Giles Robson

I’ve known about harp stalwart Giles Robson for a long while through his work with the Dirty Aces but this is his first solo album. It’s really rather good.

It isn’t outrageously original; what you get is urban Blues with some great harmonica and some stirring band play. A full set of original songs and nods to the gods of the Blues but this is in a comfortable place without sounding like he is settling.

I have seen probably a hundred bands trying to play barroom Blues without really getting a grip on the groove or the punk attitudes that make it great – Mr Robson is the exception. His harp playing is wonderful and he is backed by a band of like-minded worthies in the excellent Andy Knight on guitar, Jeff Walker on bass and Darren Crome on drums while his vocals are just the right side of wearied and louche and the whole outfit sound as though they have played together forever.

Incredibly, this was only the third time they had played together and the entire album was recorded in one afternoon session, as a live band and with no more than two takes per number – the result is the sort of visceral ride that you used to get from the Blues stars of yesterday. None of the energy is filtered out and the raunch and joy of a live set is present and correct.

Robson reminds me a lot of one of his heroes, Little Walter – the same sense of swing and rhythm. In fact the final track ‘A Walter Shade of Blue’ is an homage to the man and really shows the shimmering beauty that he commands and Little Walter had in abundance.

To be honest this came to me out of the blue and I broke all my own rules in turning it around this quickly but frankly he is one of the best in the game (much as I love Paul Jones and Stevie Smith Robson makes me smile more) and I couldn’t let this one hang around. Bloody fine and great fun.