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William Lee Ellis | the Full Catastrophe

CD, Bellwether

Tekst: Maurice Dielemans

Publicatiedatum: 28 maart 2001

I've never been a huge fan of blues music, but I must say that Memphis-based William Lee Ellis' release 'The Full Catastrophe' surely is a fascinating and enjoyable ride through the rural West. His apocalyptic approach of old-time music combines ragtime, Delta blues, country, bluegrass, folk, and even gospel, but no matter what the ingredients, William Lee Ellis makes it his own, and that is what keeps him from being just a wannabe blues musician.
While listening to gospel songs such as the only traditional - all of the other songs are written by Ellis - 'In My Time of Dying', you get the feeling that Robert Johnson can show up at any time to sing a duet with him. I call this spooky.
Yes, here is one of the very rare late-night albums that will scare the hell out of you. Especially 'Until the Last Train Comes Along', which is an ambitious homage to Gary Davis. It brings Ellis' sincere love of swampy gospel that once sounded through the South of America. This piece of art also features the Vance Ensemble, a Memphis group of veteran female gospel singers. 'Bouncing Ball' is another excellent tribute, but this time to the rockabilly masters of the washboard. Does anybody here still remember Tarheel Slim? William Lee's father, Tony Ellis - who used to play banjo with Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys - can also be heard on the heartbreaking closing track 'Trouble I Once Knew'. Alive and doing damn fine is the legendary (also Memphis-based) Jim Dickinson, who plays piano on 'That Angel Trumpet Sound'. Not that many musicians use a washboard or a dolceola nowadays, but William Lee Ellis knows how to use these instruments perfectly to create an eerie atmosphere that reflects the darker side of preaching gospel blues in an intelligent way. To hell with synthesizers and electric guitars - Give us back the washboard and doleceola! Seriously, this is more than an historical tribute: It's a rare piece of art.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/william-lee-ellis/the-full-catastrophe/108/
Meer William Lee Ellis op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/william-lee-ellis