baby,” an original in the T-Bone Walker style, has a “Stormy Monday” tempo and showcases G.K.’s impressive string-bending talents.

G.K. takes us down South to his one of his former hometowns on “If You Love Me Like You Say,” a delightful New Orleans style R&B tune by Little Johnny Taylor (which the late Robert Ward covered so well). King employs his fastest, gutsiest guitar licks on this horn- infused number, proving he measures up to his Albert heroes:  both King and Collins.

On “Worried Life Blues,” G.K.’s guitar truly sings the blues. As a singer, he could stand to stir some gravel into his honey-dripping voice on true blues tunes like this.  The final number, “The Story” is a humorous tale with a surprise ending.

While the music sounds smooth throughout, King tackles some gritty subjects in his lyrics. “Talk about pollution, talk about war…you read about it in the paper. Some people are working two jobs, just to pay the rent, some don’t have a cent. We need to come together,” he advises on the title song. As a tunesmith, he is a top-notch writer with something to say and a positive message to send out.

King is subtle in his musical approach and it may take a few spins of Livin’ It to get into the Guy groove. Once you do, you’ll be glad you did. He is a refreshing younger talent who seems to be full of surprises.

For more info visit:  www.guyking.net

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