Stephen Dale Petit

Stephen Dale Petit has been a favourite of Paul Jones for a while now and he has featured a few times in sessions for the Beeb. I have to say that he has also been a favourite of mine and in both cases it stems from his guitar playing which is nothing short of intense but it is also from the sheer integrity that he brings to his music. He has been developing the Blues in his own way for years and stands as a real link between the classic era of British Blues – Clapton, Green, Taylor etc. – and the 21st century. He doesn’t stand and recreate the greats of the past eras, he takes their foundations and develops his own edifice and if you are into Blues music and great guitar you have simply got to listen to this guy. He has also done it the hard way – he isn’t afraid of talking about his past (interview will follow in the spring) and his efforts on behalf of London’s 100 Club are the stuff of legend,

Now, this is a hell of a build up if this collection of BBC sessions was ordinary or dull and I have to say that it is just as I remembered it from the original transmissions – you just gotta stop what you’re doing and listen to Petit do his thing.

There are eleven tracks here and an interview with Whispering Bob Harris and he manages to show off just about every kind of playing he has in his locker.

From introducing and then playing the Bluesbreakers classic ‘Steppin’ Out’ with a borrowed horn section or a dark and bleak ‘As The Years Go Passing By’ simply bristling with angst and burning playing on the first of two sessions with Paul Jones you get the feeling of the early SDP – these were from 2007 when I first remember him blowing Derrin Neuendorf offstage at the Half-Moon Putnety. All bristling anger and punchy playing – attitude pouring out of every pore.

Then there is the harp and slide driven ‘Goin’ Away Baby’ featuring Mick Taylor on slide or ‘Slide’ with a louche and decadent Stones-like feel from a second session two years later. His guitar playing m,ore to the fore and a less aggressive but more confident style about him. The freak-out solo on ‘A Better Answer’, completely out of kilter with the rest of the number, but somehow just right, sums him up.

The third set of numbers is from a Bob Harris session he did in 2009 is stripped down and more ‘country’ in a way with Laurent Moufflier on harmonica he has a real sense of humour on the three tracks coupled with some serious playing. ‘Its’ All Good’ is stunning and has the feel of the Stones at their early best. An acoustic version of ‘A Better Answer’ shows off his skills on the resonator slide and presents the song in a totally different form to the electric one from the Paul Jones Session.
To cap it all you get a great interview between Petit and Whispering Bob that gets to the heart of the man and his music

This is a limited edition of 1000 digipak copies and while we wait for the new album that is due in 2012 it is a great summary of the different styles of SDP over the last few years. A must for serious Blues lovers.


The new album features the photography of famed guitarist’s muse and photographer Pattie Boyd and it offers the chance to win exclusive collectables.

Petit joins fellow guitar gods George Harrison and Eric Clapton as inspiration for Layla’s photographic talents. Perhaps Petit is the greatest guitarist she never married, but Pattie has exhibited photographs taken during her days with Harrison and Clapton, as Through the Eyes of a Muse, at top galleries around the world. Now her portrait of Petit adoring his newly acquired ‘Stephen Dale Petit Gibson Signature Model SG’ forms the BBC Sessions album cover and the specially commissioned gallery quality print will be signed by both photographer and guitarist, and make a unique and priceless collector’s item for three recipients of a coded, “golden ticket” which have been included in three CD booklets, and when entered in to www.stephendalepetit.com will confirm the winners.