HANS THEESSINK AND TERRY EVANS
TRUE AND BLUE
BLUE GROOVE BGO 2520
DEMONS–MOTHER EARTH–GLORY OF LOVE–GOTTA KEEP MOVING–VICKSBURG IS MY HOME–BOURGEOIS BLUES–DON’T LET THE GREEN GRASS FOOL YOU–CROSS ROAD BLUES–MAYBELLENE–DELTA TIME–TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER–SHELTER FROM THE STORM–I NEED MONEY–TEARS ARE ROLLING
Hans Theessink is perhaps Europe’s best-known bluesman. He’s logged over fifty years on the road with over 7500 shows, and has an instructional guitar video available. His laid-back vocal style is the perfect complement to Terry Evans, a Vicksburg-born bluesman whose gospel upbringing gives his vocals that truly-intangible “soul.” When these two giants get together, magical things happen. “True And Blue,” is their latest collaboration, recorded live at the Metropol in Vienna, Austria, in front of a blues-lovin’ crowd.
Both men are accomplished guitarists, and the fourteen cuts herein are brought to life by the talents of these two great players. There’s a sweet mix of Hans’ originals and crowd-pleasing covers, and both players have a lotta fun in this setting.
They strike that playful mode with the special-efeects scat-singing on “The Glory Of Love” and “I Need Money,” with Hans also on harp. Terry’s Delta roots run deep on several cuts, including “Talk To Your Daughter,” the deep blues of “Gotta Keep Moving,” and a sweet ode to his desire to leave “the chilly and cold winds of Lake Michigan” and go back down South to where “Vicksburg Is My Home.”
Both men get the crowd involved on a soulful tribute to Wilson Pickett, “Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You,” and Hans’ outstanding guitar fireworks that make up his take on “Maybellene.”
We had several favorites, too. Hans gets in a country-blues mood on guitar and harp as he and Terry pay tribute to Leadbelly during the 125th anniversary of his birth, the “Bourgeois Blues.” Hans literally grabs that hellhound by the tail as Terry sings of that mythical place where the deal went down, “Cross Road Blues.” And, Hans’ somber original, “Shelter From The Storm,” has an ethereal, gospel feel as he vows to a lover to always be her safe harbor.
“True And Blue” from Hans Theessink and Terry evans has that laid-back, “front porch” groove even tho it was recorded in a packed theater. When these two legends combine their talents, the whole is indeed greater than the sum of the parts! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
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