Steve Arvey  It’s A Fine Line

The latest offering from Steve Arvey has been eagerly awaited by his fans, and they are not going to be disappointed  this is a great CD.
13 tracks featuring some great covers and some excellent originals  a mix of acoustic and electric  or “eclectric” as the CD cover has it.

Track 1, “It’s A Fine Line” gets the album under way with a great driving beat from Richard Klein on Hammond  guitar, harmonica, bass and drums lay a great mix on top.

It’s not easy to follow a track like that, and Arvey changes direction completely with “Blues Messiah”  acoustic guitar backed with violin from Ruby Harris. The sound is eerie at times, compulsively foot tapping at others, and it works.

There is a great cover of “44”  allegedly an old Willie Dixon number, but described here as “traditional”. Previously, the best version of this that I had heard was by the Rising Sons, but this version has something more  I’m not quite sure what, but I like it.

Steve Arvey has worked a lot with Kraig Kenning in the past, and he has included a track written by Kraig  “Coming Back To You”  and it features some knockout harmonica by Mark Hoekstra, and a bass beat that moves your feet.

My favourite track on this CD is a rendition of the old Tommy Johnson number, “Canned Heat”  one of three tracks on the album which features Arvey solo on guitar and vocals.
I think Tommy Johnson would have loved this version, it’s totally true to the tradition of the blues as it was played way back then.

If there is a low point on this CD, I haven’t managed to find it. Even though the Jimmy Smith number, “Big Fat Mama” isn’t my style of blues, I can’t find fault in the way that it is performed.

If you want a good mix of blues, acoustic and “eclectric” then you’ve got to get this CD
And finally, anyone that isn’t moved by “Peace River” should get their ears examined.

Steve Arvey turns in the performance of his career on "It's A Fine Line." This man knows the blues. With primarily an acoustic setting, Arvey gives his audience a taste of his exceptional abilities as a guitar virtuoso and blues singer. With his from the belly growl and his sublime finger picking in the drivers seat, the artist proves once again that he belongs in the pantheon of the blues elite. I can see Steve now in the select group of artists that are found on only a label like Telarc. Yes, he is that good.

"Blues Messiah" is an absolutely incredible song. This song is certain to go down as a blues classic. If this man was finally recognized globally for his work, his career would be like a shooting star. This album is valid proof that the blues was born on the acoustic guitar. It's a fitting and just tribute to the genres legacy. Arvey plays one mean and nasty slide guitar, and he does it with all the passion and fire of his forefathers. This CD is thirteen tracks of pure, no-nonsense, deep-down, home fried blues that's simmering and ready to serve.

Chicago must be so very proud of you Steve Arvey. I believe that the time is drawing near for the world to discover the greatness that lies waiting to be found in the windy city. There's a fire in Chicago, and it's burning in Steve Arvey's belly.

STEVE ARVEY (USA)

"It's A Fine Line"

TRACK LISTING

1/ It's A Fine Line 2/ Blues Messiah 3/ "44" 4/ Peshtigo River Blues

5/ Coming Back To You 6/ Bye Bye 7/ Things That I Used To Do 8/ Big Fat Mama

9/ Canned Heat 10/ The Doldrums 11/ Mississippi Heavy Water Blues

12/ Cherokee 13/ Peace River

REVIEW

I have not heard a bad release from Steve Arvey yet, (other reviews on this site) and his latest offering "It's A Fine Line" continues the tradition that he has established as a fine songwriter/musician. A neat mixture of blues and roots music, kicks off with the title track and a captivating, infectious blues groove featuring crisp clean guitar lead breaks and strong vocals. "Blues Messiah" offers a different angle, with Steve (guitar/vocals) opting for a duet with Rudy Harris on violin. A neat subtle acoustic blend.

The duets continue, this time Steve teams up with Scott Dicks (harmonica) for the foot stomping acoustic "44", followed by "Peshtigo River Blues" where Steve oils up the dobro with some sensational ambient slide work, teamed with Chris Bernhard on bass. "Peshtigo....." is one of the most intriguing tracks on the CD, I find myself repeating this one many times. "Coming Back To You" reverts back to the line up used on the first track, which is Steve (vocal/guitar) - Mark Hoekstra (harmonica) - Tim Logan (bass) - Kevin Johnson (Drums) and Richard Klien on (Hammond B3). A strong driving electric groove with scorching instrument riffs in all the right places.

"Bye Bye" features Steve in solo fingerpickin' mode on the acoustic, and fair dinkum, he has mastered that good old Aussie bush ballad style with this one... Onya Steve... good to see the Americans having an Aussie flavor. Another duet with Scott on harmonica in "Things That I Used To Do" which sounds like a coherent Bob Dylan. Steve has that Dylan vocal style down to a tee here. A bit of jazzy swing as Mick Archer joins in on piano - Mike Lipsey on sax - Dave Dalessandro on bass with Keith Lewis on drums in a sensational "Big Fat Mama"

Changing the flavor back to a cookin' solo rendition of "Canned Heat", the CD then reverts again to the line up in the title track for a smooth blues ballad in "The Doldrums", with soaring guitar lead work. Solo once more for "Mississippi Heavy Water Blues" before transcribing the 'Peshtigo....' sound of the dobro and bass into a smooth, neat country instrumental. Steve closes the album in style, with an intense and emotional dobro instrumental solo in "Peace River"

Does this guy ever run out of inspiration? Steve is one of the true bluesmen and we need to get him here to Australia so that he can share his spirit and music with us. Highly Recommended listening.

REVIEW and Copyright by Mark 'radar' Watson (Mr Blues) on 10th June 2000

It's A Fine Line/Blues Messiah/"4"/Peshtigo River Blues/Coming Back To You/Bye Bye/Things That I Used To Do/Big Fat Mama/Canned Heat/The Doldrums/Mississippi Heavy Water Blues/Cherokee/Peace River

Chicagoan Steve Arvey has his roots down deep. The liner calls this "a great mixture of eclectric(sic) and acoustic music", and it is. And I think he does mean "eclectic'!
Arvey is adept at blues in a number of guises. He is a strong acoustic player, a slide player and no slouch on the Strat, either. So each cut has a different blend of sounds and styles. In some ways this detracts from giving the album a clear theme, but it does offer a good representation of where Steve Arvey is coming from.

"It's A Fine Line" has a big opening before settling into a strong riff with B3 and chromatic harp adding the colour. "Blues Messiah" is more of a folk song with a blues theme, a duet with Steve's picked acoustic and violin. Track 3 is in the pre-war Bluebird mould with acoustic guitar and harp - Steve has this style down well.
Then we have a laid back slide instrumental with bass and just a snare drum. Steve makes his acoustic slide sweet.
Then we're back to a five piece band track. This one really cooks. "Comin Back To You" has irony in its lyrics, some good lines. It was written by his sometime slide partner, Kraig Kenning.
Time for some gentle picking now, "Bye Bye" and then it's the classic "Things I used To Do", just acoustic guitar and harp. I liked this version. Almost a Terry & McGhee song done this way!
Then its a complete shift into a swing line up, with a Jimmy Smith song "Big Fat Mama" in which Arvey demonstrates a nice touch on the jazz guitar and some fine piano from Mick Archer.
Phew - then it's into the transporter room and beam into rural Mississippi for a solo rendition of Tommy Johnson's "Canned Heat" - another style Arvey does with ease. An excellent cut.
"The Doldrums" is a fine slow blues, written by Arvey, where he squeezes some sweet and subtle lines from a Strat. It's an instrumental, though and could do with some vocals to stop it sounding generic. Great playing, none the less.
Barbecue Bob gets covered, another fine acoustic groove. "Cherokee" and "Peace River" break the mould by being similar, featuring Arvey's slide guitar and being short instrumental pieces.

I like Arvey's playing, and have enjoyed his earlier releases, too. This one will certainly be bought by his fans around the circuits where he performs. He has some of those old time styles down very well. For me, this set of songs was a little too varied, thematically. But then, my partner grabbed my review copy and has been playing it all week in her car.... I'm pleased to see in Arvey's notes that he is busy recording not one but two more releases, an acoustic one with slide player Kenning and another with his electric band, "West Side Heat" .

Steve Arvey "It's A Fine Line". Bittersweet.

Segundo trabajo de Arvey que llega a mis manos y que prosigue la misma trayectoria que su antecesor. Este guitarrista y cantante nos invita a compartir sus blues fluidos y cargados de buen sabor, alternando electricidad y acustica, es decir, una sabia y bien balanceada exibicion de dobro y guitarra sin amplificar en algunos temas y en otros acompaqado por una buena seccion de ritmo a base de bateria, bajo, saxo y piano o armonica. Steve sigue deleitando con su sobria y elegante carga de intimismo y naturalidad, de la que nuevamente hace gala en esta ocasisn. BUENO.